More play with colour

Two posts in one day, aren't you lucky readers!!

A while back I bought a dye sampler pack from Knitpicks so I could dye sock yarn to make argyle socks for my fav almost 10 year old gal. She's a Highland Dancer, and will be competing in the Halifax Highland Games when her family comes down to Nova Scotia this summer. I would have just bought sock yarn, but the right shade of yellow was surprisingly hard to find.

Anyhoo, I got the yellow I needed and also the red to make the x's in the pattern


While I had the pot out and was playing, I tried to make a colourway that I've been toying with for a while...with the colours pulled from the Nova Scotia tartan

I like it, but it's not exactly what I had in mind. Too much of the green and yellow and not quite enough of the blue. Plus I got distracted while doing the blue, so I didn't stir it as much, so there are sections where the colour is a bit more variegated than I would have like.

Cam absolutely loves it though...so I'm thinking I'll leave it as is and make him some socks. Since he has kid feet, I'll probably have enough to make socks for the other two as well.

There was more colour play happening at Casa Neily


Now, normally I set up the wee ones at the table with paint, typically strapping a certain small boy into the highchair, since kids at this age tend to wander away from activities. Their Dad set this up. They had a great time, but it was no surprise to me when Gabriel got up and walked away...leaving painted footprints and a trail of finger prints (including a hand print on my leg) behind him.

They had a bath when they were done.

Although...I'm not much better. I have have stained fingers and oddly enough blue dots on my foot from my play with colour experience.

I've been knitting as well. I finished the test knit of the sock I was doing for Unique Sheep and I'm almost done the lacy scarf I am doing (the pattern is featured on the blog now...it's very pretty and easy to follow)

I also cast on a Susie Hoodie from More Big Girl Knits with the Knitpicks Swish I had bought to make a Cardigan for Arwen. Susie Hoodie has a similar look to it, but it has more length and shaping, which I need. I was all set to make an Arwen, until I saw one on ravelry in my size...looked like a box. Nothing against Arwen, but it's not suited for my shape (sooo glad I realized this before I made it...I don't know that I would have been able to handle a second sweater disappointment).

I cast this on Thursday night...and it hasn't let me rest since. I pick up other projects and it calls me back. I get sleepy and the seductive softness of the wool says "oh, just one more row...the next has the bias shaping...you like the bias shaping don't you?" and the next thing I know it's 3am and I'm begging the sweater to let me go to bed.

While much progress has been made

I think I might get Phil to take it to work with him tonight. I need to get some rest, and I don't think I will as long as it's in the house.

Close up of the cabling detail


The other thing about pattern that appeals to me is the lack of seaming. It's all knit in one piece. That's my kind of sweater.

Lastly, I leave with these just for fun items. Chapters has them, near the cash:

That's a Madonna Sheep bookmark and a Marilyn Monroe Sheep pen! They have other famous Sheeple too, but the only one I can remember is Albert Einstein. Fun!