Mazarin

Hello! This blog has languished a bit...I'm going to blame the extra-long winter we had in Edinburgh: it seemed to drain everything of energy, somehow. (Well, it seemed to drain ME of energy. I know Vala's been working really hard and Kristen's course is pretty intensive, in a good way.) Anyway, I thought I'd resurrect it to show off my new hat.

It's knitted with two colours of soft Malabrigo Sock yarn, and takes 35g of one colour, and 25g of the contrast - so could be great for using up leftovers. No reason why it can't be knitted using several smaller amounts, too - I'm planning a wildly-coloured one for my baby niece.

For this one I chose Playa, which is a mix of navy, grey-blue, beige and brown - it's hard to describe and beautiful to see. I felt that the contrast colour (Chocolate Amargo) should pick up one of the colours in that mix, so as to make the pattern less distinct than it might otherwise be. The result is that the geometry of it is less stark, leaving the colours - the Playa in particular - to do their work. A couple of friends are test-knitting the pattern and I'm hoping to release it in the next couple of weeks.

Otherwise, I'm working on a shawl - also with a triangle motif - and have just had a brainwave for a totally novel shawl construction which I need to swatch. If it works, it will be a lot of fun to make. I have a long long pleated cowl to knit, too, using Old Maiden Aunt alpaca/silk DK in Bitter Bug. Gorgeous yarn, gorgeous colour. I desperately want the construction to work, but at last count it needs three long circular needles in the same size. A bit of a rethink due there, if I want anyone to reproduce the pattern.

The shawl I made last summer - Northern Summer Shawl - has been really well received, and I'm pretty proud of it. A sample for Cloverhill Yarn Shop in Maryland (who are using the pattern for a class right now) went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival, with happy results hopefully for both parties. Thank you! May you sell tons of yarn.