I blame Noro.

Firstly, Rebecca, if you're reading this, stop immediately, and go do something else. You are forbidden from this blog entry temporarily.

Now! My aforementioned friend and I decided last weekend that we would do a crafty-trady-thingamajiggy. I'm the yarny fiber geek, and she makes all kinds of really neat things from beads and hemp. So we decided to do a trade!

When we made this decision, the very first thing that jumped to mind that I thought would be perfect for her is a Noro scarf. You know, the ones that alternate between two different colorways of Noro to make that amazing shifting striped effect? Yeah, that one.

This project marks the losing of my Noro virginity, by the way. A moment of silence, please.

*Ahem*

Anyway, I bought two skeins of Silk Garden Light because my LYS had one for 10% off, and because each skein had 137 yards in it, which is more than either Kureyon or plain Silk Garden. When I got them home and pulled them out of the bag, even my roommate realized there was something Godly about this particular fiber. She kept saying: "that's soooo pretty!" I read to her the fiber content (45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 15% lambswool), and her eyes got big.

But then I started to knit. And I lost. my. mind. Here's a timeline for you.

5:30 I arrive home from the LYS and plop myself down on the floor. Didn't take off my shoes or my coat or anything. I swatched using three different needles for the baby blanket I'm supposed to make (because I got the yarn for that, too). Once I decided on a size 9, I shifted my focus to the Noro.

6:00 I grab my size 4 straight needles, cast on 24 stitches, and start working a 1x1 rib, alternating skeins of Noro every two rows. I chose to slip the first and last stitch of each color change's second row in order to hide the yarn as I carry it up the side.

I am entranced after...maybe an inch.

6:30 I have not moved. At all. My knitting is several inches longer and I'm staring at it as it comes off the needles, probably open mouthed and drooling.

6:45 My stomach starts to rumble. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember that the last thing I ate was a sandwich at like...2 PM.

7:30 My stomach is making obscene noises. I wonder whether eating or Noro knitting is a better option. I am seriously weighing these decisions while sitting on the couch.

8:00 I finally decide to put down the scarf long enough to make myself a huge tasty honey mustard grilled chicken salad.

8:30 I am knitting again. I wonder how badly I really need to study for my midterms.

This stage lasted for quite a long time.

I think I finally put my needles down and called it a night at around 1:45 AM. The scarf is just about 4 feet long. I want to put another 2 feet on it tonight and then give it to my friend tomorrow or Saturday. I can't wait to see the finished results. I kept saying to myself: " I just want to see the next color change, then I'll be done. Promise". Yeah...no.

I've read lots of interesting debates about how Noro is good/bad/ugly/beautiful/expensive/unneccessary/overrated/etc. Honestly, though, for my first time knitting with it, I love it. It's certainly unlike any other yarn I've ever encountered, and it definitely has a very distinct character. When I say that, I mean that you're knitting with singles (it's not plied), the colors are very unique to the brand, and there's occasionally little fuzzies and bits of hay still stuck in parts (they're not huge, and they've just fallen out while knitting. No problems). This yarn seems to have such a rustic beauty about it...I just can't put it down. I was knitting this morning while I waited for my bagel to toast, and even in those few minutes I was still amazed. I never really understood the Noro fascination until I'd knit something with it.

That being said, I don't think I'll get to knit with it very often. My student budget will only accomodate a scarf like this every once in a while.

Also, I have some great news for the blog - last night I ordered a digital camera! It's the same one that my younger brother has. I used it to take pictures of my crescendo socks (which I've been working on!), his mittens, the beginning of my cable luxe tunic, and my spindle. It's a great little camera, and I got it for $120 cheaper than he got his, plus the seller is throwing in an extra battery. Hooray!

Anyway, yeah. Riveting update at the moment, sans pictures because I refuse to take a picture of this scarf with my horrendous camera. Photographic evidence tomorrow. Noro is ruining my life as a student. Well, for these last two days, anyway. I have two midterms to study for, homework to do, quizzes to take, and what do I do? I knit a scarf. Damn you, Noro, damn you.

First person to tell me that I need a lesson in self discipline gets slapped with a ball of Kureyon.