True Colors Shawl

I've been wanting to make this shawl for quite a while, True Colors by Melanie Berg. I thought it would be an excellent way to use up left over yarn in my stash. But I used to have a real problem buying patterns. No not overconsumption of patterns, the opposite end of that pool. I really had to want to make something immediately, have the yarn on hand and be ready to go before hitting the purchase button. Better yet if it was in a book or a magazine that had other patterns I wanted to make, maybe then I could buy it... What can I say I come from frugel peasant stock. I understand wants vs needs a little too well. 

When I discovered Melanie had two books and one contained True Colors and I could get them on sale. Poof I was done. But first a couple of other shawls called my name. (And I loved knitting them almost as much as wearing them.)

I decided 2025 would be my True Colors year. I wanted to use up some of my Malabrigo Sock left over yarn but alas I did not have enough colors... what is a knitter to do. (You know what I did.)

But then it took some time to figure out what order they should be in and which two should have a right placement to have just the right pop of color.

I started with this combo.

And added this yarn, but something was not right.

I thought about changing my main color from grey to red, or is that orange? and I tried a variegated yarn. 

That did not work for me at ALL!

Oh this is nice, I like this combo...

 

Burt agreed with my plan, and we knit happily along.

But then our next big decision was upon us. We called in Auntie Kisknit and asked her opinion on grey to   orange to red progression of colors and that was just not quite right either. 

 

Oh that is much better. 

Indeed Momma it is much better.

Oh wait I think you missed some lines here. You need to fix that. 

Yes this is quite nice. We need to make a new shawl first thing every year. It is quite toasty sandwiched between your lap blanket and our shawl.

A very satisfying knit if I say so myself. Now all those ends to weave in. I think I am about a third done but my thumb is telling me we are on no ones' schedule ends will get woven in on a more tolerable schedule. Hey maybe decide what we should knit next instead? We have lots of nice yarn to choose from maybe squish some of it...

Found them

Remember how disappointed I was that I could not find yarn for my Color Affection (CA) shawl at WEBS? I had such high hopes that I would find the perfect yarn. Remember me coming here and whining to you all that I just could not make a decision, so I bought only sock yarns? 

Yeah, I don't remember that now either since I found my yarn at my local yarn shop. Along with a I-must-have-it skein and a new knitting bag. 

What can I say I am a sucker for a well made knitting bag with knit print and a carabiner.

I received an email from my local yarn shop that they had finally received an order of  madelinetosh, tosh merino light. I had been leaning toward using it for my CA shawl so I popped on into the shop and wow, it was moving fast.

I picked out quite a few skeins and tried playing around with the color combos. I had a blue, green and pink combo each. But as with many things in life that do not work out the way you think they will, I found myself drawn to the combination that occurred in my hands while I was swapping out colors to see which I liked the best. Since I was going for a tonal change of one color, my hands gathered the combo without thinking. I had over thought this project and landed on something I never would have consciously put together.

Whiskers - Grove - Dried Rose

I also tried it with the skein I could not leave behind but I think that one is destined to be its own shawlette. It is pretty but it just does not sing like my accidental pairing above.

Whiskers - Grove - Wilted Rose. 

Don't mind me I am just off to wind up some yarn and find a pattern. Oh needles I need needles too.