Tuesday 6 July 2010

Pretty Yarns

I have been a bit naughty this month and splashed out on some new yarn. In my defense, they are VERY pretty skeins indeed. I must state for the record that the photos in this post do not come close to capturing the true glory that is exhibited by my delicious new yarn.

One of my purchases was dyed to my specifications (how cool is that??). This was the BabyLongLegs Semi-Precious yarn, which she packaged in a kit for a KAL (Knit-A-Long). When BabyLongLegs opened the KAL on her forum on Ravelry she asked for us all to request our required colour. Along with the selected skein of the Semi-Precious (which is 50% Merino Wool/50% Silk in a 4-ply weight) came a pattern for Carol Feller's pattern, the Centrique Shawl (Ravelry Link).

I adore BabyLongLeg's yarn. I have several projects that have used it, namely the Rachael Hat and the Argus Shawlette that was given to my OH's sister. I love the fact that not only are the colours so vibrant and imaginatively combined, the yarns are always wonderful to knit with. Knowing all that you can understand my weakness in regard to this particular skein (can't you?)

I decided that this kit would be a present to myself. I asked for a "blood red" yarn as it isn't a very common colour. It is also really the only red that suits me. I love red but don't often wear it, as finding the correct shade is pretty hard. I thought if I had a gorgeous deep red shawl in a divine yarn I would feel glamorous no matter what else I was wearing. When I got my kit I was so happy I think I might have let out a little squee when I opened the packet. This is what I got.



Isn't the black silky ribbon a gorgeous touch? It just adds to the whole decadence of the kit for me.



As I have just cast off my last few stitches of my previous project (pictures to come after blocking) I just had to start this one next. How could I resist the glory that is BabyLongLegs Semi-Precious yarn. (There is some left on the website in lots of lovely colours - but you didn't hear that from me if your bank manager catches you!)

My other slip into extravagance was instigated by AGirlInWinter, who introduced me to the blog of Eskimimi. So it is all her fault really. I started reading Eskimimi's blog, which is well worth reading by the way, and she just happened to have started dying yarn. And she just happened to dye a skein of sock yarn in my favorite purple colour. In fact it was the most purplest purple I've ever seen. I just had to buy it!



Isn't it yummy?




This is a nice sock yarn in 75% Wool and 25% Nylon, which means it can be machine washed. However, I don't think I will make this into socks as the colour is too glorious to hide inside shoes. I think it will become another shawl (and yes I am hooked). I think it will be the Vixen Shawlette. I really like the design of this shawl and think it will show off the yarn to great effect. This will probably be on my needles after I finish my Centrique. I'm on a shawl knitting roll!

You never know, I may feel confident enough after these next two shawls to progress to the lace-weight yarn I bought last year at the Ravelry Day! Crazier things have happened in knitting.


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