Audry asked, after I finally finished my took-forever-shawl, what I would knit next. Funnily enough, I CAN’T DECIDE and am having the (familiar) issuing of wanting to knit all the things. So I have this gorgeous gradient handspun (if I do say so myself) and some rainbow-y delicious future-handspun, and I’m wracking my brain and poring over Ravelry projects to come up with plans worthy of their color-tastic wondrous-ness because it’s high time I start a new project.

Here is one idea I’m really liking for the rainbow fiber:

Scarf and photo by noelleisknitting, click photo for Ravelry project

I love the simplicity of striping with white and it really lightens up the rainbow effect so it’s not so HOT DAMN THAT’S A RAINBOW! In fact, I might have just talked myself right into this. It would work especially well because I could practice spinning thicker yarns and use up the rainbow mountain of fiber faster. However, it does mean I’ll need to get some undyed Polwarth… or maybe even better yet, some light silvery grey! Hmmmm… what do you think? Any other ideas?

I also just came across this shawl in the Knitty Deep Fall 2013 issue:

Photo copyright Melinda VerMeer, click for pattern

The pattern is Nympahlidea and seems to make nice use of multi-colored yarn broken up with a solid color. And now what about the gradient yarn that already exists?

I’ve been debating between a couple different patterns. First, I had this Waving Chevron Scarf by Lee Meredith in mind:

Photo copyright Lee Meredith, click for pattern

But the pattern recommends 3 colors and I only have the 2 skeins. I do actually have a bright green braid of BFL fiber in stash that would coordinate nicely, but I’m impatient and I’d have to spin that first. Then I found this pattern, Foolproof by Lousie:

Photo copyright Louise Zass-Bangham, click for pattern

It’s an infinity cowl with a really interesting construction that involves no cast on, no bind off, no knitting in the round, no grafting, and no picking up stitches. I KNOW, RIGHT?! The description was so mysterious I had to purchase the pattern just to see how it was done. And I saw a lovely handspun version in progress that got me thinking about using my gradient yarns, too:

Knitting and photo by stickybuns, click for Ravelry project

Truth be told I’m leaning towards this cowl because I think the pattern is really cool. A similar pattern by the same designer was recently featured on The Loopy Ewe blog. Fall has got me craving some big, cuddle-worthy cowls and scarves. What do you think? Any good project ideas for gradient yarns? I have 2 skeins of 270 yards each, about DK weight.

What’s been inspiring you, lately? Do you have some fall-ish knitting planned yet?