Wednesday Wishlist

Have you ever really wanted to try a new product, but it's not in your budget?

Do you fall in love with projects, but you know you just don't have time to make them right now?

Would you donate an item to charity if it meant you got to play with the yarn for free?

Here are my picks of the week:

Bernat Mega Bulky:

Bernat wasn't kidding when they named this yarn Mega Bulky! This stuff is huge! I fell in love with with Mega Bulky during my last yarn shopping trip. But, at $9.99 for 64 yards, it's not in my budget right now. I'm looking to make a new afghan, I'm pressed for time, and I know that it would be done in a flash with 4 rows of 4 single crochet to 4" (10 cm). But how many skeins would I need to make a full-size blanket? I can't spend over $30 on a project right now.

Do you ever think "Ooo, I wanna make that!", but when you add up how much the project will cost, you just laugh (or get really sad)? Trying to get an idea for how many skeins I would need for my afghan, I was checking out the free pattern for this Big Waves Throw on the Yarnspirations website:

Image from Yarnspirations.com

Click the picture to get the pattern. The folks at Yarnspirations.com are nice enough to put together a package for you to complete one of their projects. Although I really like this feature, scrolling down to the final price just about gave me a heart attack. Nope, a new afghan with Mega Bulky just isn't in my $30 budget right now. And this yarn is sooooo soft. Sigh.

I know, plenty of you would suggest that I purchase one skein for a scarf or hat, or some smaller accessory, but the answer is no. No! No, I want a blanket, and I'm putting my foot down! Until then, maybe I'll get lucky enough to afford a few skeins for a small pattern and a review, but even that will have to wait.

Red Heart Boutique Twilight:

Image from redheart.com

Ooo, shiny! Sorry, I can't help it...With bright, vivid colors that practically glow combined with a touch of sparkle, this bulky yarn attracts attention right away. Seriously, click the picture to follow the link, and check out all the selections available. I want a skein in every color!

At $5.99 a ball, it seems like a better choice to fit my budget, but I surely can't buy one in every color. I have to face a dilemma with this one: With so low of a budget, should I spend my money on fashion yarn, or should I be looking at more practical, useful options? I need to keep that afghan in mind. There's always Granny Squares, right?

For right now, I need to keep my yarn spending to a minimum. Unless I win some awesome giveaway, I'll have to ~~scratch the Mega Bulky off of my list~~...~~wait for someone to gift me a skein~~...work harder so I can afford what I want again! But I still have to pick up something new once in a while, or my patterns start to feel redundant, all made in the same brand of cheap worsted acrylic. The less expensive ball of Boutique Twilight seems like a smarter choice to get me through that "I need new yarn" feeling, without breaking the bank.

What would you choose if you were in my situation? Take a little longer to save up, while still buying odds and ends, or stop buying anything and go through yarn detox until you save enough for everything? I'm not broke, I just have to be smart with my money right now, and remember that (unfortunately) yarn isn't really a necessity.

Click the donate button on the right if you can help me out! I love to play with yarn, even if I don't get to keep (or make money from) the item I've made. All donations will support my Scarf of the Month program. Every month, a new scarf (or set) will be designed to donate to charity. As a thank you for your donations, the pattern will be provided for free the following month!