Malabrigo March Wrap Up

I didn't do a kick off post, which I'd wanted to but couldn't find the time for amongst all the knitting! But, I decided I still wanted to do a wrap up post anyway, so here it is!

I love Malabrigo yarn. My favorites are Silky Merino and their Lace yarns, although I also have some Worsted in my stash. I love how soft they are, and how vibrant the colors are. 

Finished projects include my Caribenos Clapotis, another Montego Bay Scarf and my Cliff Diving @ La Push Cowl (expect the FO post very soon!)

Not quite finished projects include my Lagoon Hemlock Ring Blanket, a surprise gift lace cowl I barely cast on for and my Purple Mystery Hanami Stole - that I didn't even get the time to add one stinking repeat to! Which is crappy, because I cast on for it way back in 08! Damn, time flies! Hehehe...

FO Friday - Solitude Scarf

... aka Yet Another Malabrigo Montego Bay Scarf, this time with fringe! (Here's the first MalaMontego Bay I made, for my MIL!)

For the last bunch of months this yarn was half of a Flutter Scarf, but I just wasn't feeling the ruffle end out of this yarn - 100% merino wool. The ruffles demand a drapier fiber content, something like silk, bamboo or alpaca; and to be truthful, they looked a little awkward. They just hung there, instead of draping nicely; so I never finished the second half.

The reason I picked Solitude for the name was two-fold. First, my husband and I'd just received a Peter Lik photo of the same name* we'd bought for his new home office, and the colors are to-die-for gorgeous! Secondly, I've been a fan of Nina Simone for a very long time, and the song Solitude seemed to really fit with what I felt at the time I knit it.

When I started this scarf, I was really hoping to get the job at Lorna's Laces. It didn't work out for me this time, and so I decided it was okay to be selfish, and knit something just for myself. (I have a bunch of gift knits going right now.)

And then, the Ravelympics hit me, or rather I got obsessive and couldn't hold myself back from them. Fast forward a couple weeks, and here I am now - with a finished scarf and a blanket that's a quarter done. Hahaha...  
That's how I roll, folks - always unpredictable, even to myself!

Specifications - see this scarf on Ravelry!

• Pattern: Montego Bay Scarf by Amy Singer (from Interweave Knits Summer 07)
• Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Brisa (one skein, including fringe)
• Needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable Zephyr needles, US size 5 (3.75mm)
• Date started: Thursday, January 28th 2010
• Date cast off: Tuesday, February 23rd 2010
• Date completed: Thursday, February 25th 2010

*To see Solitude on Peter Lik's site, you'll need to visit the horizontal panoramic gallery (linked above and here - and click on the piece 5th from the left and all the way at the bottom (Wg197 Solitude) - be careful! His photos are a total time suck, even more so in person! Don't say I didn't warn you when you end up finding an amazing photo you totally love! LOL

WIP Wednesday - Cashmere Ruffles Scarf

I just had to buy this cashmere yarn on sale from Elann. It's normally about 19$ a ball, and I got them all for less than 50$!!! Woohoo! The only questions were how much to buy, and what to make with it? I was leafing through Scarf Style by Pam Allen, and found this super cute scarf, that just happened to call for the same weight yarn (DK.)

Doing the math, the pattern called for 432 yds, which was dangerously close to the 440 I would get if I'd have bought 5 balls, so I added one more in (I call this my coverage ball, you know... just in case!) The cashmere only had 88 yds per ball, so I really can't fathom how people afforded this yarn not on sale! Hahaha!

I had a really tough time wrapping my brain around the construction of this one, so I just jumped in and started knitting. After I'd gotten about 4 repeats of the short rows done, I finally "got" how the ruffles are constructed, and where the center spine is, to measure for total length.

The first ball knit up fairly quickly after I taught myself to purl backwards, saving all those turns, from the "wrap & turn" direction of short rows. It's not hard, and my hands took to it much quicker than I'd expected. I only turn the work around once every fourth row! Yeay!

(Please forgive my total hack job in trying to photo-shop the over-exposed-ness on the second photo. It's bad, I know. I really wanted to post this one today, and couldn't do a second shoot to fix it! Whoops!)

Ruffles Scarf by Amanda Blair Brown, see mine on Ravelry!