Sunday, October 29, 2006

Fear of Commitment


Why is it so hard for me to use the most special yarns?

A while back, Sarah sent me some luscious handspun Alpaca she had made, just because I said I wanted it! It was a complete surprise to me and really made my day. Of course, she's been eager to see what I'll do with it, which is understandable. In my defense, I'll say that I've been doing other things, which is true. There certainly has been a fair amount of knitting going on around here, which is great. But the other thing is that I have always had a hard time bringing myself to knit with my most special yarns. I have spent way more time thinking about the most perfect use for some yarns than any project would have taken. I'm trying to get over this problem, but it's slow progress.

Yesterday I started to work a bit of the Mead Alpaca (the lighter one in the photo above) with some chocolate alpaca I bought in April at the Alpaca Fest. The Mead is a wee bit heavier, but not much. I've put more discrepant yarns together in projects before with happy results. I'm thinking about a simple fair isle vest, mostly chocolate brown (because I have more of that), with Mead. Of course, I also think the Mead alone would make a stunning lacy scarf. See, now I have two opposing ideas and choosing one means not choosing the other. It's a wonder I ever got married!

In Other News
Franklin's Chicago Area Dulaan Knit-In will be happening on Saturday. I'm planning to go with my friend Carol, who crochets. In preparation for the day, I thought I'd design a new hat pattern that I can hand out at the Knit-In.

This took about 2 hours to knit on #9 needles from Knit Picks Panache. It fits the Little Emperor very well, so I might need to make another one to give to the Dulaan Project. The hat was the price he extracted from me for the modeling session.

Download free PDF Here!

I have a lot of pattern-writing to get to! That'll have to be this week's priority.

18 comments:

Becky in Iowa :O) said...

The yarn does indeed look yummy. The colors look great together.

The hat is just awesome. No wonder the kid wanted it. hehe

Jerry & Maxy said...

The hat looks GREAT! I love it on LE. It's a sweet hat.

Pretty alpaca...you're into the fair isle vest right now :)

Carol said...

I can understand holding on to a special yarn, it's a sacred thing. Your hat is just gorgeous! What a awesome gift to the project. And seems the Young Emperor has got your number! ;)

Zonda said...

Whatever you decide on the Alpaca I know it'll be awesome! Sometimes I just want to look at certain special yarns and never knit them..and at my knitting rate, it could happen. LOL!

Love the hat and I so want the pattern too! It'll be my first fair isle project I am sure! :) Nice job and cute little model too!

Bezzie said...

Little E is so cute!

Love those alpacas. They go together great. Can't wait to see the finished product. Maybe it will inspire me to use my Sarah-llama handspun!

Kathy Kathy Kathy said...

I have a fear of yarn commitment also, but I am making something out of the bright red angora finally. Not touching the alpaca I bought on e-bay, though!

Kathy Kathy Kathy said...

I couldn't decide how to spell "committment," but I think this one looks better.

Theresa said...

That's a great looking hat - and double warm around the ears, too!

KNIT A NEW DREAM said...

Just gorgeous knitting!! Your fair isle is to die for! Sue

Leslie said...

What a darling hat...and model!

Lynn said...

That is an adorable hat! And lucky you, getting to go to the Dulaan knit-in, I wish I could go. I guess I'll just have to organize one of my own...

knittinbrit_in_wi said...

Love the hat! The Little Emperor looks adorable in it.

Anonymous said...

Aw, you just want it to be perfect.

That hat is so cute! The Dulaan Knit In sounds like a fabulous idea.

Jenny said...

That hat is great! I think I'll have to make some for my friends' kids. Cute!

Carol said...

Thank you so much for sharing you pattern! It's a beautiful knit and an adorable model too!

Sarah said...

The hat is so cute!

But I'm really loving how the chocolate and the mead go together....like peanut butter and choccie!

mmmm....

And I totally know what you mean about having a "Good" project for the special yarns.

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean....I have a few special yarns I haven't done anything with because once I use them I won't "have" them anymore.

Cute hat!

Marji said...

He is just too cute for words. Love the hat too.
Have loads of fun at the Dulaan Knit In. I thought about going - for about 2 minutes. I've logged over 4000 miles on the road in the last month, and another trip to Chicago would just put me over the edge of sanity.