The joy of ruffles

A few days ago, I got on another crafting high. I was perusing my Facebook feed, and I saw a post from the chain craft store AC Moore about this new yarn that makes a special ruffly scarf. They had had some sort of in-store demo of it over the weekend and apparently it was very popular. I was intrigued.

I checked out the scarf and the crazy novelty yarn that looks like a net and determined that I had to have some. Do I need a crazy ruffled scarf? Well, no, but that's not really the point is it? The yarn is Premier Starbella, it was on sale for $3.99 a skein at AC Moore, and they even have an autumn inspired colorway. Need I say more?

At quitting time, I was speeding over to AC Moore. I arrived with a high level of excitement. I just love getting excited about new projects. I raced in, but took some time to peruse the photo albums before heading back to the yarn. I wanted to really preserve the experience. I took my time browsing, squeezing a few skeins of sock yarn, before I realized that I'd been through every yarn aisle and hadn't yet spotted my prey.

I went back through, paying special attention to each yarn bin. Suddenly...straight ahead on the starboard side I spot a knitted sample of something that looks unmistakably ruffly. Eureka! I hurry over.

Yep, that's the crazy ruffle all right. I touch it reverently and my eyes dart to the neighboring bins so that my color selection process can begin, which is what I've been looking forward to all afternoon. I knew I wanted the autumn colorway, but perhaps I could make some gifts as well...

Well. I'm instantly deflated when I realize that every nearby bin is completely empty. I quickly check behind other neighboring yarns to see if anybody hid any, which makes no sense whatsoever, but I do it for several minutes anyway. I stand back up with a pout. Not a single skein of Starbella to be had. As I'm standing there frowning, an AC Moore lady ambles by. I hurry to catch up with her.

I quickly ask about the Starbella, and she expresses surprise that it's all gone, but she said they had a lot of people in for the demo. She said that I could get a rain check up at the front for the sale price, which I thank her for. I'm still standing there a few minutes later, looking unhappily at a bin of pink Bernat yarn for a breast cancer awareness campaign, when the lady comes back.

"That one Bernat yarn, Ruffelina, is similar to Starbella."

"Oh, really?!"

"Yep, and here's the free pattern."

I'm really starting to like this lady. This skein was a mix of pink hues, was only $2.99, and one ball makes an entire ruffly scarf. I was stoked. I grab a skein.

"Thank you! I like this one, and I'll get that rain check when I check out."

She pauses.

"I did put 2 skeins aside for myself, but you can have one. I'll be able to get more when they come in on the truck."

Now I love this lady. I follow her to this desk in the middle of the store and she pulls out 2 balls of Starbella. One is a mix of blues and taupe in a colorway called "Faded Jeans," and the other is the coveted autumn. I catch my breath. I want to stroke the autumn colors, but she's being so super nice that I don't want to take advantage.

"Which one would you like to keep? You're being so nice already by letting me have one of yours."

Quickly, she clutches the autumn skein to her chest. I had a feeling that would happen. But I happily accept the also very pretty blue skein, thank her profusely again, and skip merrily up to the register.

There is a checkout lady just waiting for me, which is when I know the craft store karma is really on my side. Usually at AC Moore, I'm waiting at the register *forever* while people seriously slow poke ahead of me. I deposit my two ruffly balls onto the counter and ask for a rain check so that I can secure an autumn skein when they come back in.

The lady starts to take down my information, but pauses suddenly.

"Let me call into the stock room. I think I saw some of this yarn back there."

She calls while I hold my breath in excitement.

"How many balls did you want?"

"Just 1!"

"They have some that were returned back there. What color do you want?"

Next thing I knew, yet another pleasant AC Moore lady was handing me a ball of autumn hued Starbella.

Life was good. It doesn't take much to make me very, very happy. Including cheap novelty yarn. I got all 3 balls for $10.

So, I started my autumn ruffly scarf the other day, and the experience is interesting to say the least. I actually don't love knitting with it, it's a bit awkward. However, I'm loving the final product. It's SO pretty.

And it hides a multitude of sins. For instance, as I was knitting along, I came across a knot. And a knot in a thick netted yarn like this is ridiculously noticeable. There's no weaving THAT end in. It's just a grape-sized wad of tangled netting with two opposing colors on either side. NOT attractive. Happily though, the ruffles somehow absorb this blight. I think your cat could actually get tangled up in this yarn and the ruffles would hide its very body. It's kind of weird.

I'll take a picture of my scarf and post it when it's done. :)