Spirit Trail Fiberworks Yarn of the Month Club Project 1

In spite of the monumental stash that is stored, bagged, tucked, boxed, scattered and hidden in my house, I succumbed to the Lorelei temptation of J's yarn club this year. You may have been strong enough to resist this tempting list, but I, who had just visited her and seen the previous year's samples, could not:

March 1: One skein of "Lyra" (50% Alpaca, 30% Merino, 25% Bombyx Silk Light Worsted), 226g,

approx. 500 yards

April 1: One skein of "Orihime" (80% Merino, 20% Cashmere Fingering),100g, approx. 430 yards

May 1: One skein of "Elysium" (4 Ply 100% Cashmere DK Weight), 56g, approx. 200 yards

June 1: Two skeins of "Neith" (55% Bombyx Silk, 45% Cashmere DK), 55g, approx. 200 yards per skein

July 1: Two skeins of "Sunna" (70% Merino, 20% Cashmere, 10% Bombyx Silk Fingering), 115g, approx. 356 yards per skein

August1: One skein of "Nona" (50% Merino, 25% Cashmere, 25% Bombyx Silk Heavy Laceweight), 115g, approx. 630 yards

I made some rules for myself when I committed to More Yarn Entering TheCastle. First, the yarn has to be cast-on within 2 months of receiving it. Second, all of this yarn must be knit up by January 1, 2012. This may be a push since there's a good bit of fine, small yarn in the collection. But they all come in manageable sized skeins - accessory sized amounts. Also - I want to be true to the yarn. This is high quality stuff - I should honor it by using it. 

photo courtesy of the
Barbara Walker Treasury Project

So. The first shipment came 3 weeks ago, while I was finishing up the HCJ. It's the most heavenly blue and it's almost a solid, with subtle variations that, even when indoors, make it look like sunlight might be teasing out little harmonic colors. As usual when I have a new yarn with no specific project in mind, I began flipping through Barbara Walker and right away my Second Treasury opened up to a stitch pattern I have come back to time and again. The German Herringbone Rib. I really respond to this pattern and oddly enough, have always thought of making it up into a scarf.

Of course, that's only odd because I almost never make scarves. They don't seem like real projects to me. Also. I don't wear them. But Other People do wear them, and since I won't be keeping this project anyway - I look like I have jaundice when I wear blue - a scarf in this yarn will make a fabulous gift. I'll knit it in 2 halves so that both ends have that lovely pointed edge and weave them together in the middle. The stitch pattern is a true rib - with enough Ks and Ps that it doesn't curl on either the sides or the pointed end. Best of all - it's the sort of 6 row pattern that's easy to memorize, even easier to 'read', and yet interesting enough to keep you knitting just one more row. 

Thank goodness, since I find scarves sooooo boring to make otherwise. Here's a picture of my yarn. 

And so - Happy Sunday to you.