Buy the Yarn. The Inspiration Will Follow! 🧶

March 9, 2026

As some of you know, I recently celebrated my birthday. I survived another year around the sun and to celebrate that accomplishment, I treated myself to a trip to Wonderland Yarns in Brattleboro, VT.

And let me tell you, just like Alice, I fell down a rabbit hole. Well, I did not actually fall. Although based on the fact that I was born with two left feel and the grace of a drunk donkey, I fall quite often. I mean, have you seen my right arm lately? But I digress.

Brattleboro is only an hour from my house and it was a beautiful day for a drive. Wonderland Yarns is on a side street off of the main downtown area. Right around the corner from Mocha Joes. Definitely stop in there while you are in Brattleboro. Mocha Joe always says "Its all about the Beans, Larry."

Directly behind the building is a large parking lot for public parking, making it an easy in and out of the shop with all your treasures. After I parked and walked down the hill to the shop, I was immediately greeted by the smell of lanolin and vinegar. The perfect smell, in my humble opinion or (IMHO as the kids say). For those who dont know how, vinegar is used as an acid to allow the dye to adhere itself to the natural fibers. I am not sure what acid Wonderland uses, but the smell was all the same. They should put it into a candle. Its divine!

The shop is small but full from floor to ceiling with beautiful colors. All of their yarn bases are available in the shop, which made it all the more difficult to decide on what to get. I have made many a project out of Mad Hatter, but Alice, March Hare and Cheshire Cat are scrumptious too. They had gradient mini kits, cowl kits, and mitten kits and more.

As I wandered around the shop, I finally noticed the window into Wonderland. In the middle of the shop on the left hand side is a window into the dye house. You can watch the workers dye the yarn. I didn't want to seem like a creep just staring at these people, so I watched them out of the corner of my eye as I drooled over one of the walls of yarn. Don't worry, they put up a Wet Floor Sign so no one would slip on my mess.

After an hour, I finally brought my basket of yarn (yes they have baskets for you to fill when your arms just aren't enough) to the register. As the cashier rang me out she asked "what are you going to make with these?"

THE AUDACITY

Can you believe this question? How dare she assume I know what I am going to make? Are there really people who go to yarn stores and KNOW what they are going to make? Madame, I am a yarn dragon. I only purchase the yarn. I figure out the project later, if ever. Yarn is simple put into my cabinet with the glass doors for me to admire.

As all of these questions were going through my head, I simply smiled and said "No, not yet. I am in the process of designing something that some of this would be perfect for." This was not a lie. I do have something in the works for some of the yarn I purchased, but I will get to that shortly.

She finally told me my total, which I will not disclose here. It is simply immaterial to the story. A Lady never discusses the cost of her yarn. The cashier packaged them up and I left.

I drove home happier than a hangry lady with a taco. When I got home, I immediately emptied my bag onto my desk and sorted it all out by ideas. One of the yarns I purchased was the Confetti Base that has sparkles in it. It is a deep blue and purple color and it reminds me of stars in the night sky. Coincidently, the color way is called "Night Music". It would be a perfect background for something with Luna Moths in the foreground. Another few skeins I got in the base March Hare is called "Two to Tango" which is a maroon and black color way. It reminded me of a book I read called "Blood Over Bright Haven" by M.L. Wang. Thinking I will use the book to inspire a new design.

Since then, I have been working in Stitch Mastery, a program for designers to chart out their ideas. I cannot wait to share these patterns with all of you. Something to keep your eyes out for. The short time I spent in VT made a huge impact on me as it gave me the inspiration to make my own designs. I have so many just waiting to burst out of me. It is just finding the time to get the ideas to paper (or to computer since we live in the digital age).

Knitters (and crocheters) might follow a pattern or might create their own or might even just alter the one they are working to make the end product be exactly what they want. We are all artists and our medium is yarn. Let it inspire you to keep knitting and creating. So buy the yarn with our without a pattern. It will come to life when it is ready.

Always remember:

There are no mistakes. Only design elements.  

Peace, Love and Knitting,

Maria