Having finished the infant caps I’d been working on for more than two years (off and on… mostly off, considering it took me more than two years), it was time to start the next project. I really want to make another pair of socks, but I don’t have the right size needles for the Jaywalkers I wanted to make (that solution should be remedied within the next week). So I cast on for my second Odessa — this time, a beaded version, and what the heck, why not throw in some stripes. I found some Baby Cashmerino at the LYS (local yarn store/shop), Yarns R Us, and I just loved these two colors together (Wine and Pea Green). And it just figures, the wine color is discontinued. So the hand accessory I was hoping to make to match will either have to be just pea green unless I can find more of the wine color (YRU only had one ball left on the shelf and that was the one I bought for the hat) or if I have just enough wine left for cuffs or a stripe.
I really like how the spiral pattern of the hat makes the stripe end up looking all zig-zaggy. I’m sure that goes against Grumperina’s original vision of the design (flowing swirls, etc.) since the stripe kind of breaks up the flow a bit, but I think it’s a cool look.
It’s a little hard to see the beads since they’re nearly the same color as the yarn, plus I screwed up and put the beads in one stitch too soon, so they’re sort of tucked right in next to the SSK stitch, hiding them further. Strange thing is, I did this with all the beads in the first two beaded rounds. That’s what happens when I read it once, think I know it, and don’t look at the pattern again (I have the pattern stitch sequence memorized). Heck, I was just knitting so hypnotically that I didn’t even notice the beads were off-center until I started the second green stripe! I think I’ll just keep putting the beads in the wrong spot so they’re at least consistent throughout the entire hat — and maybe they’ll turn out to be endearingly quirky like the zig-zaggy stripes.
Oh, I wore the Chevron Scarf (Ravelry link — login required) for the first time on Thursday — worn to work as a fashion accessory, not necessarily for warmth. I’ll post a modeled photo as long as I can get one in which I can conceal the 10+ pounds I’ve gained back while knitting instead of working out over the past (nearly) three months. That could possibly take until the middle of summer when I’ve hopefully been spending more time running and bicycling outdoors instead of sitting on the recliner and knitting with the cat cuddled up by my shins. Hmmm… wonder how that scarf would look with a tank top and bike shorts? Although considering how long that blasted thing is, I’d better not get too close to the bike, lest I meet a demise like Isadora Duncan.
