Geektastic Thursday: Club Dragonfly

A year ago I was a month out of grad school and realizing that the job prospects for someone with a masters degree in history were much slimmer than they had been promised when I first started college five years prior.  I was also finding myself increasingly bored.  And what does a girl do when she's bored but cannot afford to leave the house?  Online window shopping!  I could not afford to buy much, which was a little depressing, but then I discovered yarn clubs.  Most require payment in full up front, which is something that has never been in my budget, but there are some that allow for monthly installments.  That is how, through the wonders of Ravelry ads, I came to join Club Dragonfly.  This is a six shipment yarn club that includes yarn and a new coordinating pattern, plus some added goodies.  I thought that now the new round is open for enrollment I would share my latest shipment.

Isn't that beautiful?  The yarn is their Djinni Sock in the new colorway "Karen's Blue", but I have been running around calling it Tardis Blue.  Because it is, isn't it?

This month's pattern is an ascot, mitt, and headband set, all of which should be doable with the one skein.  The little goodie is a matching blue notions case with a stitch marker from Exchanging Fire, an Etsy shop that also offered a coupon code.  This is probably one of my favorite shipments, though I have loved them all.  It is really representative of the range offered by the club.  Several months ago we got a lovely sock pattern by Liz Abinante, and the shipment that made me die with delight included an elaborate colorwork cowl that I immediately had to knit.

I won't be sticking with the club, but that is not to say that I have not loved what I received.  To the contrary.  Each invoice was accompanied by mailbox stakeouts and chasing my husband around the apartment demanding that he feel how soft and happy the yarn is (he is learning -- the other day he called a yarn I was winding "delicious").  If you have any interest at all in trying out a club, I highly recommend it (2013 monthly payment signup on Ravelry here).  The designers are wonderful and the shipment is always packaged with the kind of care only yarnies can express.  What can I say?  I seem to be a Dragonfly Fibers fangirl.

Under the Sea

I don't like to blog much about my yarn acquisitions.  I don't like to feel like I am bragging or showcasing any wayward financial behavior.  But every once in a while I get something that I just have to show off, and last week was one of those times (onces? whiles?).

Last week I got two lovely packages from Dragonfly Fibers, filled with all sorts of fun goodies.

The first is my May shipment of Club Dragonfly.

As always, the lovely folks who put together these shipments outdid themselves.  The pattern this time around was a great pair of socks by RosiG.  I am actually not planning to knit these out of the yarn we received, but the pattern is pretty rad.  The extra was a lovely set of stitch markers, and who doesn't need more stitch markers?  But the kicker, as always, was the yarn.

Dragon Sock in Octopus's Garden

Have I mentioned that this is totally my colors?  Because it totally is.  I know it's intended to be socks, but as soon as I opened it I knew this wanted to be striped with a grey.  Maybe a shawl from the upcoming Knitscene Accessories?

And then, on Saturday, I got the motherload of all yarn packages.

Speaking of grey -- three skeins of Selkie in Black Pearl.  This was my very generous payment for the Lonicera I sample knit.  When I opened it I just started petting the yarn.  And then I shoved it in Andrea's face and made her pet it.  And then I continued to cuddle it for a good ten minutes.  It's just so soft!  On the one hand I'm enjoying the warm weather we are having, on the other I cannot wait for it to get cold so that I can knit this up into something spectacular!  I'm thinking something hooded, cuddly, and with enough of a pattern to show up the great stitch definition.

For someone who is not particularly fond of the ocean, I am super psyched about this oceanic themed yarn!

Parapluie and Soap

If you a part of Club Dragonfly and have not received your first shipment, look away.  If you are not but desperately wish that you were and the sight of yarnie goodness will make you fall into a jealous rage that will result in a blood bath to rival that of a one hour 50% off cashmere sale, look away.  Otherwise, if you don't mind self-indulgent, bragging prose and pretty pictures, read on.

I have never been a part of a yarn club before.  They are always too hard to break in to and cost way too much up front.  I don't generally like yarn all from one distributor because I don't have a lot of money to spend on yarn in general, and what if the pattern and colors were just awful.  I am sure I'm not the only one who has heard the horror stories.  A promising yarn club that tries out new and horrifying new colors that are supposed to be use in a design that probably sprouted from the brain of a meth-addict with the interior decorating sense of a land-fill.  Hoarders meets one of Aria Montgomery's outfits.  This was not one of those clubs.  For starters, two of my favorite designers are working on this project, one of whom designed for the club last year. A design I bought and knit up as soon as it became available.  Plus, Dragonfly Fibers has some really amazing yarn.  And to top it all off, there is the option for a bi-monthly invoice rather than a large up-front payment.  Win, win, win!

And dude, this is definitely a win.  The yarn is a brand new base that I am really excited to work with -- 80/10/10 merino nylon cashmere.  Yum!  The color, called Parapluie, is totally spring, with bright splashes of neon over more subdued pastel-y shades of grey, pink, and green.  The pattern by Kate of Katydid Knitwear is really pretty too, though I have to admit, I was shaking my head at the irony that it is yet another cowl.  It is lovely, and I'm sure I shall knit it, but I am so over cowls right now (see tomorrow's FO post -- not to mention it is HOT here!)

I could not be more pleased with this first shipment.  The extra goody is a bar of really nice soap that immediately went into the shower.  I have to admit, part of the reason I joined the club was the same as why I joined the Cowl KAL and am participating in swaps -- the fun and excitement gives a real community atmosphere.  The Dragonfly Fibers board is now one of the first ones I check in the morning, and the enthusiasm for this package is catching.