I went to Renaissance Yarns in downtown Kent today. I was happy to find that they had a much different variety of yarn than the other shop I go to. The woman that helped me was very friendly and made me feel very at ease, since she is a fairly new knitter as well. My very first experience in a specialty yarn store (as opposed to a general craft store, which is where I bought the materials to teach myself), once the woman found out I was a novice and had come in there without a pattern in mind for the yarn I was asking for, was Pretty Woman-esque (you know, when Julia Roberts goes to shop on Rodeo Drive but she's still in her "work" clothes? And the uppity shop ladies tell her, "I don't think we have anything that will fit you.") and I have since felt a little uncomfortable, overwhelmed, and unworthy when I cross the threshold of any yarn store without aisles. But not today. Today topped even my first trip to my other LYS. They have lots and lots of classes which look like fun, and they also had some Ella Rae Classic 100% wool in exactly the colors I've been imagining for a felted handbag. So I came home with this.






That's my test swatch for gauge and felting to see how much shrinkage I get. I've never done this before, so I'm excited to try it. The pink that I bought is truest in the first picture, but the second one better represents the cream and camel colors. I can't decide what kind of closure I want. I know I want hard handles, like the D-shaped bamboo ones. I think I want a button like this, but I'm not sure. I can't wait to get started! Hopefully this won't distract me too much from the socks.