BIGGEST SCORE IN THE WORLD!!!

I've not been well lately, due to medical issues but I'm not going to bore you with that.  What I will bore you with instead is a 'special' find at my local second hand store recently.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd find what I did last week.
I walked into the op shop and usually the first thing I do is head for the crafting section.  Well that's what I call it anyway.... it can be as big as a whole corner full of stuff or one lousy small basketful.  But on this particular day, I spotted a MASS of knitting wool and nearly had an aneurysm.  The impact was so intense that I nearly blacked out.  

At first my sight went a little blurry and in the span of just a second or two, I thought to myself 'I must have walked into an up-market wool store by mistake?!'  But then I realized that there aren't any yarn stores where I was.

So I got closer to the HUGE MASS of wool and I stood there with glazed eyes.
There must have been 3 huge plastic tubs full of it and I honestly didn't know what was going on.  Was I dreaming?  Was somebody playing a practical joke?  WHAT???  It was like I was going through the 5 stages of grief.  I've also seen it as the 7 stages of grief, but let's stick with 5 for the sake of keeping it shorter and sweeter;

Denial
This can't be happening.  This is can't be real.  Am I in an op shop or did I mistakenly enter a high priced wool shop?  Is somebody going to jump out from hiding behind a clothes rack and shout 'SURPRISE, YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA!!'  No, it's a big mistake, I'm quite sure of it.

Anger
I swear if ANYBODY tries to touch that wool, I'm going to knock their blocks off.  If anybody more than looks at it, I'm going to..... well I don't know what I will do but it will be very nasty.

Bargaining
Gee, I can't afford to buy ALL of this wool.  I've got a good amount on me but it's mostly for food shopping.  But gee-wiz-golly.... if I don't buy what I can now, I will regret it.  Self, look at it this way;  if you buy a heap of this wool, it will last you for years to come.  You won't have to buy more for a really long time.
Go on, you know you want to.  

Depression
But, but.... oh it's food money!  We will probably go without eating for a week or two, get all thin and gaunt and we'll become very sickly.  It's a sad, sad situation.

Acceptance
A sigh of relief.  The truth is that it's only money and I can steal, beg or borrow more money for food if I have to.  LOL.

Dear friends and those who aren't, I forked out $145, and mind you there is only 90% of it showing in the photos.  The other 10% was still in my car from lack of room: 

Can you see what it is?  Click on each photo to see!  Do you know how much all this wool is worth new?  Some of it is discontinued, some you can still find.
Example: one ball of Rowan kidsilk aura could set you back $8 per ball.  And there are ones in there that you'd have to fork out more that $10-15 per ball/skein.  The whole lot would have cost me closer to $1000 if I had been in some swanky, snobby yarn store.

-Rowan, including cashsoft, wool, wool/cotton, silky tweed & fine milk.
-Alpaca Silk
-Classic Elite Yarns
-Malabrigo

Maybe now you will understand what all this hoopla-hoo-ha was about and why I'm ranting and raving.  I think the only people that would appreciate this find, are the knitters and crocheters out there, and those that understand the worth of beautiful, luxurious yarn.

I shared my find on facebook (crafting group) recently.  I could tell there was a little jealousy, even though nobody said so but some were actually over the moon happy for me.  One lady said she went to her local yarn store to find some Rowan, just out of curiosity to see the prices.  She was gobsmacked.  She told the store attendant of what I found at the op shop, and she didn't believe it.  Apparently NOBODY GIVES AWAY EXPENSIVE WOOL TO AN OP SHOP, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!  IT DOES NOT HAPPEN!

So there you go, I'm a liar.  It never happened.

But do you think I'm worried whether people believe it or not?  All I care is that I found it and I'm very happy - it was a deal of a lifetime find!  And I have sore feet from all the little happy dances to prove it.

I think I've just turned into a yarn snob.  ;)

Saturday

It's July already?  You've got to be kidding me.  

It's a little bit of a frenzy for me this time of year.  This is the time I organize our tax affairs, preparing everything for our accountant.  And not just any accountant for us!  We've been using a great accountant for over 5 years, that specializes in real estate.  They do a fantastic and thorough job, but I still get nervous.  I feel I need to check and double check everything that needs to be passed on and sometimes TRIPLE check everything - and let me tell you our paper work is usually a few inches thick!  This year it measures only 1.5 inches thick which actually relaxes me somewhat.  Not as bad as last years 2 inches thick - lol!

