Sheep Shots

I completed the first repeat on the lace shrug:



Photo against daylight doesn't do it justice!

This sweaterlet is made in two pieces, center back to cuff on a provisional cast on (I used a crochet cast on this time, after doing the "knit 3-4 rows with waste yarn" cast on for the top secret project. I hope it's easier to un-pick!) then pick up the raw stitches and repeat.

So far, for one repeat at the widest point, I've used a little more than 1 ball of yarn. I have 10 (with no opportunity to get more). I am sure that there's enough here!

The Elann alpaca is nice to work with. It's soft, and non-splitty. And the color is yummy.

And since the question: "How much do you buy if you don't have a specific project in mind?" question comes up frequently, let me go on record. My buying habits suck! If I am lookingthe yarn in the eye (so to speak) in person, I will often grab all that's available of a particular brand/type/color/dyelot (yeh, selfish pig), especially if it's a closeout/bargain. When I am buying on-line, I will sometimes get all I can afford at the moment ("afford" being a relative term depending on what else is on the card and how close payday is). I try for "full bag" (10 balls, usually) quantities (10, 20, 30, again, often depending on the price).

This particular yarn was intended for another project to combine with a wonderful hand-painted alpaca that came from Ellen's Half-pint Farm via Stitches East (I'm not saying what year, but it was still being held in King of Prussia). The color match was a bit "off," so both yarns were languishing in my stash waiting forthe right project. The Viennese Shrug calls for 880 yards of Morehouse Farms Merino 2-Strand which is a sport weight (the alpaca is a light worsted. I'm getting close gauge, and a nice fabric (good drape) so whatthe heck!

And now back to reality: I have 600 stitches on the needle (60" Addi Turbo) for the oddball blankie that is my current user-upper, mindless project.




I figure that it's closing in on 44" across, so I've started the border using a ball of the Woolease Tartan that was left from my cardigan. It's a tweedy-looking yarn made up of navy, hunter and purple plied together that ties in some of the other colors without being variegated. I wanted to do a seed stitch border (and may still), but I need to continue the increases, so this will require a bit of planning. Perhaps a small cable with a reverse stockinette panel at the increase points, or just garter stitch wedges there?

Since it takes me 15-20 minutes to do one round, I don't want to have to rip back if I get it wrong!

It's a gray day here in Pennsylvania. Should I knit (and veg) or clean. Knit/clean. Knit/clean. Kni

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