One Of Those Unintentional Things
It all started out innocently enough. I decided to offer a prize for my 600th post. I wanted to offer more than 1 item and there needed to be a variety so as to appeal to as many readers as possible. And since everybody likes sock yarn even if they don't knit socks it seemed a simple thing to take a dive in my sock yarn stash to find something suitable with a fairly universal appeal. Yes, a very simple thing indeed! Funny thing about stashes, they have a tendency to hide little treasures that you've tucked away and then forgotten and when you stumble upon them again they suddenly glue themselves to your hand and the next thing you know you're undoing the skeins and winding balls...
On the left is a single skein of Wool in the Woods Cherub 100% Merino handpainted by Cherry Tree Hill in the colorway African Grey, on the right is Wool in the Woods Cherub 100% Merino handpainted by Cherry Tree Hill in the color Dusk. What strikes me as odd is that even though they have near-identical tags they are both quite different yarns. The grey/pink is a soft fuzzy 2 ply and the orange/grey/purple is a similarly soft 2-ply yarn but with a much higher twist per inch and not the slightest bit of fuzz. It makes me wonder which is the "real" Cherub!
I originally purchased these sock yarns about 2 years ago without the slightest intention of turning them into socks! I plan to turn them both into cowls. The yarn with the tighter twist also seems to be a slightly heavier weight so I cast it on to knit Lion Brand's Lacy Luxe Cowl . The original pattern calls for worsted weight (101 stitches) so I simply added a couple more lace stitch repeats (131 stitches) so it will be large enough to fit over my head. I had to laugh at myself! Like I really needed to cast on another project! But what can I say? It's such sweet yarn and it's a relatively small project (read not-a-sweater) so I'm hoping it will be done in about a week. Like most lace projects the first inch seems to take forever but after that there is more stretch and I have the stitch pattern nearly memorized so it goes faster.
I originally purchased these sock yarns about 2 years ago without the slightest intention of turning them into socks! I plan to turn them both into cowls. The yarn with the tighter twist also seems to be a slightly heavier weight so I cast it on to knit Lion Brand's Lacy Luxe Cowl . The original pattern calls for worsted weight (101 stitches) so I simply added a couple more lace stitch repeats (131 stitches) so it will be large enough to fit over my head. I had to laugh at myself! Like I really needed to cast on another project! But what can I say? It's such sweet yarn and it's a relatively small project (read not-a-sweater) so I'm hoping it will be done in about a week. Like most lace projects the first inch seems to take forever but after that there is more stretch and I have the stitch pattern nearly memorized so it goes faster.
What I was hoping for most was some color pooling but so far the yarn has not been to keen to oblige me. What's more, if you look, I had to resort to those nasty C-shaped plastic stitch markers with the points. Sheesh! I - who have a probably 20 kilo crate of gorgeous beads and findings having to resort to using those?!? Most of my nice beaded stitch markers are in the bottoms of my UFO baskets and I couldn't be bothered to hunt for them at the time. Since this photo I have indeed ferreted them out, having reached the very end of my patience with those little pointy ends getting hooked into my yarn-overs or simply falling off the needles or worse, the endless poking of my hands! I even used the sample stitch markers from by PhatFiber sample box. Now let me be clear, I am using them to actually try them out and I really like most of them. They are all beautiful, no two ways about that, but what I really don't like are the ones made with jump rings. I just don't know why these gals use them. Don't they know that jump rings snag on yarn because they are split? What's more I really don't like the ones with the soft jump rings because they open if I accidentally snag them with my working needle. It makes me feel bad to have to say this in a public forum but I won't be buying stitch markers from those crafters any time soon. Cheap split jump rings are simply not good stitch markers, period. Soldered jump rings are readily available - use them! Or try a different technique and use looped beading wire - those ones are fast becoming my favorites!
The other skein, in true Lazy Knitter fashion, I have decided to toss on the machine and simply knit a stockingette rectangle, sew up the side seam and then knit short ribbing on both ends of the tube. It has such nice colors and will undoubtedly have a fuzzy halo I'm sure it'll make up for the lack of stitch pattern. Now to just dig out that infernal machine.... Cheers all!
The other skein, in true Lazy Knitter fashion, I have decided to toss on the machine and simply knit a stockingette rectangle, sew up the side seam and then knit short ribbing on both ends of the tube. It has such nice colors and will undoubtedly have a fuzzy halo I'm sure it'll make up for the lack of stitch pattern. Now to just dig out that infernal machine.... Cheers all!
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