Sunday, August 18, 2013

Arroyo Shawl from Yarn Shop and More - Day 1

Scaling down the fun...

After the large-scale outrageousness of the Udderly Divine Bag, this delicate and elegant Arroyo shawl feels like a refreshing change.    The project tucks perfectly in my handbag, despite the 241 stitches in width.  

Yeah, about those 241 stitches.  Why is it that, even with all my experience, I never seem to give myself enough yarn to do a high-volume long-tail cast on with projects like these?  At least this time I only had to re-do it once.  I think when I did the Peony Scarf it took three attempts--and that was 400 stitches per row!  With lots of stitches like this, I’m always happy when designers give me a cable cast on instead.  Still, I do understand that different cast-ons have different qualities, so I’m willing to trust the designer and eat a little humble pie on this one.


The pattern is one that scales up or down with the fiber you use.  While the model I saw in Yarn Shop and More (here at the right) was in Malabrigo Rios, they’ve given me Malabrigo’s Sock. This yarn has a lovely drape and a nice sheen without being too slippery.  It moves nicely through my fingers without snagging, and I’m pleased with the rich deep color of Violetta Africana.  Like most purples or blues, the camera has trouble capturing the hue, sorry.

I'm having fun imagining what the finished product will look like--and isn't that one of the entertainments of knitting?

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