Saturday, May 30, 2009

Swatching around

In between whittling down my sock WIP list, tapmouse & I were having a little bit of fun combining various STR skeins for the STR Ulmus KAL on Ravelry.

My first choice based on a stash pic I took a few months back is Dutch Canyon & Mossay:


My original second choice was Potomac and Petrified Wood. I discovered this while rooting around my stash and talking to tapmouse about her potential Potomac combinations.


She then suggested Potomac & Mossay, while perfectly fine, didn't give me the aha! or instant love reaction for me.


So then I started seeing knitters starting their Ulmus,' especially tapmouse's Footzey Foo & Harlotty combo and someone's Petrified Wood & Lucky combo and was inspired to try Potomac and Falcon's Eye. Now this was interesting.


So the swatching began with Dutch Canyon/Mossay first:


I then started the Potomac/Falcon's Eye swatch with the intention of also swatching Potomac & Petrified Wood, but because my Dutch Canyon/Mossay was already coming out deeper & darker than I had anticipated, I decided to stop with just the 2 swatches.


In fact, I've already decided that both swatches will eventually become full-blown Ulmus shawl/shawlettes (depending how far I get with the lightweight yardage). What'll be fun & interesting is when I get further along to take a pic of the "back" side of the shawl. Sometimes, the color combo on the reverse side is just as interesting, if not more so.


While up at the cabin for the long holiday weekend, we stopped in downtown Sonora to do some business. Usually we drive through downtown on the way to one of our family adventures, so I took the opportunity to drag the family into By Hand Yarn which I've only managed to get to once before. It's a really nice roomy lys in the Sierra foothills.


I went in with the intention of just browsing & checking out stuff for inspiration when I momentarily fell off the yarn diet wagon. I will say however, that I forgot that my Monkeys can be quite the yarn enablers. Monkey1 directed my attention away from their Shibui stock (no Wasabi!) to a cute little baby sundress store sample done in the Caribbean & Fuchsia colors in Tahki Palma yarn. It's their new organic cotton yarn (I assume the base only as I'm doubtful of the dyes are) and the store sample felt quite lovely.


I grabbed what was left of the Caribbean & a few Fuchsias in hopes that I have enough for a tank top for Monkey1. I'm sorta winging it based on a couple free online patterns & my gauge since Monkey1 is in that dreaded tween size range where there are barely any free or pay patterns around.

7 comments:

Lindsay said...

I can't wait to see your finished Ulmus(es?)! I absolutely love the combo's you came up with. The colors of that tank top look amazing, too! Perfect for summer.

Batty said...

Those are all amazing colors! I love both Ulmuses/Ulmi? And that Tahki color... it really makes me think vacation thoughts.

Discoknits said...

Love the Falcon's Eye combo - swoon :0)

cupcakefaerie said...

I don't think it counts as falling off the wagon if you're knitting up the new yarn for your monkeys. :)

Beautiful Ulmuses!

IrishGirlieKnits said...

Those are some gorgeous color combos you have there! That is too much swatching for me though :)

Love the colors of Monkey's tank...and yes, they are good little enablers!!

Knitting Kris said...

Wow, I must say I was in favor or Falcon's Eye and Potomac at first, and then I saw how the Mossay and Dutch Canyon looked - WOW. They are both gorgeous for different reasons!
Have fun knitting for your monkeys! I love to knit for mine!

tapmouse said...

HEY-that is looking mighty cute (that Monkey 1 top!) Hope to see it in person!

As for me and my current knitting/crochet, I think that my trying to avoid boredom in making afghan blocks has been a bad thing! I'm wasting way too much time "trying out" new stitches rather than just getting the darned blocks done!