I Just Got a Bahgin...

That's how we say it here in New England.  And we New Englanders are notorious for sniffing out those bargains AND showing them off.  In a marketing seminar mrrrf-teen years ago, our instructor told the class that New Englanders were (probably still are) the most frugal people in the US.  Moreover, we're the group who will most likely share their experiences, and the prices they paid (or didn't pay) with anyone who will listen.

Now that that's established, I offer you the reason for the title of this post:  http://www.elmore-pisgah.com/specials.htm.  This is the company that makes the famous Peaches 'n Cream cotton yarn.  I found that site a while back and bookmarked it for use at a later date.  I've vowed not to buy too much yarn at one time and to make every effort to only spend what I make from selling my patterns and wares, so I've been squirreling away every cent in my PayPal account until I could justify placing an order.  The two items in which I was most interested were the two at the top of the page:  the Seconds Cones and the 2 lb. Grab Bag.  Take a look at my haul!

I was thrilled when I opened the box because I'm all about blue and yellow for the kitchen right now and I'm working on some projects that lend themselves to beige/hemp colored yarn (including a freebie I'll be posting within the next couple of days).  It's almost as though someone read my mind.  I tend to avoid black for items that will be photographed because It's virtually impossible to get a good shot, but I can always use black yarn.  The verdict: the cones were obviously a huge hit.

The Grab Bag was not as spot on, but definitely useful. First, the two balls of variegated yarn (lower right corner) are first quality AND the same dye lot.  SCORE!  Second, the remaining colors are all ones that I can definitely use.  I'm only minorly disappointed with the amount of crochet thread I received, but I knew I was taking a chance with this order and I'll take the good with the not so bad.  I guess I'll just have to come up with a few more scrubby patterns, right?

I've already finished a project using that royal blue.  There are inconsistencies in the color, but that's not important to me.  If my plan was to sell the finished product, I'd use a first quality yarn, but the seconds are just fine for those items that may or may not end up in my own kitchen.

I should add that the online store also offers first quality balls and cones in every color and fiber that the Pisgah Yarn Company offers, so it's well worth taking a look.  The prices are also very reasonable, better than I've seen locally.

Okay, so here's the BUT:  the shipping fees begin somewhere around $8 which is pretty pricey unless you're placing a large order.  Yes, the shipping rates increase as your order does, but they creep upward rather than ballooning.

Anyhow, I would definitely give this order and the whole experience a big thumbs up.  I will most definitely be placing orders for seconds cones in the future and most likely adding some first quality cones to the next order.

Has anyone out there found a great place to buy acrylics, wools, or even other cottons on the cheap?  I'd love to hear from you, so please share!

Just a side note:  the blue towel is the "Tiny Bubbles Towel" made to match my "Tiny Bubbles" scrubby and pot holder patterns and has just been posted on Etsy and Ravelry.