Mystery Scarf in Progress

OK, not entirely a mystery. Koigu, obviously, and the Scarf-as-a-Collar pattern from Scarf Style. But the Koigu is so different from the yarn called for (I put my faith in Kathy, entirely!) and the picture in Scarf Style SO unhelpful, that I really have no idea what it's going to look like when I'm finished. Right now it has more than a passing resemblance to a dickey, which I find disturbing. But I will perservere! Onward to the finish. I am loving the colors. And the knitting-of-the-Koigu, my first time.

The children are outside in the rain (drizzle) playing with water balloons. It makes me sad that the concept holds no appeal for me whatsoever. I'm pretty sure that means I'm old.

Wallaby Finito!

Ta da, an actual finished object! Two-tone and all.

Pattern: Wonderful Wallaby, Size 8 (Warren Wallaby)
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino Aran, Violet (325603). About 9.5 balls.
Needles: 9 circular and dps, 6s for seed stitch "ribbing"
Modifications: Seed stitch instead of ribbing at waist and cuffs and instead of garter stitch around pocket, placket and hood. (This pulls in the edge of the hood quite a bit; I think I can fix that with blocking, though.) I also used the modification from the Wonderful Wallaby FAQ to make the hood less pointy.
Really irritating mistake: the two dye lots. Especially since I ended up with almost 3 full balls extra, so I didn't need to use the second dye lot at all.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this pattern, especially not having to seam the sides. When I finally had to knit back and forth for the hood, having to do the purl rows seemed quite arduous, even though I don't usually mind purling. I would make it again, but I'd make it all the same color. :)

Edited to add: Photos by the Wonderful Will Yurman! But of course. :)

Guilt

These ...


and these ...


were supposed to prevent this ...



This ...

has a reason and a recipient and a deadline, even, so it is guilt-free, even if it is Koigu!

I met Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (half price! half price!) and it was love at first touch. And I thought if I just got a little, enough for a scarf, that would satisfy me, and so I got the eminently more sensible Merino Aran instead. But apparently yarn is like sex, or alcohol, or chocolate, or something that makes this analogy work, and I can't just stop with a little. Sooooo ... I have a sweater's worth of Alpaca Silk. (Half price!) AND a sweater's worth of Merino Aran (which I also love, by the way). And a scarf's worth (at least) more of Alpaca Silk. And three skeins of Louisa Harding angora (half-price!) ... just because. (Well, just because I was being thrifty and *not* getting the Alpaca Silk, but that went out the window on visit No. 3. Sigh.)

The Koigu is for a good friend's 40th birthday. I also got a ball of Cascade Fixation to make Eli the red socks he asked for. And I think I am done shopping for a while!

Wallaby Update

The Wallaby is zooming right along. And despite my fears that it was HUGE, when I tried it on Auden just now, it looked good. Yay! (She's pretending to be a puppy on a leash here.:) I am using seed stitch for the placket too, and am happy with the way that looks. I'm happy with the way the arms look, and the color, and everything else. I have just made one, major mistake. Can you see it? It bothers me, AND I think I can't bear to rip back that far.

I had two dye lots of yarn. But I think I had plenty of the main dye lot to finish (at least) the body of the sweater, possibly the whole thing. But when I joined the sleeves to the body, I switched dye lots by mistake. I was either confused, or completely careless. The result, I realize now, is fairly obvious. At least to me. But the switch was way back, before ALL the decreasing for the shoulders and the placket. I just don't think I can stand going back that far.

It does bother me, which I know is supposed to be the deciding factor. But I'm just that lazy that I think I would rather live with it bothering me than rip it out. Will the difference fade with time and washing? I'm not sure other people will notice it if I don't point it out. You can't see it as well in that picture as in this picture (especially if you look at it big):

Anyway, I will notice. Sigh. I like the sweater, though. And I have another important decision to make immediately: there is supposed to be 1" of 1x1 ribbing before the hood. Should I do that in ribbing, as opposed to seed stitch? I am thinking the ribbing might be structurally useful, and since I can't really even see it in pictures of other people's Wallabies, having it in ribbing v. seed stitch might not matter that much, aesthetically. (On the other hand, I'm the person who didn't even notice she was making a two-tone sweater, so what do I know.)

Oh, there is another mistake that doesn't show in these pictures, the place where I joined a new ball of yarn and picked up an extra stitch by mistake, then decided many rows later to drop the stitch all the way back down. I spread out the rows as best I could, but it still looks loose and wobbly around there. I am counting on being able to fix that more with blocking, though. I am a sloppy knitter at heart, apparently.