I am not usually the impulse buy type (at least, not anymore). Especially since the pandemic, when I no longer find myself in yarn shops and can’t argue that some skeins of yarn magically popped off of the shelves into my arms. When you order yarn on-line there is something a bit more deliberate about it, and this means that I often manage to talk myself out of pushing the purchase button. I spend an awful lot of time doing my research before buying.

So, I surprised myself recently when I saw a new design in my feed, liked it, and within five minutes had made a purchase. The design is called piping hot sweater, by Lily Kate:

I can’t tell whether it was the sweater itself, or that piping hot piping in pink on flame red that made me snap it up. Probably both; I bought the yarn in the exact same shades. Aren’t they gorgeous?

The yarn is Lalland DK by Di Gilpin in the shades Flame and Sea Thrift. It really glows. In fact, it is positively eye-popping. I piled the balls in a big bowl and put them on the table, like a bouquet of flowers, and I smile every time I see them.

In the meantime, I am knitting away on one more summer-y sweater before the cold sets in (a bit late but nonetheless). This one is also the result of an impulse purchase. It is knitted with Isager Trio2 in the shade Strawberry, and the colour lives up to its name: it really looks like a luscious basket of strawberries.

I saw a project on Ravelry that had been knitted in this yarn in this shade, and decided right away I needed to purchase some. It was indeed an impulse buy, as I bought it without a project in mind and then it took me a month or so to decide which pattern to knit.

This is the Anker Tee pattern by PetiteKnit. I think the fit is going to be good. The yarn is a blend of 50% linen, 30% cotton, and 20% lyocell (paper). How cool is that? I am really looking forward to seeing how it washes and wears.

Speaking of impulse buys:

Emma decided she missed us and impulsively bought air tickets. She arrived this morning!