So about that "stashdown" thing...

...yes, I absolutely fell off the wagon today, and in spectacular fashion, even if I do say so myself. Actually, I didn't so much 'fall off' as 'fling myself wholeheartedly'.

Obviously, my aim for today was to try and leave the house. Yesterday had been a pretty god-awful flashback to last year's months-on-end of being too sick to get out and about. The upshot of this was that when I awoke this morning feeling moderately functional, I was absolutely hell-bent on making the most of it.

And sure if you're going to make leaving the house worth your while, where better to go than to your local friendly LYS??

Depending on your perspective, it was either uphill or downhill from there! Lots and lots of pretty new acquisitions...

Pretty, huh? I had used this colourway before, in the DK-weight Silky Merino, and completely fallen in love. When I saw this sock-weight one today, I grabbed! I think it may become an Ashton shawlette, but of course the possibility does exist that I'll change my mind another 15 times or so before I eventually cast on!

Next up... and yes, it's probably going to become yet another pair of Miss Potters (which, if you've never knit this pattern, you really REALLY should. Now. Instant yarny happiness, trust me)...

Here, the perfect illustration to the Noro novice (assuming there are any left!) that what you first see is not always what you get...

Have a little (discreet) poke around in the ball-end first, because the colours may throw up some surprises when you wind it up...

Yes, I swear, these are the same two balls of yarn! This is part of the whole fun with Noro - even if the knit itself gets boring, the anticipation of what colour is coming next keeps you knitting. (And yes, I knew those colours were coming, I've been poking around the ends of these particular balls for quite some time now)!

Next up was a pure 'ooh-I've-never-knit-with-that-one-before' impulse buy:

which I think is destined to become (again, yet another) Luna Moth, I think the colours and shading evoke nice lunar-mothy-type images (that said, I do hallucinate on a regular basis, so probably best not to take my word for it. I can see it, and it's my knitting, so that's all that matters)!

And yet, for all the fabulously high-end yarny goodness I acquired today, there was one simple little unassuming ball that made my day complete...

Allow me to explain. Quite some time ago (actually, almost three years ago), I came across a nice, though very boringly coloured, circular shawl pattern. I decided I'd like to make one, but totally different, in a full rainbow spectrum of colour. All colours were sourced and purchased (which involved a lengthy session of sitting in the middle of the floor of my LYS with a certain member of staff who shall remain nameless, clearing the ENTIRE shelf of Nature Spun onto aforementioned floor, and rearranging/repositioning the little piles of yarny colour around us. Fun times! Freaked the crap out of the newbie customers, though).

The only problem was my green. There was this one (too limey). Followed by this one (too mossy). I could not find my perfect green. I was vaguely aware of its existence, but I just couldn't get my hands on it. Until today. It was just THERE, looking at me, waiting for me to bring it home!

Which means I now no longer have any excuse, I have got to start this project! Y'know, when all my other WIPs are done. And I've worked through my 2012 'to-do' list as well. So some day, real soon, I swear!

So yeah, end note? Should you see me around over the coming weeks, please please PLEASE don't ask me how the stashdown is coming along... especially given that there's another yarn store trip vaguely planned for the coming days... no, I'm not just slutty with my stitches, I'll go anywhere for wool!

...although I have to say, I do think it says something for my knitterly commitment that every last piece of yarn bought today has already been assigned a project. Especially the one that I've just cast on...