Now that Woolworth's Pick 'n' Mix is no more*, I have to go elsewhere to satisfy my cravings for impossible but enjoyable choice-making. Once again, I've found it in yarn shade-cards.
I am both paralysed and galvanised by beautifully designed shade-cards and some are definitely more seductive that others. I only have to glance at the choice, the colours, the possibility, the infinite variety on offer, to feel full of happiness and hope for a great knitting future. Of course, there is only one common sense answer to which yarn(s) to buy, and that is to buy the whole lot. If only.
Kristin Nicholas sent me a copy of the Nashua Handknits Color Book which is one of the most creative printed shade cards I've seen. The yarns are presented in different ways: as mouth-watering fluffy balls of mohair, as tiny, elfin swatches and, as the page for Kristin's yarn Julia shows above, as neatly wrapped tags. Kristin also included a postcard of her yarn wound into little egg-size balls in an egg-box. Ah, who needs to knit when you can just play all day with these yarns?
I've been knitting little trial pieces with Kristin's yarn which is soft and gorgeous (as befits a yarn made with 50% wool, 25% alpaca, 25% mohair) and comes in a lovely range of warm, natural colours (with names such as 'Coleus' and Lady's Mantle'), and I had enormous difficulty making a choice for a bigger project. Heck, there must be something simpler than a Technicolor Dreamcoat that requires approx. 39 colours?
* I know that some other shops (and cinemas) have installed Pick 'n' Mix sections since Woolies disappeared, but they simply don't have the same feeling of potential, nor do they have the space for lots of lingering and long, drawn-out picking and mixing. Plus, the sweets in them are too gummy and samey - you need lots of variety and plenty of dreadful chocolates to make a Pick 'n' Mix memorable.
PS If you know of any other lovely/creative/tempting yarn shade cards, I'd love to hear about them.
Did you know Woolies On Line sells pic n mix?
Not the same as the hand delving experience it once was, but a close second.
Posted by: lucy | November 06, 2009 at 13:22
Those are beautiful, I could spend a long time just looking at those shade cards. Good luck making a choice, can't wait to see what you work pick.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 06, 2009 at 14:04
Jane
I wonder if you know that 'Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer' is on sale in the Highgrove shop in Tetbury in Gloucestershire. They have few books on sale and yours is one of them. I wonder if they will stock your book on knitting!
Posted by: Susan | November 06, 2009 at 14:15
A comedian on the radio said that Woolies would not have gone bust if everyone had actually paid for their Pick n mix instead of shop lifting it!! I remember Pick n mix in Woolies in Barnsley was crazily next to the door!!
Posted by: Diane | November 06, 2009 at 14:20
Oooh, you are a wickedly terrible influence! After seeing that shot I just had to pop across and order some of those beautiful vibrant cards. (Only just managed to not click on a tote bag too - my bag addiction is truly out of hand!)
The same thing happened last week when I read about the Japanese pattern books ....
My husband and my Paypal account want me to stop coming here, but alas I'm hooked.
:)
Posted by: Kerry | November 06, 2009 at 15:30
The colors are dazzling and that's just in your photographs. I can't imagine what they're like in real life!
Posted by: Karen | November 06, 2009 at 16:18
I think those little yarn eggs look edible! Yum...
Posted by: Grey Walker | November 06, 2009 at 16:18
Whenever I see or think of shade cards I think of one my Mum had back in the 70's from Cottage Craft Woolens in New Brunswick (Can). She crocheted ponchos for my sisters and I using their yarn. My daughter now wears mine. The company is still going, and still has all their wonderful heathery shades. I'm sure you could still order a shade card from them too. http://www.cottagecraftwoollens.com/
Posted by: PatW | November 06, 2009 at 17:10
Can't help you with shade cards but I was reading in the paper that ex woolworths employees are opening up a chain called alworths I think it was! I am assuming pick n mix will be on the cards!
Posted by: Gemma | November 06, 2009 at 17:20
Don't you just love packaging! I'm a sucker for packaging and that photo you posted makes me all warm and fuzzy. :)
Posted by: It's a Hoot | November 06, 2009 at 17:28
Oh, those chocolates in Woolies' pick and mix! Especially the ones with hundreds and thousands on top.
Maybe that's why I like beads so much... It's that feast for the eyes and for the fingers, as one riffles through while deciding what to bead next. It's sweeties without the calories!
But yarn comes a close second. Along with all those lovely papers on the top floor of the Paperchase emporium on the Tottenham Court Road. Oh dear, now I'm getting London withdrawal symptoms...
Posted by: mindfulbeader | November 06, 2009 at 17:30
Jamiesons from Shetland have a nice little yarny book which I was looking at last night, but not quite as exciting as the one above! And the Skein Queen does little tubs of Squini balls which have great stocking-filler potential, but are not really shade cards, more taster tubs.
Pomona x
Posted by: Pomona | November 06, 2009 at 19:07
I'm sorry to say the moment you mentioned Pick 'n' Mix my mind immediately jumped to those Rose and Violet creams you mentioned a few posts ago...I'm now transfixed with the thought of rushing to the shops tomorrow to find both...
Posted by: Steel | November 06, 2009 at 19:58
Texere Yarns always have a generous and unusual shade card and Colinette used to do one with fantastic lengths of yarns that you could lose yourself in.
It's a terrible trial to live so close....
Posted by: Sue | November 06, 2009 at 23:00
KnitPicks sells shade cards with lovely little yarn tassels in every color. I'm thinking of keeping mine hole-punched in a binder so I can read them like a book on cold, wintry evenings.
Posted by: Mrs. H. | November 07, 2009 at 00:12
The pick & mix shops in France are great. I don't really like sweets very much but I love the foamy strawberries from there. Much sourer and fluffier than the ones you get here.
Posted by: Rattling On | November 07, 2009 at 00:17
If you need a project with 39 yarns, see Kaffe Fassett's book "Family Album". I used leftover yarn to knit a patchworky type sweater for my 5 year old son that was glorious. I think I used 27 different yarns.
Posted by: Jill Milenski | November 07, 2009 at 16:29
I would recommend fiber dye shade cards. I've been known to spend an inordinate amount of time gazing at the sample cards from Landscapes Dyes, an Australian company.
Posted by: willow | November 07, 2009 at 22:07
oh, I love those little cards... brilliant.
x
Posted by: Fancy Elastic | November 08, 2009 at 09:46
Jamieson and Smith in the Shetlands (they are different to the one mentioned above) used to do lovely shade cards. They also used to supply the yarn in hanks, which I know is a fiddle but always makes the wool seem just that little bit more yummy!
Posted by: Penny | November 08, 2009 at 17:35
You could never grt the true taste of Woolworths pick and mix again, as you couldn't recreate the taste of nostalgia!!
Posted by: Helen | November 09, 2009 at 09:07
Not sure if you'll find them tempting, but I love the yarns and colors from Black Water Abbey and Mostly Merino.
http://www.abbeyyarns.com/fork-in-the-road.html
http://mostlymerino.com/yarn.htm
Posted by: maxine | November 09, 2009 at 19:27
Years ago i knitted Kaffe Fassets Persian Poppy waistcoat as a jumper making a ball of hot colours from lots of yarns for the 'poppy' and another of cold for the background, it was a lovely experience- maybe this would use all 39 colours?
Posted by: Nicole | November 10, 2009 at 19:28
I was really lucky to be able to meet Kristin (and stay with her in fact) when we went on our family holiday, summer before last. Her eye for colour is amazing and I agree her Julia wool is gorgeous. I used mine for granny squares in the end.
Posted by: Simmy Bains | November 13, 2009 at 12:21