Either/Or

Closer examination of the yarn from yesterday's post revealed that, while I have skeins and skeins of the stuff (it's that Dream in Color Classy in Not Really Cloud Jungle from this), the differences between skeins are considerable. The variations I like best, I don't have enough of. The sensible thing to do would be to knit from two or more skeins at a time but that just seems like too much work. I have enough complicated stuff on my plate right now (parade, Peoria, 4 seasons of Dr. Who, water streaming out of my bathroom ceiling, seminar, Arizona, high school, sheltered workshop - you would not believe the number of agencies who feel they should be involved in that last decision). Honestly, you should be impressed that I'm blogging at all.

Besides, I have complicated knitting aplenty. Two. No, three. No, counting Christopher's gray gansey -- which isn't fully charted yet but I'm getting there -- four guy sweaters. Frankly, at this point, even John's Island Embrace/Splendid Sofa blanket is too complex. I know it's all garter stitch, but there's those three balls of yarn to deal with (see problem with shawl above).

This craving for simplicity is what sent me to the Mustaa Villa version of the Wool Peddler's Shawl in the first place. Alright, alright. So I found it through Kay, but let's face it, if you're thinking garter stitch thoughts, Kay is one of the best resources out there.Then the yarn failed me.

Did I mention my summer resolution to only knit from stash (stop it Diane)? I have, as Clare comments from time to time, a "fabulous stash." Once I actually went looking, I found an amazing embarrassing exhilarating number, a lot of choices. In Cascade 220 alone, I think I could make 6 shawls. I settled on Veridian/4007 for the body. I do so love a nice Cascade 220 Heather. I'll figure out the border when I get there (Pumpkin Spice? Charcoal? Navy?).

Wait. There's more!

In between tossing the stash and making sure (again) that Falco gets the better of Severina Zotica, while poring over Ravelry trying to find something that would let me use up the D in C, I noticed a lot of shawl patterns from Myrna Stahman's book. I knew of her from the Seaman's Scarf patterns, but hadn't focused on her lace and shawl work. In one out of many moments of deep and blinding frustration, I ordered it.

It's wonderful. It would be worth the purchase price just for the stitch marker tip (She does this thing where, to keep the YO's from overwhelming the marker, she fastens a length of waste yarn to it with a lark's head knot. I can't wait to try it). It also had this.

This is the Fenna shawl. It's a top-down Faroese shawl in all garter stitch. A neckband and 13 or so rows of fiddly stuff and then plain and simple garter stitch - with four YO's per row to keep you from falling asleep. Note that it's knit with a hand-dyed variegated yarn. Note how beautifully the shawl displays said yarn. Remember that fabulous stash? It contains some of this.

A fabulous hand-dyed variegated yarn, to wit, Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester DK in Hercules, purchased a Long Time Ago from Tidal Brook Yarns. Stahman comments that the shawl looks best worked at a gauge of 4 spi, so I'm swatching on US 9/5.5 mm needles.

Either/Or is for sissies; I'm going for Both/And.