Knitting: Scarves

I logged on earlier this morning to post some photos of various WIPs. However, as usual I got distracted by the new widgets and hacks on Hackosphere, which resulted in me tinkering the blog layout.

I can't believe it's been at least 5 months since I made any changes to the blog layout and boy have I missed out. There's some really cool widgets out there - if I get the opportunity I'll post my finds on the Knit1blogtoo blog. Anyway, my blog is not quite how I want it yet but at least it's presentable.

As far as knitting goes, I've been fairly good this week. I've made good progress on my mini Clapotis which I'm knitting with the STR yarn that my ISE4 pal gifted me earlier this year. It's so lovely to knit with and the colours are so vibrant. It's enough to lift anybody's depression. Maybe I should have a monthly subscription!!! :D Not sure if it's cheaper than Prozac but it does put a grin on yer chin.

Having knit this much of the mini Clapotis, I would love to have a go at a full sized one. I do have a few skeins of Arucania Atacama Alpaca knocking about my stash drawer so perhaps they will work. I was saving them for the Lady Eleanor Entrelac Shawl from Scarf Style but there's not enough! And I want the full monty of Lady Eleanor - right down to the knotted fringe. The works!

Some folk have been surprised by my use of the STR for the mini Clapotis but to be honest, I've resigned myself to the fact that I am never ever going to finish even just one pair of socks so the sock yarn has to be put to good use (not that I have much). And, as I don't seem to get on with Laceweight (a kind e-friend even sent me some Malabrigo laceweight to fondle ) I imagine there'll be a few sock yarn scarves floating around this place by Thingmas.

The other scarf I'm working on is this cabled beauty for my ISE5 pal. Not terribly complicated but about as much as my tiny brain can cope with. It's 'Vintage Velvet' from Scarf Style and I'm knitting it in Debbie Bliss Cathay. I think the colourway is Periwinkle.... I cast on for this last night and judging by my progress, I should be finished in good time for the send out date. The nice thng is, the cable pattern is reversible and very easy to memorise. Did someone say MEMORISE???? Yup. Me Memorise? Imagine that. Pah! It's a straight forward rib pattern with a 6 stitch cable that 'twists' every row 5 and 16.

It's been years since I knit cables and I'm not quite sure why I've been avoiding them - especially since I've been back knitting for 18 months AND they're not nearly as scary as some lace patterns out there! Although it probably would have been better to use bamboo needles (Santa I hope you're watching) with the Cathay silk rather than my metal ones. The work is all terribly slippery and I'm only a sneeze away from it all sliding off - picture yarn diarrohea!

For those of you who have been watching me swatch for the heartstrings beaded scarf for my ISE pal, I really didn't have any yarn in that did it justice which also matched the beads in my stash. For now, it's going to be another one for my 'to knit' pile.

One thing that I'm not terribly please about is the way the Cathay silk comes out of the ball. It's lovely to knit with and has a glorious sheen to it. But it flippin' twists and tangles like mad. Has anybody else had a similar problem? Anyone?

I'm off for a bacon buttie now - yum!! Penelope pig, close your eyes pet.