My Strathcona is off the needles and blocked. I couldn't be happier.
Later this morning I'll pop it in the mail, and my part in this larger project - 5 scarves total - will be finished. This pattern wasn't hard, and I love the finished product, but the second half was a challenge. I have one issue with mindless projects. They aren't a good distraction. Instead of being absorbed in the project at hand, all I can think about is other knitting I would rather be doing. It took all my resolve to keep knitting this scarf and not pick up any of the entertaining projects I already have in progress. This design features bias garter on the ends and a lace mesh pattern in the middle. It's a great design, and I would definitely wear this scarf if I didn't have to ship it off for a good cause.
The yarn is Julia, colorway Cinderella. This blend is 50% Superwash Merino, 50% Tencel. I hadn't knit with it in a while and had forgotten the nice drape and shimmer. Thanks to everyone who left a comment for the bonus giveaway. So many of you are busy with KALs. I've always said that mistakes are one of the best teachers. Rebecca's comment reinforced that notion, ". . . my second go at the same pattern - learned a lot from my mistakes ." Mistakes will always happen, and you're never too old to learn. Congratulations to Tia and Bethany. I'll be back with another giveaway round later in the month. This week's color inspiration wouldn't be nearly as striking without the contrast.
White on green on white. Enjoy the holiday weekend! Safe travels if you're on the road.
When new knitters talk about knitting a scarf for a first project, I always caution them. Scarves can be appealing because they're straight, flat and don't have to fit, but they can also be tedious, boring and long. I've tested out my warning, and it still holds true.
I'm working from left to right in this picture, and as you can see I still have a ways to go. I've been working on the scarf here and there and thought I was making good progress. I even did a quick measure while holding it in my lap - just to get a rough estimate - and was convinced I was much closer to the other end. By that "measurement" I was just a few rows short of the final garter section. Obviously that's not the case. This is a perfect example of why you should always spread things flat and then measure. It's a good thing I sorted this out before I left the house. I'm out and about most of the day, and this scarf is going with me. This week's color inspiration is courtesy of my neighbor. He's always puttering around in his yard . . . everything is neat, tidy and colorful.
I went into the weekend with a master plan to get things done. It was the first weekend in over a month that I wasn't traveling or getting ready to travel, and I was looking forward to making headway on various projects. At the top of the list: a bit of spring cleaning (trying to get in under the Solstice wire), assembling a file cabinet, plotting out some long range plans, winding and dyeing yarn. It was a full list but manageable over the course of a weekend. As so often happens, my plans went awry. My daughter needed help with a "quick" trip to pick up a used treadmill. Since I have a truck, I was the logical choice for this expedition. I don't mind helping but to label this adventure as quick was definitely misleading. Over three hours later, after disassembling part of the treadmill and a doorway, three strong women with the supervision of a spry, 80-year-old grandmother loaded that treadmill into the truck. Mission accomplished. At this point I felt I could still recover the lost time and make my weekend goals, but a good friend from the other side of the country was in town. A cup of coffee at the house led to going out for breakfast. Before I knew it, the day was winding down. Time well spent with a dear friend. Monday morning dawned, and this was staring me in the face.
Drawers and Strathcona. The body of the file cabinet is finished, but it's useless without the drawers. I'm knitting this scarf for a friend, and I've already had a phone call this morning with a gentle reminder that the project is coming up on deadline. Monday, here we go.
Some projects take longer than expected - or at least that's the way it seems.
I've finally moved past the halfway point on Strathcona. For the longest time I was stuck on the first half - *knit, measure; repeat from*. The only problem was I never seemed to make much progress when it came time to measure. As a remedy I shifted my focus from measuring to knitting and finally made the required length. Now that I'm around the corner and moving down the other side, I've convinced myself it will go much faster. Oh the mind games a knitter can play. Speaking of games, have you seen Unravel?
This is one batch that's shipping out today. People have picked some really good color combinations, and now I have a few fresh ideas of my own. I might have to join the KAL fun. This week the only knitting project that's been getting my attention is Strathcona.
I'm resisting the urge to measure. Usually I'm not as far along as I think I am and it's kind of deflating, so I'll just keep going. For now I'm happy it's longer than a keyboard. Pink keeps popping up in my conversations about patterns and colorways - so many shades, so many options. It's a color I enjoy knitting with, but I never wear. And it's making an appearance as this week's color inspiration.
Sometimes it takes an outside force to generate a new idea. I often have mini skeins available at shows. Not only are they cute, they're also an easy way to add a little color or sample a new yarn. Over the last few months I've had a thing for gradients, and I've shared some of that fun here on the blog. Enter Suzie and Elizabeth at KnitWit. Recently they approached me with a special request. The result is a combination of the minis and the gradients.
Mini Gradient Bundles. Aren't they adorable? Oh, the possibilities . . . I delivered a batch to the shop on Saturday. Here's one pattern idea.
Coastal Gradient. Now I'm plotting and planning. While the ideas percolate, I can work on this.
