I have two knitting projects to share! First, I finished my spiral scarf a while ago but have been hesitant to blog about it. The dilemma is that I love it a lot but I can’t wear it!
It makes my neck itch and get red splotches. It’s superwash wool and I dyed it in a plant-dying class I took over a year ago. Maybe it’s one of the dyes that I’m reacting to. I’ve never had any kind of allergy or any sensitivity to fiber so this is disturbing. I’m going to try washing it again and see if that helps. I really want to wear it!! I love the way it turned out and it’s sad to see it just sitting
there.
The size of the hexagons goes from almost the size of my hand to itty-bitty and the spiraling makes it wrap around my neck so nicely. I also love the way it twists and turns when it hangs. It has so much movement and life to it! Have I mentioned that I really want to wear it without getting all itchy and uncomfortable? Do you think there’s any hope? What should I do with it if I can’t wear it? The sad thing is that I still have more of this yarn but if I’m allergic to it what can I knit with it?
At least I have something new that I can wear! I have never knit mittens and lately my hands have been cold so I decided it was time. I had two balls of Rowan Felted Tweed so I pulled them out, along with some size 3 needles and started knitting. I love Felted Tweed so much! I like the tweedy bits and the lumpy bits and the hairy bits and all the tiny flecks of color.
I wanted stripes but needed something to keep me interested as well so I modified this cabled fingerless mitts pattern Stulpen. I shortened the cuff section and started the cable section later so that it would be on the back of my hand instead of on my arm. I started the thumb gusset at the same time as I started the cable chart. I also made them full mittens instead o the fingerless kind. When I thought I should start decreasing I had to just wing it and I’m really happy with how they turned out!
I know the stripes obscure the cable pattern. I wouldn’t normally do that but the cables were more something to keep me interested than to be the major design element. After knitting the stripey mess for Sairshe, I didn’t want to knit any more plain stripes. And you can see the cables if you’re looking for them. They’re warm and they match and I used stash yarn so I don’t know how they could get any better. Oh, and I even have yarn left over! Any suggestions on what to do with less than a ball of felted tweed?
Don’t forget to enter my contest if you haven’t already. No one has guessed the correct number yet so there’s still a chance for you!
I love the way the scarf folds up! What a bummer to be allergic to it. If it’s superwash, try throwing it in the wash with some kind of very mild detergent? Otherwise, it might need to become a gift. so sad!
Love your Mittens
What did you dye the yarn with? Where did you take the class?
Sometimes it is not the dye stuff you are allergic to but the other materials that you use to set the dye or even some other things. I have been working with a client who needs things to be natural and organic but not all natural dyes work for her because of the way they are processed.