The Tardy Report- Part 2: The Mochi Enchantment

Did I mention that Anne, from Prairie Yarns, brought a sampling of yarns to display at the NDSU bookstore signing? She very kindly brought some of the yarns used in The Big Book of Socks, and some others from her store that were also suitable for knitting the patterns in the book.

Included in that pile, were a couple of balls of Crystal Palace Mochi Plus, a worsted weight, superwash wool/nylon single with long repeats and gorgeous colors. I worked on my Merino ArtYarn socks during the NDSU signing (in between talking to folks, and signing books here and there), but mostly I gazed at that Mochi.

It called to me, a siren song of gorgeous yarn that needed to come home with me. You know that tune, don't you?

So, after my time was up at the bookstore, and I gobbled a hasty lunch (all carbs, unfortunately), and headed to Prairie Yarns early, so I could scout out the Mochi selection.

It sang to me even more loudly in the store (imagine that), and I settled on the Autumn colorway (jewel tones of raspberry, blue, green, brown). The balls only have 95 yards apiece, so I picked up 3, bought some bamboo needles (Crystal Palace) because I didn't have any Size 5's in my bag, and I needed another set anyway. I am not usually fond of bamboo, but these are nice and slick, just the way I like 'em, and set to work.

Of course, I wasn't at the store just to knit (or to buy yarn), I was there to sign books. Which I did. The Prairie Yarn folks (Anne, Keatha, and Mary) are wonderful, and the customers are evern wonderfuler. The 3 hours flew by, with laughter, and stories, and knitting, and signing, and fun. But in between talking about socks, and oohing and aahing at Molly's finished Fair Isle hat (she was one of the students in my NCFF class), I managed to knit down to the heel of the first Mochi sock. I did not manage to take many pics, though I got this one:

And this one of assorted folks:

I decided on a simple waffle texture (4 rnds K, 2 rnds K 2 P 2) that played off the Mochi colors perfectly. I love love love how these soft, warm, beautiful socks are coming out (I finished the first one on Sunday). Anne warned me that Mochi yarn repeats are joyfully unmatching. I figured that with 3 balls and some creative snipping, I could at least sort of get similar socks, and I did (pic tomorrow), but it took some jockeying. BTW- I finished this first sock with about 24" of yarn left from the first ball. I'm glad I bought three.

I also bought some sparkly red Christmas yarn for fancy Holiday Socks.

And some 10" size 8 needles for my great niece (who will evermore be known as Voracious Knitter- that kid took to the needles like a pro after one short lesson on Saturday evening), and a copy of Melanie Falick's Kids Knitting for her, since neither her mother nor her grandmother knit, and she lives a long way from me. I didn't have time to look it over carefully, but it seems to be a lovely book, though I'm a thrower, and I taught VK throwing, and knitting instruction books rarely feature throwing. She's a smart kid, though. And determined. She'll figure it out. VK also chose some yarn for socks, which her Grandma bought and which I will knit up for her, forthwith (the pink and yellow ball in the above pic).

After the signing, and the buying and the knitting, and the laughing (if you're in Fargo- go to Prairie Yarns- it's a wonderful store), we visited a glass blower's studio (last weekend Fargo hosted a Studio Crawl, which featured artists all around the town). I was, and still am, blown away by his demo. Tomorrow: Part 3- Glass Houses.