I Still Knit

Hey, look at that.  I still remember how to knit!

After teaching myself how to crochet and then becoming wildly obsessed with it in a matter of weeks, I've finally taken a step back from it to get back to what I really love: knitting.  I think I'm coming down from the high of figuring out the whole crochet thing by myself.  I continually challenged myself and I think I've strengthened these newfound skills, not to a very high degree, of course, but enough so that when I go back, I'll know what I'm doing... or at least pretend to know what I'm doing.

So, back to knitting with a crochet tangent.  I'm a one skeiner: I find a pretty yarn and I only buy ONE skein of it.  Personally, I don't like having a big stash; I don't like to horde yarn.  And it's not a huge deal to have only one skein available when an idea for a project strikes.  But the problem is when maybe you want to knit a cute summer top, which usually requires multiple skeins, and you only have the one skein or maybe multiple skeins but in different or non-coordinating colors.  Or in this particular problem, when you're almost finished binding off and you've reached the end of your skein only to see that you've got a couple of inches left which won't be enough for those FIVE remaining stitches.  Can you guess where I'm going?

The gorgeous blue neckerchief is done....for the most part.  It came out at a good size and the pattern was perfect. The scallops look like crowns or brass knuckles depending on the angle (or just very, very late at night when you're deliriously tired).  Like, I said, it's done for the most part as there are 5 stitches left and only a couple of inches of yarn.  It's not noticeable and that part will be tied off in the back anyways.  I'm hesitant to call it done though because, well, it's not. 

To get my mind off it it, though, because it IS done (kind of), I broke out my one skein of Debbie Bliss Cathay (cotton/silk) in this awesome purpleish-reddish berry color, my knitting needles, and the Blue Jeans Lace Leaf pattern for another mini shawl.  This is my third time knitting this pattern because the pattern is fricking easy to memorize and the shawl always comes out looking all masterful and complex.  For this one, I mirrored the pattern on both sides just to split up the pattern a bit.  It's coming out really big since Cathay is aran-wieght and I knit with #7 US, and holy crap is it so soft it almost feels creamy, and it's smooth and drapey!  The only complaint is Cathay is made up of like 12 threads so it splits like crazy forcing me to knit slower than usual.  And being part cotton, there is no stretch.  Despite the silk upping its fanciness quotient,  I probably wouldn't use this again.  I'm glad I only have one skein of this.