Skyline Chilly

By the time you read this, I will have put a lot more repeats onto this Boteh Scarf! I am writing this post ahead of time to show you my latest work-in-progress, which I am taking along on the trip for crocheting on planes, trains, or during that lovely vacation down-time.

I started this project completely by accident: it was one of those unforseen synchronicities of a pattern getting under your skin when the ideal stash yarn is sitting there waiting for a purpose. The pattern calls for Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, which I admittedly have plenty of, but these particular skeins (901 Baltic Sea) were a gift, and I always try to prioritize finding uses for gifted yarns ahead of other ordinary stash yarn. This is one of those projects that shows off the best of variegated sock yarn, and this colorway is a particularly lovely one.

Even though I started this project on an impulsive whim, it quickly grew into a full-fledged addiction. The stitch pattern is really fun: you are always decreasing stitches, so each row goes quicker then the last, and then just when that might get tedious, it’s time for the fun of turning and working the cascade of double-treble crochet down the side, which magically creates the curved paisley shape of each motif. Lather, rinse, repeat! I’m even looking forward to working the crochet edging around the whole scarf, because I can’t wait to see how it enhances the whole piece, and because - let’s face it - crochet is fast and fun.

My jury duty plan to get my Hanami within a weekend’s knitting of finishing was derailed by the fact that instead of spending the day with my knitting in the jury assembly room, I was actually called to be on a panel of interviewees within an hour of being there, and subsequently chosen to sit on a jury that lasted the rest of the week. (Oy.) I probably still could have gotten the stole finished by my original goal of this weekend, but with the total mix-up of my schedule and extra stress that jury duty caused, I didn’t see any reason to push it. After all, the reason I wanted it finished so quickly was to take on vacation with me, but killing myself to try to get it done in time didn’t really seem to be in the spirit of “vacation”!

Instead, I started a sock to mindlessly knit during the many breaks of the trial. There are several proceedings of a criminal trial that are supposed to be kept private from the jurors, so we kept having to go back into our jury room while the lawyers got everything hammered out with the judge. And there I knit.

It’s verdict is in! I’ve broken the string of single-knitted-items and cast on for the second sock of a pair. This Jaywalker will be perfect for plane and hotel knitting, since I don’t need the printed pattern anymore and the self-striping yarn helps mark out the progress. If all goes according to plan (and no further civic duties get in the way!), I hope I can finish this sock up during the week away.

Today’s feature is another in the category “I’ve had this yarn for a while, but I’m just getting around to photographing it.” It’s Lorna’s Sheperd Sock in 102 Mineshaft, and it’s from the first batch of multicolored yarn I ever dyed! That seems like a really long time ago now, yet I still don’t know what project these skeins will eventually go to. I do like looking at them though!

We dye this color a lot at Lorna’s (since it is understandably popular), and I really like the way it turns out… kind of mottled blacks and grays. In fact, I like it so much that it’s the color that inspired my decision about my Mystery Stole yarn… I’ll be using that bluish blackish gray in the middle of this colorway as the sole solid color for the stole.

I have lots of progress on Hanami to show you! I have left the repetitive basket weave section behind and am working my way down the organic “falling blossoms” section. There was a lot of mostly stockinette in the middle there to help things move fast, and now the seemingly random- but steadily increasing in frequency- blossom patterning is keeping me motivated & enthralled. Still, part of me misses those early days of the rote reptition of the basketweave, with all those relentless repeats and immovable diagonals.

I’ve been making steady progress, since I try to devote an hour to it every morning before work. (I love morning light and I am sorely sorry to see it fading as the season wears on!) I’m planning to work on it even more today, since I’ll be spending it sitting in the holding pen for Jury Duty! I’m a standby juror, so my fervent hope is that they won’t need me and I’ll just have to spend the day knitting on my lace to pass the time.

If all goes well with making signifigant progress on Hanami today (I have a sock project for backup knitting! And an audiobook..), I’m planning to finish it over the weekend so I can take the stole with me to wear while I’m travelling next week. That would require finishing the knitting by Sunday so it has time to soak, block and dry before we leave on Tuesday. It also means I have to obtain some form of blocking wires over the weekend– does anyone have experience locating something suitable amongst the offerings at Home Depot?

Last week, I spent a good chunk of my working hours thoroughly enjoying the audio version of The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. I used to listen to audio books frequently when I had a long commute by car to my job at the library, but I had fallen out of the habit. The Lace Reader was a pleasant reminder that audio books are so wonderful for helping pass the time while your hands and eyes are occupied (like while knitting or dyeing yarn)!

I was originally interested in this book because of its use of handmade bobbin lace in the story and the title. As you know, knitting lace has been a recent interest (bordering on obsession?) for me, so it seemed fitting to pick reading material that complemented my handicrafts. However, the book isn’t really about lace making; instead, it uses the craft as a background from which to draw parallels and make metaphors. The historical art of bobbin lace weaves through the narrative, highlighting focal points of the character-driven story. It’s masterfully rendered, and I would recommend this book to anyone, but particularly readers with an interest in fiber crafts and handmade goods.