Luxury Yarn, Am I Worth It?

There are some amazing yarns out there in the fiber world.  These specialty yarns are so sumptuous, so tempting, so pricey.  I try to hold out and not be seduced by unusual fibers, but to be honest some days I can't even turn down wool blend yarns on rock bottom close out prices.  Last year on my birthday I found myself falling for a skein of Jade Sapphire Moonlight yarn.  The yarn was on sale, but it was still expensive for my budget and for the price I would get only 120 yards of cashmere and combed mink.  I can't deny it was luxurious to the touch and dyed a lovely shade of dark green.  I remember fondling it, looking at the price, putting it down, walking away, turning round and repeating this cycle several times before dragging out the plastic and taking a yummy skein home with me.  I think about that moment and I want to time travel back and tell my silly self either buy two skeins or walk away.  It is really hard to find a good project for 120 yards of anything.

I scoured Ravelry, my own library, and even my own past projects for just the right pattern.  I just kept not having enough yarn to make anything.  I was about to give up when I thought about what exactly I wanted to make with the buttery soft yarn.  Soft yarn would be nice against my skin.  My neck could use a barrier against the cold weather we have been experiencing lately.  I could make a cowl in a fun stitch pattern.  My friend, Lenora, had introduced me to a stitch pattern called the fluted banister. I love how this stitch looks and it gives a great texture to a knitted fabric.  I have made one of these cowls before out of an alpaca blend yarn and loved the end product. I was hoping for a similar result with the Jade Sapphire cashmere blend.

Alpaca Blend Cowl

However, cashmere is not as elastic as alpaca.  Though the cowl fits well, it stretches out very quickly.  I sewed on a small button and now I have a very cozy cowl.  Yet, I think about the other cowl knitted with the alpaca blend fibers, yarn I got on clearance at Tuesday Morning.  I liked that cowl, and it was very warm too, but it was given away to warm someone else's neck.  I am left asking myself, am I really worth such luxurious yarn?  Of course I am, aren't we all.

Jade Sapphire Moonlight Cashmere and Mink Blend Cowl