When I first stumbled upon Judy & Emily’s Jems Luxe Fibers Booth at last year’s SoCal Fiber Fair, I couldn’t resist snatching up a couple of skeins of their Yak fingering yarn. The colors were impossibly deep and rich, and the yarn had this irresistible sheen that practically called my name. It was pure, shiny, luscious temptation! Fast forward to this year—I realized I’d be out of the country for the next SoCal Fiber Fair. Panic! What to do? But as I wound up that yak yarn, I knew one thing for sure: simplicity was the way to go. What I didn’t expect was just how magical that simplicity would be. The texture and drape were beyond anything I could have imagined! Pairing such an exquisite yarn with a straightforward stitch pattern turned out to be a stroke of genius, and the texture that emerged was an unexpected delight—like discovering a secret hidden inside each stitch. I have to confess—I got completely hooked on this yarn! The moment I bound off the first shawl, I knew I couldn’t stop there. I cast on a second one almost instantly! Thank goodness Judy & Emily were able to send more yarn my way without missing a beat. It was a knitting emergency, and they totally saved the day!