Dear Readers,

My handsome hunks of yarn (Clockwise from upper left: rust Highland- style, teal Rauma, three Swedish skeins, and dark brown Romney-alpaca handspun)

I’ve never written for relationship advice before, but I am having commitment issues. You see, I've been living happily with this pile of yarn for many years. It was romance from the start. Love at first sight in a yarn shop in Göteborg, Sweden: a glance in the yarn basket, a shy handclasp, skin to skein, and then staring into its handsome fibers over coffee and butter cookies. Memories of hot lust on a cold January day as I fondled lustrous black locks on the skirting table while helping at a friend’s shearing. Love gently blossoming on a sunny summer afternoon at a local alpaca farm. Happy hours at the spinning wheel, thinking of the handsome garments we would make together.

I’ve come to know this pile of yarn well. I’ve learned the measure of its strong, yet tender twelve wraps per inch. I’ve exulted in its bounty: at least 2,000 yards of brown-black alpaca-Romney blend, almost 600 yards of Swedish singles in rich browns, smoldering reds, and saucy tartan blues. And now I want our relationship to move to the next level. I long to be enveloped in its wooly embrace, but I can’t seem to commit.  Should I weave a loom-shaped garment, suited to my simple sewing skills? I fear this because I’m curvy, and not all loom-shaped garments will flatter. I want our garment to be versatile, so we can be together often and always, but my worsted-weight yarn is substantial, rugged and outdoorsy. Can we find a structure that suits us both? I’ve even thought about bringing some lovely russet Harrisville Highland-style yarn or teal Ruama worsted into our relationship to spice things up. Dare I think it: perhaps a ménage a twill?

So I’m writing to you, dear Readers, for your advice. I love this yarn, and I ache to bare my beams and heddles and welcome it with open sheds. I know that in an imperfect world, there can be no single perfect union of warp and weft, but I want to make something worthy of my beloved fibers. Please drop me a line or post a comment and tell me, what would you do?

Sincerely,

(alias "Passion for stashin’")