The Makings of a Beautiful Thing

This cashmere yarn has been through a lot.

I ordered it back in November, I think. It sat on the shelves for awhile, as I was a little afraid to dye it up… after all, it was cashmere!!  Oh, the buttery softness! How could I even risk messing it up?

Who knows what came over me, but one day, I grabbed a bunch of skeins of it, got two big pots of dye going (one in a rich raspberry color and one in green).

I dunked the skeins into the raspberry pot and simmered until the dye was fully absorbed into the fibers… OH! It was so pretty! Feeling bold and daring, I then drained the hanks and plopped them into the next, green pot. “OH…. no….” I cried in slow motion.

It was not what I expected. It was another of those colors that made me wonder if anybody would even want it. Yikers. And it was CASHMERE!! Wahhhh!

I lovingly rinsed it anyways and hung it out to dry… Even through my rubber gloves, this stuff felt soft! Puppy soft!! Baby soft! Creamy, milky, warm-melted-chocolate-and-caramel-in-your-mouth soft.

And so it was hung to dry.

As you know, my studio and dyeing kitchen (the entire building where I was renting) flooded on Christmas day. A pipe busted and sprayed water everywhere…

So this lovely cashmere yarn, along with all my other possessions had to be moved to the upstairs of the building and piled on tables.

This cashmere got dumped in a big pile…

I kept reminding myself I needed to get it listed for you, but it just wasn’t happening. New Year’s came and went… Resolutions were made (I prefer to think of them more as dreams or ideas… if they happen, great, but if not, I’ll be just as happy… a few things on my list? Get a massage for the first time in my life, do more yoga, get ripped (ha ha!), live fearlessly, etc.)

Along the lines of living fearlessly, I made a decision I had been wavering about for years.

I decided to find a place to live/work to call my own.

My man and I scouted Craigslist for places for a week and visited dozens of them. It was the most glorious fun I think we’ve ever had!! The clarity! The focus! The vision and co-creation! It was like life, only condensed into a week’s time.

We saw many places which allowed us to continue to refine our wants and preferences. I wish I could accurately describe the hovels we viewed… And some super huge, nice places as well. Some creepy places with creepy owners.

And then… the last night of looking, we visited a lovely little duplex in town, right next to the gym (hurray for getting ripped this year!) and… it was delightful. The owners were adorable and pleasant. New carpets and hardwood floors… new appliances. Heated garage with a work bench and storage space. Big windows (so necessary in these dark months in Alaska!), with a gorgeous view. What more could be asked for?

And so… All was moved. I had a few days of absolute panic and “overwhelmedness,” not believing it would ever get done. Not to mention my Jeep had to go in for repairs due to being rear-ended, which left me feeling out of sorts.

But in the midst of that, the lovely little cashmere yarn called out to be listed and shown to the world.

With a make-shift stool, I sat at my new desk, looking out at the beautiful sun rising, and listed the cashmere…

I’m calling her “ENCHANTED FOREST.”

And isn’t she beautiful? Doesn’t she make your heart lurch with lust a little? Maybe it’s just me.

I wasn’t sure if she’d be pretty or not, but after drying and twisting and placing into the cubby… yes, indeed, she is quite amazing.

The texture. The colors. The possibilities. 

Sometimes the best things in life are not those that are easily given or produced; but those that come through the fire and rise out of it, shining and new.

It was a struggle to get this baby listed. But here she is in all her glory and I’m proud of her.

I made this adorable infinity scarf from 1 skein.

This is for a very dear friend… the kind of friend whom you could not see for decades and when you did see her again, you would pick up right where you left off without a bat of an eye. A soul friend… Such a special person deserves such a special yarn.

So there you have the Enchanted Forest Cashmere, DK weight yarn.

She’s been through a lot. Yes, indeed, this yarn has been through a lot.

And she’s better because of it. 🙂

I hope you enjoy it!

~Chandi

P.S. I’m headed on vacation Thursday, the 24th. So please order by Wednesday, the 23rd to guarantee shipping before my trip! But not to worry, I’ll be back Feb 5 to start dyeing and shipping more goodies for you!