But I always think I've missed something, or haven given enough information.

This tax year was trying for us, as 2 of our investment properties were vandalized.  Thankfully our insurance came through and everything is fine again.

Our other 3 investment properties are much easier, thanks to the nicer location that they sit on.  WARNING: Always, but always get landlords insurance if you intend on investing in property.

Enough of my boring life.... and onto some goodies that I found a few months back.

Ok, so this HUGE sweater set me back $7, but I got over 1kg of yummy 100% wool after frogging.  I love it!

After frogging the whole thing, I made a swatch.  It knits up beautifully and is so lovely to work with.  I scored good with this.  :)

2 machine yarn cones found for $3 (for both).  Riverhart Summit 3ply....

This booklet has some daggy designs, but just as many nice ones so it was well priced at only 99 cents:

Wednesday

Yummy yarn, found for $1 per ball;

Acrylic, but surprisingly soft.

Mohair, or at least part mohair and feels lovely to the touch.

Pure cotton, it's nice, soft and not like those horrid stiff cottons.

And now for the obligatory let down. I didn't pay $1 for this next ball of pure wool, but rather 50 cents.  I really don't know why I did not carefully check it whilst at the op shop, I must have had brain mush at that particular moment (yes, it happens to the best of us).  After I got it home, this is what I found;

I think there must be about 10gm more or less, of short and long strands.  Thankfully the rest was ok.  Ugghh!  Please check your yarn thoroughly before purchasing at the op shop!

Thursday

Happiness is when you find your treasures for cheap!  Probably nothing very exciting, but they are valuable resources and information for me.  :)

Only 50 cents per book / magazine;

And circs for $1;

Friday

I was amazed to find these cones of sewing thread for 50 cents each, and they are quite large.  I'm guessing I won't run out for a very long time!

This 1968 book called ' Knitting Pattern Drafting by Charts for Knitting Machines and Hand Knitting ' set me back $1.  Full of vintage information and even more vintage style!

 A  yummy ball of mohair for 50 cents.

And $1 each for these...

Wednesday

Did somebody say 'heatwave'?  No thanks.  I can't believe how hot it's been lately and I can't even think straight from the heat.  Dear Lord, please let it be over soon? Amen.

I was delighted to find this book last year, 1987 Ed.  It has a wealth of information in it, including knitting in the round - which is the only reason why I knit today, how-to's, patterns, techniques with diagrams and even some knitting history!

And I got it for half price at $2.50.

Knitting on the cheap...

Loving my 50 cent knitting magazine.  This early 1980's mag is a valuable source for me, believe it or not;

 

Yarn at 50 cents each - bargain!  It has a little alpaca and mohair amongst the acrylic and polyester, and I think it will make a lovely scarf for next winter;

I found this furry yarn also for 50 cents and it's exactly what I needed because it appeared in front of me the day after I decided to make the Yultide Gnome knitted toy.  If you know what he looks like, you'll know I need this for his big beard.  How's that for destiny?

Cheap yarn

I love it when I find balls of wool for 50 cents each:

Better still, I love it much more when I find bamboo for 20 cents:

Bendigo Colonial Wool

I scored 600g of Bendigo Woollen Mills wool.  I forked out $15 for the lot and it's the most I've ever paid for wool at the op shop.  I'm still unsure as to why I bought it.  

Mmmm.. silky...

I found 18 balls of Sirdar Silky Look for $10!  Woohoo! 

But then again, I don't know why I'm Woohoo-ing because it's actually 93% Acrylic and 7% Nylon.

If I were a yarn snob, I'd be disgusted with myself.  Seeing that I'm not a yarn snob, or at least not a COMPLETE yarn snob, I will give it the benefit of the doubt and give it a try.  

One never knows... it might knit up wonderfully.

It's cotton time

 Fabulous cotton finds from yesteryear.

 Gem cotton...

only $7 for all of this;

 Patons Stonewash cotton...

only $5 for all of this;

I love it when I score well!