If you love being organized like, to the nth degree, this site is for you.
At any rate, I've opted to take a brief break on the Gauge the Situation series (until Xmas, likely) as I will be occupied by knitting the following:
1. The Sisika, knit for me:
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| Photos from Designer Yarns |
In the Amitola colourway 106 (far left):
Yeah, I know, I succumbed to the craziest (for me) choice ever - a totally variegated nubby wool/silk blend that looks fingering weight but actually knits up like a DK (or worsted, if you double it). I went for the most subdued of the shades - I think it's the one used in the promotion photo but there are a few others, on other swatches, that look kind of similar. It's soft, but with a vaguely hairy halo that undercuts the softness. We've got to hope it blocks nicely, which is to say much less natural-seeming than it appears to be right now.
You know, I make a lot of sweaters, but the things I wear most are the cowls, scarves and shawls (because they work on top of outerwear or with inside clothing). If this scarf works, I think it could become well-traveled in my wardrobe.
2. The Madeleine Cowl also for me - It's important to aim to make simple things that really work and are worn often (try to ignore the overkill of the beret):
I do find the yarn this pattern calls for to be fairly horrible. It's got "wool-blend chainette yarn" "accented by diamond-like silver medallions". Um, no.
So, I'll make the cowl (more like a shawl, really) in Zara Plus, colourway 448 (Taupe):
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| Photo from Royal Yarns Intl. |
3. For M, for Xmas, another Rondeur Pullover, in the 1628 colourway of Zara DK, again, the photo makes it look more blue than the green, highly saturated shade that it actually is:
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| Photo from here |
Please be advised that I intend to knit them one at a time, like a "sensible person". At least as of right now.
So, today's questions:
- Whatcha think of these patterns and yarns?? Have you used any of them?
- Now you can see all of my crazy yarn stash. Do you think this is excessive? Be honest.
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If your stash is excessive and crazy, then I am in trouble. I should never need to buy yarn again in my lifetime, but still cannot resist a skein of hand-dyed, supersoft Plucky Knitter or Lisa Souza etc., etc. yarns. I admire that you have plans for your yarn. I tend to pick up one skein here and there bc I cannot stop myself, and then there it sits, as artwork in itself, until I decide to make yet another shawl I don't need. I need to start buying volume of yarn, even if it is expensive, and have a plan, or at least enough yarn to make an actual garment. Egads. So to answer your question, I am honestly saying I don't think your yarn/plans are excessive. I admire your organizational skills, fashion sense, and eye for color.
ReplyDeleteOK, this makes me feel better. I have to stop myself from buying SO MUCH YARN. And still I succumb. That's why I knit so much, cuz I have to do something with the stash! Thank you for your lovely comment. xo
DeleteI don't think of the khaki/beige one as a cowl, it's cute, but cowl wasn't the word that came to my mind either.
ReplyDeleteGiven that the varigated nature is a little out of your comfort zone, I think you're picking a good colourway. It's pretty and the shades of grey/black are a whole lot less crazy out there than second from the right. That's an Oona colour.
I know, it's really more of a shawl.
DeleteAnd I do think I chose the most subdued of the crazy variegated yarn. Though Oona would do something awesome with the second from the right. No question :-)
I love your yarn and now must go look at your stash. I like the neutrality of it - I'd love to touch it (isn't that creepy?). I too have the Madeline Cowl pattern downloaded - I am waiting until I take a cowl class in two weeks before I start on it. . . I'm a pretty new knitter . . .
ReplyDeleteI LOVE checking out people's stashes. It's so satisfying :-) I'll let you know what I think of the Madeleine Cowl if I get to it before you...
DeleteYour stash is far from crazy, though putting 3 projects on your list to complete before xmas might be...then again with your usual rate of completion you might be just fine.
ReplyDeleteIt's cutting it close, that's for sure. I figure, if I knit very actively for the next month, 1.5 weeks per project, I should be fine. But, if not, the only one I need complete is the sweater for M's Xmas present.
DeleteI love the colour of the Sisika shown. It looks fairly low key (especially compared to some of the other colourways in the yarn!).
ReplyDeleteGood on you for doing 2 patterns that don't yet have any shared projects up! So brave.
I am terrible that way...I need to see how it has knit up for other people before I can commit! Wuss. ;-D
I KNOW! I am brave :-) I tried to find other examples because I SO rely on the feedback of others, but I guess I'll just have to be a trailblazer this time...
DeleteI can't see your profile because I'm not a member but I'm sure it's not as excessive as my lace stash ;). I so wish there was something like Ravelry for pattern/fabric organizing!
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't realize you'd need to be a member to see the stash area. I just assumed that, since I've got the projects on "public access" that it would apply to all the sections. Sorry!
DeleteAnd I totally agree with you about having something like Ravelry for sewing. Oh, how I wish that existed.
*looks at "crazy excessive" stash*
ReplyDelete*laughs*
Oh honey, you ain't seen nothing yet. My stash is mostly not listed on Ravelry, but it includes enough yarn for, uh...um...well, a minimum of ten sweaters that I can remember, and a three-year supply (wearing, not knitting) of socks. And I don't even like sock knitting. Then there's the hat-and-mitten quantities, which I'm not even going to get into.
OK, I'm glad to hear I'm still at the baby stash level because I have A LOT of difficulty resisting yarn. Anything that's soft reminds me of a pet and then I have to buy it.
DeleteI'm intrigued to hear you say that you don't like knitting socks. I have never knit a pair and have LESS than no interest in making socks. I know most knitters love this type of project, but it seems utterly tedious to me. And, let's face it, I don't really wear any socks that aren't very fine and black.
Unfortunately I find hand-knit socks to be vastly superior to what I can buy. Being spoiled has doomed to me to making my own socks forever.
DeleteLOL - I have a LOT more yarn than that. You're fine. Maybe a little low on stash.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep that in mind. And I do know that you have no issues with stash - which you put to very good use in both sewing and knitting. I remember when you did that WEBS order last year. After telling us that you only knit for babies, you bought a fine number of skeins :-)
DeleteI was once in my LYS on one of the crowded January sale days, and I heard one woman lean over and instruct another: "If anything happens to me, you've got to get into my upstairs closet, the one in the guest room? And grab all that stash out of there before Charles has any idea."
ReplyDeleteNo worries at my house. My daughter's ready to grab each and every ball and skein, and I suspect she knows every place stash is, well, stashed.
You're making a good start, but I have to echo your other commenters: It's just a start. But I think it's too late for you to quit now, sorry!
That is HILARIOUS! I have a rule, just like with my fabric, that it cannot exceed a certain space (in this case, a fabric storage box that used to have other purposes too but now just holds yarn). This is one of the reasons I have to knit constantly - because I keep purchasing almost too much to smush in there (this doesn't include my "current projects" bag, natch) and I just "need" more.
DeleteIt might be too late.