Funny story about some yarn now. It's been living in the stash for as long as 6 years – my mum got it when she was buying some sock yarn to make me a pair of nice Christmassy green socks back in 2009, and unlike its green-colour colleague, it never got to any use until now. Those socks were the first time my mum knit anything in ages, and I suspect it was also the last time she ever did.
Quite frankly, I was squeamish about the baby blue colour of the yarn to use it on anything. I mean, the colour itself is fine, it was just (1) the matter of matching it with the rest of my wardrobe, and (2) there was too little of it to make anything substantial – only two 50g skeins 135m each.
Serial knitter that I have become, I felt sorry for those sad little skeins bearing their existence in a dark box inside a cabinet, so I made it my purpose (for about 30 minutes) to find a suitable project to use them on. Pinterest to the rescue, as usual.
A cute little pattern came along called Shawlini by Kathy Kelly. It is originally from Ravelry, but I did in fact find it on Pinterest in what to my opinion is the best execution for this particular pattern in candy pink colour. It is also a crochet pattern, and I figured it would be a nice and quick project to use up the long overdue yarn.
So, I geared up with a 5.5mm crochet hook, and was at it the next free evening. And oh wonders! The baby blue yarn began transforming into pastel, almost translucent peppermint as it turned into the shawlette. For some reason, the colour appeared different from what it looked like in a skein. But hell, that was definitely more like it!
Nearly all the yarn was used, as expected, leaving minor leftovers for some cute and quick crochet gifts. The shawlette, as it turns out, is a narrow but really wide triangular scarf. In my case it is 150cm/4'9" long and 25cm/10" at the widest part inclusive of the shell ornament.
The shape like that is particularly practical when it comes to covering overcoat collars, and it also kind of eliminates the problem of doing something with loose ends – they are thin enough to tie them together and hide under the wider middle section without having a massive bump on your chest.
As per usual, it was only after I was done with it and blocking that I realised I had done something wrong. I am not a very experience crocheter [yet], so instead of using both loops to make a new row I was using back loops, which resulted in textured vertical stripes all over the shawlette. Not that it looks bad or anything, just one of those things you learn once you got to do them wrong first.
Otherwise, the pattern was very easy to read, and making it only took me a couple of evenings including the shell border. The loose stitch here will allow some air through while pure wool will be keeping the neck quite warm – perfect for those spring winds.
I have to say, the colour transformation was pretty lucky. Peppermint should be a perfect match for a lilac light wool spring coat I am currently making for myself (to be shared here once it is finished, of course). Plus it can brighten up pretty much any neutral colour, which is just the kind of spring accessory you want in your collection :)
A cute little pattern came along called Shawlini by Kathy Kelly. It is originally from Ravelry, but I did in fact find it on Pinterest in what to my opinion is the best execution for this particular pattern in candy pink colour. It is also a crochet pattern, and I figured it would be a nice and quick project to use up the long overdue yarn.
So, I geared up with a 5.5mm crochet hook, and was at it the next free evening. And oh wonders! The baby blue yarn began transforming into pastel, almost translucent peppermint as it turned into the shawlette. For some reason, the colour appeared different from what it looked like in a skein. But hell, that was definitely more like it!
Nearly all the yarn was used, as expected, leaving minor leftovers for some cute and quick crochet gifts. The shawlette, as it turns out, is a narrow but really wide triangular scarf. In my case it is 150cm/4'9" long and 25cm/10" at the widest part inclusive of the shell ornament.
The shape like that is particularly practical when it comes to covering overcoat collars, and it also kind of eliminates the problem of doing something with loose ends – they are thin enough to tie them together and hide under the wider middle section without having a massive bump on your chest.
As per usual, it was only after I was done with it and blocking that I realised I had done something wrong. I am not a very experience crocheter [yet], so instead of using both loops to make a new row I was using back loops, which resulted in textured vertical stripes all over the shawlette. Not that it looks bad or anything, just one of those things you learn once you got to do them wrong first.
Otherwise, the pattern was very easy to read, and making it only took me a couple of evenings including the shell border. The loose stitch here will allow some air through while pure wool will be keeping the neck quite warm – perfect for those spring winds.
I have to say, the colour transformation was pretty lucky. Peppermint should be a perfect match for a lilac light wool spring coat I am currently making for myself (to be shared here once it is finished, of course). Plus it can brighten up pretty much any neutral colour, which is just the kind of spring accessory you want in your collection :)
E.V.
