FO: Garden of Alla Shawl

I will have to eat my words from the last post about variegated yarn, now.  I loved this pattern the moment I saw it...Garden of Alla by Suzy Crancer. I had no hesitation about the variegated KPPPM in 3 different shades (or sets of shades).

 (The only thing I've done in KPPPM before was socks that were extremely beautiful but developed holes).  Little glass beads on the points.  I have lots of odds and ends of this yarn and am contemplating doing a circular shawl.  I don't usually mix lace with color but boy this does work...

Now, here's a project to help one feel a little god-like (or goddess-like):

Either that or a puppeteer who's not quite got it right...

When in doubt ... try a hap

I don't really like variegated yarns for clothing...but sometimes I succomb to a purchase, because it's so lovely, and then I sit and look at it and think..."that would be lousy in a sweater but I LOVE it".

So in recent times these have wound up as square hap shawls...based on my center square pattern, minus the cat's paw lace.

for example, this fabulous stuff from Mountain Colors River River Twist, lovely soft merino.

Here's the evolving diamond-which-will-be-a square

And then there's this one:  my sister  bought yarn several years ago when she was in Skye (she beat me to Scotland by a couple of years). She doesn't know where she bought it or what type of sheep ...  it is very pretty, natural I'm sure, in natural white with brown mixed in...way too itchy for a sweater which was her original plan.  I am wondering whether it was Scottish Black Face.

 (I took this photo in Scotland).

 After she gifted it to me it sat at my house for a couple of years.  Sometimes, I have to wait for inspiration for what-to-do-with-stash yarns...and of course it  finally hit me...another hap. As a blanket it won't need to be next-to-the-skin soft. Using it in a traditional Scottish pattern would only be right.  This hap blanket will be a gift to my sister.

These projects tend to be car knitting for me. I work out of my car and sometimes must sit at traffic lights for 5-8 minutes.  In the afternoons particularly I am antsy to get home, and just grab the garter stitch project such as one of these that stays in the car. 

Both will wind up with an old shale border whenever they get done.

Spain: Knitting Inspiration

Back last week from a Globus tour of "Spectacular Spain."  Recommended!  Lots of knitting time but nothing finished.  This was not my usual purchase-more-fiber-than-I-can-carry-and-go-to-foreign-post-office-with-boxes-to-mail-home type of trip, rather, it provided knitting inspiration.  I loved the tiles and lacy stone patterns   in the Moorish style mosques and elsewhere. 

Have a look and enjoy!

Ending up with rooftop bar knitting in Seville...