Yarn – Page 4 – Vickilicious Knits

Unfaithful

VickiNovember 8, 2007Leave a comment

I just can’t stay faithful to a single project, even when I only have a month to complete it.

I’ve been cheating on my sweater with socks. Not only did I finish one of my toe-up socks, but I cast on for the second and have made quite a bit of progress up the foot. They are like a compulsion, I can’t keep myself from them.

You know what else I can’t stop doing? Buying yarn.

Lots and lots of delicious yarn.

Knit Picks has some kind of spell over me, and this time I went overboard with the thin stuff, all in fingering and lace weights.

Knit Picks Shadow 100% merino lace weight 2ply, in Sunset Heather

This is such a warm and inviting red with flickers of purple, orange, and yellow. I just love Shadow, and I look forward to slipping it through my fingers.

Knit Picks Gloss 70% merino wool / 30% silk fingering weight, in Serengeti

I had picked out some Palette in Twig for my boyfriend’s Henry scarf, but it just seemed too pinkish of a tan. When I held it against his olive green coat, it almost seemed a salmon color, and I had major misgivings. I’m thrilled with this yarn’s color – it’s exactly the shade of tan I wanted – and I think that the Gloss will be much nicer against his skin than Palette.

Knit Picks Gloss 70% merino wool / 30% silk fingering weight, in Woodland Sage

Knit Picks Gloss 70% merino wool / 30% silk fingering weight, in Dusk

Knit Picks Shadow 100% merino lace weight 2ply, in Vineyard Heather

I was surprised at the deep saturation of this purple when compared with their website photos. Knit Picks is notoriously inaccurate, and I realize that purple is very difficult to photograph, but it was a delight to see such a rich and complex shade when I was expecting something grayed out. This makes me think that the other colors they have on sale would definitely be worth checking out, as they’ll probably be similarly delectable.

Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud 100% baby alpaca lace weight, in Iris Heather

This is the sleeper hit of this purchase, if not my entire yarn-buying career. I bought it on impulse, despite a suspected alpaca allergy. And I am so glad I did!

My goodness, what a beautiful yarn. It is softer and dreamier than I ever imagined yarn could be – luscious, silky, and just plain decadent. Its richness and depth of color is phenomenal, and I just can’t stop touching it.

I am so happy with all of these purchases, and I feel I must seek out more lace shawl patterns so I can buy up every colorway of Alpaca Cloud and Shadow they make. These yarns are so pleasant to touch and look at, and I can only imagine what a treat they will be in knitting.

Now that I have sufficient incentive to finish, I must stop neglecting my Tilted Duster if I’m going to get to play with all my new yarns!

Silk

VickiNovember 6, 2007Leave a comment

While I am plugging away at my Tilted Duster for NaKniSweMo (and I plan to have progress photos soon), I find myself staring at one of my birthday presents to myself, a gorgeous cone of 100% silk DK that I purchased from Colourmart.

It is so intensely beautiful, and I keep running it through my fingers to enjoy its decadent feel. The color is “moss green,” and it is one of my absolute favorite colors. It is every bit as lovely as I hoped it would be, if not more so.

I’m kind of amazed at the value, as this is (supposedly) enough for a cute top I have in my queue, yet the price (with shipping included) was extremely reasonable.

If this is anywhere near as pleasant to knit with as I suspect it will be, then I will definitely be buying a lot more silk in the future.

Baby did a bad bad thing…

VickiOctober 24, 2007Leave a comment

Yarn binges always start so simply.

I was about to cast on for my boyfriend’s Henry scarf, when I realized that my Knit Picks Options tips only go down to size 4. I went online and bought the two circulars, paid about $3 shipping and patted myself on the back for maintaining self-control.

“But they have yarn on sale…” my foolish brain whined.

“Fine. We will look around and think about it, but we will not buy yarn just yet. We should study for our midterm and go to bed already,” I scolded.

My brain knew it was winning. It gushed endorphins, coaxing “You have new books! You should try the projects in them!” At first I was just shooting for $45 for free shipping (they are evil geniuses with that), but then I felt like a woman possessed, dropping nearly $80 for an embarrassing amount of yarn.

“While you’re spending money like a drunken sailor,” my brain oozed, “you might as well buy those cones of tweed you were lusting after at WEBS too. And some sock yarn, to get the discount.”

Helpless, I added items to my cart and typed in my credit card information for the third time in less than a half hour.

“Oh, there go groceries this week,” I sighed to myself, considering how I can make tonight’s pizza stretch with cereal and yogurt for the next few days.

I’m going to consider this woeful disregard of my yarn-buying moratorium as early birthday presents to myself (it’s in like two weeks, it’s fair), and I’m going to try not to feel so guilty about it.

I know that tomorrow I will wake up over-tired and under-prepared for my exam, and I will be kicking myself, but for now, I will be dreaming of the packages of gorgeous yarn now on their way.

Slightly Better Colors & Imminent Frogging

VickiApril 16, 20072 Comments

This storm has made sufficient lighting near impossible this weekend, but I think I’ve managed to get a little closer to the colors of my Lippitt halter and Cable-Down Raglan yarns.

Spruce and cream, nice.

As for the Cable-Down Raglan, I think that a frogging is imminent. I knit the first few rows and made a mess of the increases.

I read that some of the errata deal with the increases, so it will probably be sorted out then. It’s kind of a shame because I rather like the way the knitting looks when it’s done right.

I am still a bit confused about the way the increases are worked on the sleeves, though. (As with all my photos, click to enlarge).

The pattern has the increases done just before the diamond chart begins. This makes sense on the left sleeve, as it makes room for the X-shaped cables which are more toward the sweater front on that side.

However, the right sleeve is starting to baffle me, and I’m not sure how the increases could be done in that place without skewing the design and making the sleeves asymmetrical. Am I thinking too much about this?

I feel like maybe it should be more like this: