the agony

I went thrift store shopping at Goodwill in Tukwila yesterday. We had driven past the store on a previous occasion after a trip to Ikea which is also down in that part of the world. After a visit to one superstore and actually in the process of getting lost trying to find another one (Home Depot), Tim didn't really have much goodwill left for thrift shopping. But I caught up on it yesterday and the trip delivered up this yarn, recycled from a Talbots brand short-sleeved sweater.

It's a purpley red, heathered with tiny flecks of bright pink, 80% wool and 20% cashmere, very soft. But I am kicking myself that I didn't get the matching cardigan as well. I was looking at the colour with another slouchy beret in mind and it didn't even occur to me that the amount of yarn from both the short-sleeved sweater and the cardigan would certainly deliver up enough yarn for an adult-sized sweater for me. So far I have only knit accessories and children's wear from recycled yarn because I have been confident that I would have enough. It's one thing to run out of commercial yarn on your last sleeve and have to search around for another ball in that dye lot. It's a whole other matter to run out of recycled yarn on a project and I haven't yet dared try an adult garment.

I have had it in mind that I needed to search for two identical sweaters (what's the likelihood? well, I have on occasion seen a number of identical sweaters in various sizes which I'm guessing were all donated by a company but they were bright green and partly acryclic so not for me), or a very oversized sweater, or a full-length cardigan in order to get enough yarn. And here was a twin set and it didn't even occur to me.

I think there may be a trip back to Tukwila tomorrow. I wonder if the cardigan could possibly still be there?