Third Time's a Charm?

This entrelac scarf is the third go-around for this yarn. I think it's finally done. Well, I mean, I'm done with it. This is the crappy iPhone pic of it blocking on the porch on a grey rainy day.

The yarn is Rowan Tapestry, which really doesn't like to get frogged. I think I had two balls of it.

The entrelac squares were eight stitches wide.

I think I worked on US #6 needles.

Plan B works

I found over three skeins of the Perendale yarn from my favorite plain grey sweater and it was a close enough match for this project. I can confidently assert that there was not a bit of waste of the Rowan Tapestry. The only snippet left over will be about 5 inches from where I darn in my cast on tale.

The Rowan Tapestry is nice. It is a 70% wool/30% soy protein single, DK weight, with long gradual color shifts. It's considerably more consistent than Noro yarns and the color combinations are more conventional. I encountered no bits of plant matter. I had one reknotted break in the two balls I used. Often Noro users find multiple breaks within a single ball. There were a few thicker areas, but no very thin ones and the twist was consistent overall.

On the whole, I'd recommend it as a nice yarn for accessories that don't have to take hard wear. I don't know, but I suspect it might be prone to pilling. It would probably work very well for any of the entrelac scarves, like Lady Eleanor, that people often do in Noro.

Always Have a Plan B

Last night as I approached the end of the second ball of Rowan Tapestry, I figured I'd better estimate how much it would take for binding off. I counted all the stitches and found I had exactly 300. I guess my brain likes nice round numbers even when I'm not paying attention. I measured my gauge and got around 9 st:2 inches. So, that worked out to somewhere under 6 feet for the length. I figured I needed around 6 yards per row and maybe a bit more for bind off. Using my old sewing guess-timator, of one outstretched arm to my nose, I figured I had about 14 yards left. Perfect. One more row and enough to bind off. Best laid plans and all that...


As I got to the last 100 stitches to bind off, I realized I was eating up my tail much faster than I was binding off the stitches. But still I soldiered on. I do have a Plan B. I was wearing my favorite grey sweater. It's made from a worsted weight grey single yarn, slightly rougher hand than the Tapestry, but still, I think it'll work. I have to dig the extra from the stash and splice a couple yards on and see what I think.

Plan C is to go back to the yarn store and buy one more ball, frog back the bind off, make the whole thing wider, and have enough left over for a little fringe.

Happy New Year

Sometimes you just need something simple. I've been trying little ideas out with this Rowan Tapestry here and there since I bought it. I consider it an extravagance at $9 per 50 gm ball. I only bought two balls, figuring that was enough for a trial run of something, but not knowing what that might be. Two balls would be plenty for a hat. But, of course, I had a scarf call to me for this yarn.




I decided to simply do a garter stitch the long way. How much more basic does it get? What I was thinking about, but wasn't in the mood for the doing, was the So-Called Scarf stitch pattern, the long way. I still think that would make a pretty cool effect. Or some multi-directional effect. There's a lost scarf hanging on a tree along my current walking route that is a multi-directional garter stitch scarf in a solid cadet blue yarn. I keep thinking I should stop and look at the technique, because it might be really interesting in a subtly changing yarn like this.

Anyway, I ran out about 16 feet for a long tail cast on and used the tail to form the stitches. I didn't count the stitches. I used a #10.5 needle for the cast on, because I've learned I need to or I get a tight cast on. Then switched to a #7 needle for the work. The first ball went about 2.3 inches. So, unless I go looking for a third (and find it) this scarf will be on the skimpy side. Let that be a lesson to you: plan on 150 gms or more for a scarf. I guess I'll decide how I feel about the width when I get it off the needle and really see the length.

We are finally having some sunshine here. Still above freezing temps. But with a brisk wind blowing and overnight lows in the 20s, it feels a little more like winter. I've got chicken and barley soup slowly cooking for dinner. This is one we all seem to agree on. Barley is a great secret ingredient for improving homemade soups. It took me a number of years to really understand how to make good soup, but I think I've got it now.

As for Resolutions, I don't make them. I never have. It strikes me as so contrived. And doomed to failure.

Every day I pray for another day sober and for help treating every human I meet with love and kindness. And I say thanks for all the sober days so far. And I figure the rest of it takes care of itself. These prayers do not come easily to me. I'm not really a love-and-kindness kind of person. A former employee once told me I was "rude, cruel, power-hungry, and abusive."* So, it's all about progress for me. The peole I most admire are the people who have the courage to be open, to let down their guard with humanity at large, and risk kindness. Sarcasm and anger are easy. Love and kindness are a daily struggle for me.

Happy 2007

*I was sober about 8 years at that time, so it wasn't just alcohol that made me like that.

Post script
Having said all that, I look in at Penny Karma's blog and see this resolution maker. I click the link and get this:

In the year 2007 I resolve to: Learn how to shear sheep. Get your resolution here.

How could I resist?