Stash

While in California, I (naturellement) visited the available yarn shops.  My first LYS stop was Stash, in Berkeley, which I visited while Ellen was getting her hair done and her veil superglued attached to her head at the salon.

Stash in Berkeley

It’s a very cool little shop, full of many temptations for the yarn-a-holic.  The lighting is nice, the floors are wood, and the people are friendly.

Here’s Barb and Rebecca, who of course got the full story of the wedding and a free mini-tour of the blog, and acted pleased and gracious about it!  Now that’s class! 

Barb and Rebecca at Stash in Berkeley

They had this lovely intarsia sweater hanging from one of the shelves, and I just couldn’t resist taking a picture of it, although I myself won’t touch intarsia with a ten-foot pole.  But I am well able to admire the proper execution of it by others.  And the inside of this sweater was as beautifully finished as the outside.

Stash in Berkeley 

I decided that I would only buy sock yarn from the yarn shops I visited while in California, and my first purchase of such (from Stash, naturally) was this Mountain Colors Bearfoot.

Mountain Colors Bearfoot from Stash

These ladies were so nice–they let me pull out all the colorways and poke around in them to my heart’s content.  I finally settled on this dark purple solid and a handpaint colorway called “Eureka.”  I have in mind to work one of the tessellated or mosaic patterns from Charlene Schurch’s sock books with these two skeins.

See, it’s OK to buy more sock yarn while on vacation (no matter how much you have at home) because it only takes two skeins, at most, and you can always squeeze a couple more small skeins of sock yarn into your luggage.  Also, it provides you with a memento of your trip that keeps on giving–both while you knit them and when you wear them.  When they put Ellen and me in the home in adjoining rooms, I’ll still be able to look at my Mountain Colors socks and remember my trip to California and her lovely wedding. 

Sarah:  “Oh, I remember when I bought this yarn!  It was when we all went to California for your wedding!  Now, was Mother still alive back then?  I don’t think so.”

Ellen:  “Oh, she was too, Sarah!  Don’t you remember that jacket she had on with the rhinestone roses?”

Sarah:  “I don’t remember any such jacket.  You’re making that up!”

Ellen:  “I am not!  Why, she told me that you went with her when she bought that jacket!  In fact, you were the one you wanted her to buy it, she said.”

Sarah:  “Well, I don’t remember that.  I think you’re lying.  You always did stretch the truth.”

Ellen:  “I’ve never told a lie in my life!  And besides, you know that Mother lived for thirty years after my wedding.  I don’t know why you’d even think she wasn’t there that day.  You just can’t remember anything any more.”

You see what we have to look forward to?  Our golden years.

Stash, 1820 Solano Ave., Suite B-2, Berkeley, CA 94707 510-558-9276

5 Responses to “Stash”

  1. Rima Says:

    Hilarious : )
    Love it!

  2. Rima Says:

    Now that I’ve stopped laughing for a moment – I actually hope I’m in that same “home” sharing my stash uh – momentos with you : )

  3. Bobbie Says:

    What a hoot! Save a room down the hall for me!

  4. cindy Says:

    Hilarious. you’ve captured the very essence of sisterhood. The sad fact is that I probably have enough yarn to last from now until I live out my last days in that home. Just in case, though, I intend to NEVER pass up buying a gorgeous sock yarn. That way, when I’m in that home and lunch is fish sticks and pureed carrots and I get no choice in the matter, I’ll at least have a choice of which yarn to knit next.

  5. Romi Says:

    Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! I love Stash!!!