Not Making This A Habu

Have you read Linda's blog? I only just discovered it and, so far, I seem to be very impressionable, as far as it's concerned. For instance, Linda recently wrote about this chic (read: very cool, NYC-meets-Japanese, not inexpensive) yarn boutique, Habu Textiles. Of course, I was intrigued. Then I checked out the link (suggestion: just don't click). And now I own these:

These safety pins don't have the "collar" that catches yarn when you use them as either stitch markers or holders for wrapped yarn when doing Japanese short rows.

This shawl pin should work nicely to affix the Sisika Scarf. It's about 2 inches long. Very light.

Yeah, some more variegated yarn. I guess I'm going through some kind of phase...

Here's what you need to know:

• The parcel arrived rather quickly and well-packaged.

• The shawl pin, while lovely, cost way too much money for what it is - essentially a safety pin. I don't care if it is light and sleek. Really, it shouldn't have cost more than 9 bucks, IMO.

• The yarn - and I wish I'd known this before ordering cuz it sure isn't clearly (or otherwise, as far as I can tell) indicated on the website - is actually Malabrigo. Um, practically everything they sell is "Habu brand and made". How is it that I managed to get the only thing they don't make? I could have bought Malabrigo in 5 shops within 5 kilometers of where I live. I didn't need to source it from hipster-expensive-land USA?! Look, I've been wanting to try Malabrigo, as it happens. Everyone's always on about how terrific it is. But getting it like this seems vaguely disappointing. 

• The yarn does not look variegated on the website. I did call the shop to find out if it was variegated (other yarns in the series are) and I was told yes, but only extremely mildly. Turns out that everyone's interpretation of extremely mild is extremely different. I think this stuff is crazily variegated. So much so that the old me - she of 2 weeks ago - would have freaked out and resold this on Ravelry. The new me is all: I use variegated yarn and I'm down with it as long as it looks cool and intentional as opposed to, say, natural.

• Ain't no way this yarn is treated. It's pure merino and it feels much less soft and drapey, at least prior-to-washing and on the skein, than any superwash I've ever bought. This is yet another thing I'm going to have to develop an appreciation for. Mind you, I suspect it will actually hold its freakin' shape. And if I choose the right project, it could work out very well. (Intriguingly - and I'll tell you soon about some cashmere that I bought in early fall - untreated cashmere is about 8 zillion times softer and more luscious than merino any day, she says with practically no experience of either.)

• Habu is happy to offer you a 5% discount on all regular-priced yarn BUT, if you order anything else with the yarn order (and ask me how I know) the yarn discount is rescinded. What the fuck? When's the last time you were penalized for spending more??

On balance, gotta say this shop isn't going to be on my regular go-to list of yarn vendors. I may well order from there again, if I actually find a Habu-made yarn that I desperately want, or if I need some kind of specialized product (like the safety pins) that are hard to find elsewhere, but I'm going to exhaust all other options first. The service I received was not bad. The product I purchased is not inferior. But I really didn't get the experience I signed up for.