I dyed a hank of the fingering weight yarn thinking I could use it as a really, really good test for whatever future shawl design decides to present itself. Two things put paid to that idea. First, the colors came out more intensely than I had thought they would; half the amount of dye would have been enough :) Second, I discovered that the yarn is rather rough feeling, coarser than I had imagined since I had thought it was the same basic fiber as the wool for the Entrelac shawl.
Oddly, I wanted to try lace with this. The reason it’s odd is that it violates one of my personal basic rules: a busy yarn coupled with a busy pattern will cancel each other out and neither will show to advantage. But, while I knew there would be no shawl in this yarn’s future, I couldn’t shake the idea of lace of some sort.
I had been studying A Gathering of Lace by Meg Swanson and Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle looking at stitch patterns and combinations of patterns. My eye lingered over Oberle’s Kimono Shawl but it wasn’t until I read this post over at The Panopticon that I started thinking about it seriously.
This is, I suppose, more of a Kimono scarf as it incorporates all of the details of the original shawl, including the garter stitch border, just on a smaller scale. I had liked the design of the lace pattern and decided to see what it would do with my variegated yarn and size 7 US (4.5 mm) needles :)
I am both surprised and pleased with what seems to be happening. I assume it’s due mostly to the fact that the colors are long strips - not self-striping long (though I want to try that some time too!), but not little blips either. What’s coming off the needles makes me think of brocade, tapestry and I do not find it confusing to the eye.
The process for the dyeing of the yarn can be found in the Bombay post over at The Dye Pot
I am planning to carry on with the scarf. To tell you the truth, I can hardly put it down for wanting to see how the colors will arrange themselves next. It’s like watching a baby grow up (baby human, baby cat…whatever you’ve got). You know what the potential and the possibilities are - but until you get there, you won’t know what you’ve really got :)
And just for a little Friday, gratuitous cuteness, my littlest ones…
Chatters is on for tomorrow evening - the doors open at 8:00 PM. Drop by and say hello.
Have a great weekend!
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I simply adore the way that is coming out. You’ve hit upon a real winner!
Opal - Thank you :) It’s absolutely mesmerizing to knit with this stuff because you never know what’s going to happen next. It’s the first time I’ve ever had this experience with yarn! I’m sure you’ve been there many times though, with your wonderful and varied sock yarns :)
Love that colorway! I’m so envious of your dying abilities. That is beautiful.
Sheri in GA (who one of these days is going to remember Chatters on Thursday night!)
That yarn and that lace pattern look spectacular together!
Oh wait. Where can I see the yarn itself? Is it on the Dyepot? Which yarn is it? I wanna see the colors in the skein before you knit it up. 
Sheri - I appreciate your vote of confidence, but dyeing is easy. You should give it a try one day - it’s lots of fun :)
I have moved Chatters to Saturday nights - it would be great to see you there!
Rob - Thanks - it sure surprised the dickens out of me - I didn’t expect anything like that!
You can see the yarn (unworked) at the Dye Pot or in Wednesday’s (8-22) post.
I don’t think that the yarn is competing either. You have a winning combo there in my opinion. Your little critters are just adorable!
Lisa - Thanks! I think there are two reasons that the yarn and the stitch pattern are playing nicely together. The first is that the colors come in strips (on the yarn) of 12 to 15 inches - long enough, in other words, to give each color its say when it comes up. Second, all the colors are the same intensity - none are brighter or darker than any of the others.
Of course that’s just my best guess :)
