Decisions, Decisions

My next sweater is going to be made from Malabrigo Worsted in Whales Road, and I am having trouble settling on a pattern. I like variegated yarns in fairly simple patterns, so no cables. I'm not overly fond of raglan (on me, anyway), but I think I'd rather do a mostly in-the-round sweater this time rather than stitching pieces together. I want casual and comfy...but stylish. Or at least not actively frumpy-looking. Things that have caught my eye on Ravelry: Brilliance

Labyrinth:

Snow White:

Tomato:

Varese

Thoughts?

The Scarf/Shawl Kick

Yes, I said I wasn't updating this blog anymore. My knitting is on Ravelry, my cooking is on Bits of Bliss, and my book reviews are on On My Bookshelf. But there isn't a place for rambly general knitting updates anywhere but here!

I've been on a Clapotis kick lately. Easy, lovely, and endlessly modifiable, it is a stellar pattern to show off a handpainted skein (or a few). If you've been living under a rock, the pattern is at Knitty.

Here is a large-ish version in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool:




And a medium version in Ella Rae Lace Merino:



And a small version in a single skein of Mountain Colors Mountain Goat:



I finally finished the Branching Out in Malabrigo Sock I started ages ago. It's for me, and so was put on the back burner:




My current project is a modified version of Tesla in Araucania Ruca:


I've enjoyed the simple scarves and shawls I've been busting out lately. They make nice one-size gifts, show off the lovely yarns I'm drawn to that aren't practical for a sweater, and I can knit them anywhere without paying much attention. I can make them narrower or wider, shorter or longer, based on my available yardage. There is a time for challenging knitting, but this is not it.

Hiatus, redux

This blog may have become redundant. I recently started a food-oriented blog, Bits of Bliss, which is now the repository for my cooking posts and recipes. Since my knitting is well-documented on Ravelry (I'm allisonmariecat), and my book reviews have been at On My Bookshelf for some time, and with the Twitter thing (I'm allisonmariecat there, too)...there doesn't seem to be much for The Whole Ball of Yarn(s) these days. I'm not taking down the site - there are still lots of recipes and things that aren't elsewhere at this point; I simply won't be updating.

Cheers,
Allison

Would have posted earlier, but...

...knitting a blanket takes a really long time. Therefore, there will be many pictures in this post. Unfortunately, none of them will include Lilah, who refuses to pose today.

Meet Lilah's "Big Girl" Blanket:

To show the scope and grandeur of this thing, I pinned it to the chain holding up our porch swing. You can see it's not a perfect square - more a rhombus. I'm cool with that.


The starting corner:


Spread out on the swing:


Folded:


Not that artfully draped:


Ending corner:


A side "corner":


Pattern: Winged it. I typed up more or less what I did on Ravelry. Basically, I started with three stitches and increased with a YO on each edge until I'd used almost five skeins, then decreased one stitch at each edge until I was done. I like Noro best in stockinette, just wanted an edging.

Needles: Size 8

Yarn: Noro Taiyo, colorway 6, 10 skeins (2200 yds)

Notes: Best television knitting ever. Will I ever knit a blanket again? No. My next non-baby blanket will be someday when I learn to crochet. Man, it takes a LONG time to knit a decent-sized blanket. Love the yarn. I've always loved Noro colors, but wasn't fond of the mohair content in Kureyon. This is wool/silk/cotton/nylon. Very soft, fairly light but warm. Noro has quirks. For a not-cheap yarn, there are an awful lot of knots. And sticks. And it's very thick-thin. But I think of it as part of the charm. Yes, knots are annoying, but what I love about Noro are the colors, and that's what I'm paying for. Think how expensive they'd have to make it if they actually bothered picking out the bits! Lilah loves it. She says it's "so cozy."

Reading: Rereading the Kay Scarpetta books. I remembered losing interest, and now I can pinpoint when and why: Blow Fly, when Cornwell switches to third person instead of Scarpetta's pov. Coincidentally (?) that's the same point at which she appears to start hating her characters. I need to get to book blogging!

Writing: I have been writing some. I know, wild, right? I am at a word count - 3800. See, even posting a word count. Cross your fingers it keeps going up.

Cooking: I'm more or less off cooking lately. Just not motivated and/or inspired. I did make a batch of granola, then another batch of granola. Oh, man, I just remembered I have to make ^&%&%* muffins for a preschool meeting tomorrow. Ugh.

I may post again! You just never know!