I received a nice surprise in the mail this week. Yarn. Unexpected yarn.

I told you late last year that I’d designed a cowl, Basket Whip, with the same stitch I used for Flying Lindy (socks), Sugar Push (fingerless mitts), and Syncopation (tank top). I believe I also mentioned that I talked to Classic Elite about submitting this cowl pattern to their free weekly newsletter. They sent me some fabulous yarn, Fresco, a fuzzy, warm alpaca blend, and I knit the design again, using that. Then Christmas hit, helping Mom through cataract surgery, going to Mexico, then immediately to TNNA. Before I knew it it was late January before I was able to send them the revised pattern using their yarn and the cowl to photograph for their newsletter—just in time for them to start putting spring projects in the newsletter. My bad.

They were supposed to photograph the cowl, and send it back to me right away. But then they got busy with spring, and, well… The cowl came back this week. Along with their apologies for the delay in the form of three gorgeous balls of yarn: two balls of Silky Alpaca Lace, and one of Alpaca Sox.

The yarns are both super, super soft, and the colors are glorious. The lace weight yarn, Silky Alpaca Lace, is in a color called Forget Me Not, and the variegated Alpaca Sox is in Garden, a delightful combination of greens, blue, and soft pink. The yarn was not necessary, but I certainly love it, and look forward to knitting with both of them. Ideas are even stirring for a lacy little floral something in that delightful soft blue…

Finally got Thornbury finished up this week. Blocked even. I need to do the measurements, etc. to finish up the pattern, then get it off to the tech editor. I also need to retake the photos. I was lazy, and didn’t get out the black dress, and am paying for it. I’m dissatisfied with the results. Once again, laziness nets me something I don’t like, and I will end up doing more work in the end. Ah well. Such is life. It’s not that the photos are bad. I just don’t like them. I’ll leave you with this glimpse: