What If

Allow me to present (a drum roll here, please, or at least a rim shot) mega-geeks. The all new over-sized handy dandy multi-purpose swatch. Comes in a variety of colors and finishes.

Swatch #1: Double-stranded Cascade Pima Tencel in Ginger. The three borders are one strand of Pima Tencel with one strand Berroco Calico in Acid (bottom), one strand Filatura Di Crosa Portofino in Sunset (top) and double-stranded Pima Tencel in the middle.

Swatch #2: Cascade Pima Tencel in Teal, with borders in Berroco Cotton Twist in Fantasy (bottom), Berroco Calico in Acid (top), separated by a solid border. Same method as described for the Ginger swatch.

These are bigger (much bigger) than the first test run swatches. I want to see how the fabric will behave.

They are also teaching tools. It made so much more sense to work the borders with individual balls of the contrast color, as opposed to say, cutting the yarn after eight stitches (I'm so glad I figured that out before I attempt the real thing). The instruction to change color/yarn at the inside edge of the ribbed border, which sounded so wrong when I read it, became a no-brainer when knitting these. I guarantee, if I had just whaled into the project, I would have ignored that suggestion as obvious heresy and then cursed as I frogged.

These missed the laundry on Saturday, so I'm not sure if any will make the final cut. I'm particularly concerned about the Portofino. It's cotton wrapped in rayon and I know what a dryer can do to rayon. I have visions of it strangling the cotton, not unlike an anaconda.

With all that said, there's a slight problem. It may not matter if any of them survive. We have come to the conclusion that the answer to the question "What color should Clare's robe be?" is "None of the above." In between travelling the Silk Road, Clare and I pondered these. Held them up against her face. Imagined them as cuffs. Set them next to each other. Viewed them up close. At a distance. In daylight. In electric light. Except for rejecting the Cotton Twist in Fiesta (too reminiscent of Polly Pocket), she/we couldn't decide. It occurred to me that maybe neither the Ginger nor the Teal was right. Clare agreed.

So the search continues. We're considering a truer red or blue. I'm still hoping the Portofino (should it survive the dryer) will work with something. Or else that the skein I've ordered of Maggi's Rag in Denim will win her heart.

In the meantime. I intend to play with these.

What if I pair the green Pima Tencel with the cotton Twist in Pinata? What if I make an entire swatch with the Ginger double stranded with the Portofino? What if I combine the green with the Berroco Acid? What if . . .?

Well, what else am I going to do with them?