Tuesday, April 14, 2009

This and that

After finishing several bigger projects in a row, I've been reluctant to start anything major. Spring fever! I did cast on a new scarf, however.

Over break, Aspen and I bought matching skeins of Colinette Tao (100% silk), colorway "Mardi Gras."

A browse through Ravelry didn't turn up anything suitable for 120 yards of DK weight silk . . . so I wrote my own pattern.

I knew I wanted something geometrical and simple, to suit the bright colors of the silk. And of course it needed to use as little yarn as possible, so I could get a good scarf out of it.

I charted the "Lacy Chain" stitch from the Harmony Lace and Eyelets guide, added some details, and went to town. By the way, again, this book: don't buy it. The written instructions were confusing, and, bitch, please--no charts? It takes all of ten minutes to chart something (I know, because I've done it), and don't most knitters prefer charts?

I'm quite pleased with what I have so far. It'll be plenty wide enough, and just long enough, I think--along the lines of Anne Hanson's Little Nothing series. The pattern is easy and fairly interesting to knit, and it doesn't fight with the colors. And oh my goodness but this yarn is yummy. It does have a tendency to split (tight knitters would want to use metal, I think) and fuzz (so no ripping back), but it's soft and has a lovely drape.

2 comments:

Infanta said...

That is really pretty. Is the yarn fun to knit?

Fellmama said...

Absolutely--it's super-soft and cushy. It doesn't feel wiry like silk can, you know? And it doesn't even crunch.