SpectraVision

Last night, I finished the Spectra Scarf I've been working on this month. My mother-in-law was in town, and I worked furiously to get it done so I could give it to her before she left. I had to try and hide a smile when she complimented it, because up until the last minute, she didn't know I had been making it for her all along.

I could have gone a bit further, I suppose, but I'd reached the length directed in the pattern, and I didn't think I'd have enough of the darker background color to get around to the lighter green in the ombré yarn, anyway. It seemed like a good stopping place.

Technically, this yarn isn't quite ombré dyed. As you can see toward the bottom, the yarn goes back and forth between dark turquoise and dark green a few times before settling out -- much different than the gradual shift between shades of turquoise. Which makes sense when I think of it. The earlier color-shift is more one of intensity rather than a total change of color. But since they're such dark colors, it's not too jarring, I think.

Carolyn loves it, and I think it looks great on her. Plus she had just the outfit today to set it off perfectly. Too bad it's in the upper 70s outside. Let's hope her meeting takes place today in a typically Texas over-air-conditioned hotel.

So, what to knit next? I don't really have anything speaking to me right now, but I did run across some bluish-green(!) Alpaca lace-weight that I got in a yarn swap a while back. I'm thinking of something shawl-like that can be made in the neighborhood of 800 yards. I'm going to spend some time today digging through Ravelry and some of my books for ideas, but if anyone out there has some suggestions, let me know.

Turquoise Delight

Just checking in to show some progress on the Spectra Scarf.

I haven't been able to give this much attention, but it is starting to move more quickly. I finished at least four panels just this morning knitting with some friends for a few hours. Although the pattern consists of 14 rows repeated over and over, it's a pretty easy job to figure out how to read one's work. The wraps are inconspicuous from the front but very noticeable on the wrong side. This pattern is definitely not reversible.

I have accidentally garter stitched when I should have done stockinette and vice versa, but I've caught early enough. In knitting, like anything else, early intervention can stop small problems before they become disasters.

So progress continues. I'm a little disappointed the colors haven't shifted more yet, but in this photo it actually looks like some of the more recent panels might be a bit darker. Or maybe I'm imagining that. The green can't come soon enough for me.

Socks and Scarves

The person who inspired me to knit (and continues to do so), came to visit this past week, and we while we did knit and shop for yarn some, we showed admirable restraint and did a wide range of things with her family, not all of which included fiber. Janelle came to my regular knitting group on Saturday, and on Sunday, we visited Natural Bridge Caverns, which I hadn't been to since I was a kid. Tiring, but fun! Janelle wrote about her trip, if you want a more articulate version of what we were up to.

While she was here, we got some knitting done, and today, while enjoying a delayed holiday gathering at the in-laws', I finished up my Fishbone Gansey Socks. I made them on my new extra-pointy Signature Needle Arts size 1 dpns. I usually default to size 0's, so these are quite roomy. Unfortunately, the extra needle girth ate up a bit more yarn than i'm used to and I wasn't able to finish the socks with the yarn I had. So the toes are navy blue, made from some leftover Knit Picks yarn I bought years ago. They look a little goofy, but only I and people I'm comfortable being shoeless around will know. I'm wearing them right now on a chilly north Texas night, and my feet are quite cozy.

After finishing the socks, I started on a Stephen West scarf design called Spectra. Janelle was planning to make it, and after seeing a sample at Hill Country Weavers, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. We got some nice dark green hand dyed yarn from Yarn Carnival for the background, and the same Freia ombré handpaint for the "panes." It's going to be circular and the colors will gradually shift as I work my way around. It's rather brighter and more whimsical than I could pull off, but I have someone in mind for it.