green

I haven’t tried this, but it looks like this might be a nifty tool for generating sock patterns to size. Neat!

Recipient: Fundraising silent auction / Diane
Completed: Dec, 2005 / Jan, 2006
yarn
Needles: US 9

The genesis of the first version of this scarf began on a whim. I was killing time at Stitches from the Heart before meeting some folks nearby for dinner when I spied a lovely beige scarf on display. It was wide, knit up in a two-by-two basketweave stitch and using only a single ball of yarn. It was simple enough to replicate without a pattern, it only required one ball, and it wasn’t too expensive…

But I hesitate. See, I’ve been trying to resist purchasing new yarn until I reduce some of my yarn stash. Now granted, compared to most of my knitting friends my stash is Not All That Big, but the issue is that all my yarn cannot be contained in the cabinet I’ve alloted for it, and until it does I want to avoid buying more. So dilemma.

The fact that the scarf exists should indicate how the struggle resolved. Not only did I buy the yarn in a lovely deep plum color, I also picked up some Addi Turbos because, you see, then I could start working on the scarf that very minute and start reducing my expanded stash before I even set foot into my home. Plus, if I donate the scarf to charity it really doesn’t count as “stash” yarn, right?

(Ted thinks it’s insane that I struggle with myself this way, BTW)

Anyhoo, the ball of plum and those sleek Addis merged to form a smart little scarf, which did get donated to charity after all. We hold a fundraising auction at work as part of an annual community service project, and the Plum Basket scarf helped raise much-needed funds for one of our charitable recipients, Sojourn Services.

While at the auction, one of my carpool partners remarked how she liked the scarf and would love to have one in a lavender color (to go with a hat and glove set she has). Coincidentally, we were celebrating her birthday soon so the yarn didn’t stay “stashed” for long!

I began last year’s announcements with this same link. During the past year Ms. van der Leest has been very busy indeed and presents a whole new group of whimsical creations incorporating knitting and crochet. I think it’s worth a second look - perhaps to become a new year’s tradition?

Hitting the streets with Montrose’s craftiest taggers. Dag, yo.