RIP Nest Boutique

I feel a bit like a vulture, but if I didn't do it, someone else would have, right? The Nest Boutique, that hip, urban yarn shop on Kettner in Little Italy is going out of business. They've apparently lost their lease. As soon as I heard, I mourned for an appropriate period, and then I was right there to pick the flesh from its bones. They're having a 50% off sale on all merchandise, lasting probably until the end of the month, but after the shopping trip I had with Disentangled yesterday, and apparently many before us, they're basically picked over. They still had quite a lot of Big Wool with enough to make sweaters in several colors. I bought 11 balls of it in Blue Velvet, shown here in this sweater pattern:

I would take actual photographs of the yarn itself, but it's currently hiding in shame in the trunk of my car. It may not last long in there because I really want to cast on for this lovely sweater on the right from the Fall Vogue Knitting. I wanted to make it as soon as I saw the preview, but the total cost of the yarn was in the neighborhood of $180, so I never thought I'd be able to do it. In my size, it calls for 8 balls of Big Wool and 4 balls of Kidsilk Haze. I think the design of this sweater is so amazing, and the Kidsilk Haze cuffs add amazing elegance and uniqueness to it. I'm totally stoked to be able to make this. Naturally, I'm itching to cast on right now, this very minute, can't wait another second, etcetera, etcetera...

For the coordinating color of Kidsilk Haze, I have 3 balls of it in Heavenly in my stash, so I'll just have to pick up one more to be able to knit this beauty. I had bought it to make a lovely, light and airy shawl, but my experience on Birch has taught me that, although I think this yarn is beautiful and soft and perhaps the only mohair I can wear against my neck, with the exception of GGH's Soft Kid, I truly despise working with it, particularly on lace projects. I think it will be fine for this project since most of the time it is stranded with something else. Anyway, here is what Heavenly looks like:

Since I got the Kidsilk Haze in a swap work for yarn situation, the sweater is only going to cost me $75 to make. Still not an inexpensive sweater, but a $100 savings ain't too shabby. I think the colors are going to be amazing together - what do you think?