Monday 2 December 2013

Knitting now - left brain right brain

The side of my brain that is organised and analytical identified a selection of yarns that would reduce the stash and be suitable for gloves, baby socks or various other little stocking fillers. I put them in a bag ready to use and sorted some other odds into a bag for the charity shop.  Two pairs of fingerless gloves later the other, naughtier, side of my brain took me back to the stash and I fished out some more options.
I bought this unknown yarn in a charity shop ages ago, the lady said it was £1 a 50g ball which I thought a bit expensive, its obviously man made fibre. She then asked me how many I was thinking of buying, they had loads, and we agreed on 3 balls for £1.  I'm knitting a pattern from my new scarf book, Midwest Moonlight by Ivy Biglow.   I shall probably get a longish scarf from 1.5 balls and the yarn is coming up much better than I expected though it's a slow knit.
Back to the stash I came upon this gorgeous Ethical Twist oatmeal and immediately cast on Coin Lace and Cable Wrap from elann.com.  The pattern suggests using 2 strands of dk, but I've used one, reduced the needle size and added a couple of pattern repeats.  The yarn is 70% organic wool 30% alpaca from happy well treated animals, it feels beautifully soft and luxurious. I have 4 x 100g balls that I think I may have bought on ebay, I want to produce a biggish shawl/scarf that I can fasten with a pin.  
So now I'm knitting two scarves that don't figure on the Christmas present list at all and my good intentions are forgotten.  I'm not a girl who is short of scarves, not my any means, but despite what good brain says I am using up stock.   I am loving working both patterns and my friend Pam says you can never have too many scarves or handbags. Impulsive brain would add toiletries to that list but we won't go there today, that side of my head has already had too much its own way lately.

6 comments:

  1. Both scarves look lovely. Of course you can't have too many. Same with handbags, naturally. And notebooks. Lipsticks, too.

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  2. I am impressed with the way your scarf co-ordinates with your knitting needles!! What levels of sophistication! And there's definitely no such thing as 'too many scarves'!!

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  3. I do like the colours of the first scarf, even if it is man-made. Then, I like the second one as well because oatmeal is just so easy to wear. You really, never, ever, can have too many scarves or shawls or socks even.

    I used to have a book that showed lots of different patterns and how to use them but it seems to have gone to book heaven because I can't find it anywhere!

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  4. Left brain, right brain, don't actually think I've got a brain! Do what you like, like what you do, that's my motto. I really like the oatmeal scarf, very pretty.

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  5. Using up stash, so it must be good! They both look lovely patterns.

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  6. That's a real bargain, by the sound of it. The scarf is already looking lovely! Ros

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