Sylvi-ish
So, tell me the truth … do you like this color?
Okay, maybe I should tell you that you should say YES because I just bought enough of it for an afghan.
Or, I hope I did.
You remember Sylvi, don’t you?
Yes, I still love it as much as ever.
I’ve decided to be practical (?), though … I’m taking this gorgeous, gorgeous cabled coat and am going to turn it into an afghan.
The tricky part is figuring out how much yarn I’m going to need, considering I have no idea what my gauge will be, what the size will end up being, or, well, anything specific except that it’s going to have that cable!
Of course, I’m trying hard not to spend money–you know how good I am at this. And I’m trying to knit out of my stash these days … it’s just that I don’t HAVE any yarn that’s suitable for an afghan.
Personally, I feel that an afghan needs to be washable. Even if it’s only once a year, I need to be able to wash it. I don’t mind having to be careful (and with a handknit, you know I’ll be careful), but it has to be possible. And, since we’re talking about something fairly large, it’s not like I can spread a heavy, wet blanket out on a bed for the several days it’s going to take to dry. I want to at least be able to spin the water out in the washing machine and put it in the dryer on the fluff cycle for a little while.
Yep. That means I’m going to need something with some ACKrylic … but only some! 70% merino, 30% acrylic in a cable-spun yarn, which should look just fantastic in cables. And that Gold color? It will look fabulous with my yellow-gold bedroom walls and my red chair.
And, the yarn is on Closeout Sale … which makes having enough yarn crucial … making the uncertainty of size, yardage, gauge, pattern that much more challenging. But makes buying it NOW that much more important.
Fun, huh?
Meanwhile, I’m just about done with the first buttonband on my Harvest Cardigan. I even ordered some buttons for it on Etsy, but since they’re bigger than the pattern called for–and since I’m making the button bands wider, anyway–I need to figure out different buttonholes for the other buttonband.
Oh, and I’m thinking about what to do with that tower of Briar Rose yarn … it’s so pretty! Love those colors.
In other news? It’s 21 years ago today that I got my very first car. A 1988, champagne-colored Volkswagen Golf GL. I had just come back from spending a college semester in London. Through high school and my first couple years of college, Mom and I had shared her car without any problems, but when I was gone for three months and she got used to not having to share, well … getting me a car was her top priority when I came home in December. So, Dad, Mom and I went car shopping, and what I wanted was a cute, little car like I’d seen tooling around London, and a VW Golf was THE car I wanted.
Mom and Dad covered the car payments until I graduated college and got a job, and then I took over. I drove that car for six years and loved every minute of it. Except for a screw I’d picked up in the tire that took four trips to the mechanic to find, and except for the gas filter that clogged up on the drive home from Massachusetts in 1990–but from which it actually GOT me home–that car never failed me.
And yes, I know, I’ve told you this story (about my Saturn, remember?) , but, well, I really DID love that car! And I can’t believe it was 21 years ago!
Oh–and the pound cake for today’s Eye Candy Friday? I used that really deluxe “Crush” vanilla. I read about this vanilla–with crushed vanilla beans–over at the King Arthur Flour baking blog and my sister got me a bottle for Christmas. And, Holy Hannah does this stuff taste good! It’s the main reason I made pound cake yesterday, just as an excuse for something pure vanilla to highlight that flavor. Mmm, mmm!
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House Calls
You know, when you consider the amount of yarn in the fronts, hood and sleeves (I’m assuming “throw” size?), you should be close with the amount called for in the coat. The back of that coat looks like it’s almost throw size on its own!
I was having trouble picturing that color as a coat, but as a throw – yup, I can see it. And hey, not so many gauge worries in a throw, right?!
Ok, I have to fess up – I knit my first afghan with Wool-Ease recently, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I didn’t hate the yarn.
You are so smart to make that into an afghan. That really is a pretty pattern.
donna’s last blog post..I present the Studio….
I like the color as a coat AND as an afghan. It’s going to be beautiful. An afghan would probably be more practical and such a good idea……because there’s no way I’d knit Sylvie as a coat but as an afghan…….did I already say clever idea?
Carrie K’s last blog post..2008. Stick a fork in it. It’s Done.
i do like thecolor for an afghan, but i was afraid you were thinking of the coat for it. As a coat it would have made me think of big bird, but i like for a cabled afghan! Lol about the car. I (unlike hubby) will love my car and drive it forever! He gets bored aftera few years. My mother in law made us a big gift basket with assorted goodies for xmas. I got 2 large vials of sealed fresh vanilla beans…she was so cute” i knew you’d know what to do with them, even if i don’t” My first thought was fresh kahlua! but now i am thinking of pound cake.
Tanya’s last blog post..Wow!
I love the color and have to agree with Marcia, if you bought enough for the largest size of the coat it should make a nice sized throw. Certainly large enough to wrap up in on a cold snowy day.
Turning that gorgeous pattern into an afghan is a stroke of brilliance! I loved it from the time I first saw it but couldn’t quite imagine making the coat as we hope to retire to the SW in a couple of years and I would get enough wear to make it worthwhile.
Thanks for the idea!
Sue
I love that bright juicy gold! It’s going to make a gorgeous afghan.
Kim’s last blog post..Baby, it’s Cold Outside
An afghan sounds like a great way to use the stitch pattern you love. I was wondering if the Crush Vanilla was any good, thanks for the endorsement.