Greetings gentle Unraveler’s and happy Wednesday to you all!
I am quite enamored of the current weather pattern enveloping Pittsburgh… the heat has abated, the humidity has waned, and the skies have been cloud free and stunningly blue! Yes, that means I have the windows flung wide, the AC is off, and the time of perfect summer sleeping has arrived.
Monday after dinner the Great Swatch-a-thon began… because yes, my yarn for a new Ranunculus has arrived and I feel some urgency to get it done… hopefully before the next AC Deep Freeze installment arrives!
Swatch One, while lovely, was not a gauge winner…
I began swatching with Farmers Daughter Fiber’s Oh, Dang! (a Suri Alpaca and Silk blend… oh my!) held with Foxy Lady a SW Merino/Silk single. The Suri Alpaca/Silk has a bit more grist than a mohair/silk blend and while I was knitting the swatch with them held double I wondered what the Oh, Dang! would do held by itself so I made two swatches (and for the inquiring minds… it was the color way name that got me: Anne of Green Gables…) Tuesday morning I gave the swatches a good soak and gently laid them to dry. No pinning, no stretching… I just laid them on a towel to dry. Once the swatches dried I knew I had my answer… Oh, Dang! all by itself! First, I got gauge… and the fabric is amazing. The swatch with the yarns held double did not even get close to gauge. Sigh. But I cast on and am in the bit of short row shaping and enjoying knitting with the Suri Alpaca tremendously and I am wondering just how quickly this might knit up! (The bit I have knit was completed in a single episode of Grantchester!)
Swatch two… the winner!
I finished Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and thought it was okay. It did drag a bit for me at times, but other parts were absolutely fascinating. Of course, there is a lot of religion, it takes place in a Benedictine Monastery after all! The year is 1327 and, of course, there are rumors of heresy. Brother William is dispatched to determine the heretical culprit(s) and suddenly the monks are dropping dead in the most bizarre ways! Despite it dragging a bit in parts and one very, very weird dream Brother William had… I enjoyed it!
I began my Summer with Toni Morrison with the Bluest Eye, which I began on Monday (and should finish later today!)
How is your June making going?
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Oh Dang! looks gorgeous. So glad your swatching was successful (mine was not…). And isn’t the weather fabulous? The cool mornings are just so delightful. I’m back to knitting a sock and contemplating what to do with my cones of Ito Kinu! I’m finished up a mystery by a new-to-me author and then will start one of three books that I picked up yesterday – probably Whistler by Ann Patchett!!
Your swatch looks heavenly. That sweater is going to be cozy but light. This weather has been so amazing! After really uncomfortable runs last week, I was able to go 6.5 miles without stopping on Monday because I wasn’t struggling to breathe! I hope this low humidity sticks around.
Both of those yarns look really nice and I’m glad you got gauge. Several episodes of Grantchester and you”l be well on your way to a sweater! I hope you can get most of it done before the next AC Deep Freeze. I’m plugging away on a cotton kitchen towel. Initially I had imagined making a whole stack of them but this one is taking longer than I would like. I hadn’t given much thought to the monotony factor!
I’m knitting a Love Note, which has the same vibes as Renunculus and knits up very quickly on 6mm needles. So light, so airy, such fun!
Such lovely yarn, Kat. It looks like sunshine! I don’t have much knitting time this week, but every once in a while, I find time to pick up my linen/cotton Sophie Scarf . . . which I’m only MEH about, but I wanted to try it anyway. Your project looks MUCH more interesting! XO
Your sweater will be lovely! Oh Dang! will be great to wear.
What beautiful yarn for a Ranunculus sweater. It sounds as if this is not your first go around with the pattern. I keep thinking I would like to knit one with less positive ease than in the pattern. I’ll be anxious to see yours come to completion. Otherwise I seem to be coming along with various projects.
Gorgeous yarn! I love farmers daughter fibers, I should knit something with some of that yarn again soon. I haven’t tried the Ranunculus, I am worried the fit on me would be bad, there’s definitely feedback from some plus sized knitters that it wasn’t graded great. I’ve knit the Love Note which has similar vibes and really enjoyed.
ooh I LOVE the winning swatch in that yarn , and the colorway!
I have not knit that yet…..Should I?? I love the swatching process and the one you picked. I am loving this weather as well!! I’ve had the best hair days ever.