No, not yarn. These:

Two new books. I’ve been interested lately in more complicated knitting techniques, hence the obsession with lace. Earlier this year, I received a pair of beautifully hand-knit Selbuvotter –Norwegian Mittens– from my secret pal in Norway. Although I have yet to wear them outside in cold weather, I fell in love with these mittens.

I was so excited to receive a pair of traditional “selbu” mittens from an authentic Norwegian knitter that I wore them around the house for at least a few minutes before my balmy palms couldn’t take it anymore. The detail of the pattern, the precision of the knitting, the neatness of the wrong side are so absolutely gorgeous that, even as a knitter myself, I’m in awe of these mittens.

So when I came across the book “Selbuvotter: Biography of a Knitting Tradition,” I knew I had to have this book so I could make my own pair of mittens or gloves. (Yes, I know I live in Arizona where mittens are not a life-threatening necessity, but I’m a knitter and knitters like gloves, and it can get chilly enough here to require handwear, and I’m a wimp anyway, so I need them). And since I have these beautiful mittens, I’ve decided that I should make a pair of gloves. I already have the perfect yarn for this project in my stash and the precious skeins have been waiting patiently for this book to arrive.

And since I’m making a pair of pretty, colorwork gloves, I thought I should make a pretty, colorwork hat to go along with them, hence the purchase of the “Knitted Tams” book. I love hats, especially berets, and tams are pretty much the same as berets (the construction is just a bit different, but practically the same). I’m probably going to use the yarn in my stash that I had planned for a poncho, so I’m probably going to end up with enough yarn to make a pretty, colorwork scarf as well, and then I will have a whole matching winter set to wear to whatever winter events I may participate in this winter.

You can find these books on Knit Picks (that’s where I got mine, but I’m sure you could find them on other online retailers). Stay tuned for more complicated knitting.