It’s been nothing but new beginnings and failed finishings around here, so I have no FOs to show today. My socks with the linen stitch toe were a bust, turns out I forgot to factor in how much linen stitch compresses the fabric vertically (all those slipped stitches). Instead of a normal sock toe, I had a mutant little splash of linen stitch along the very tips of my toes. It was… not flattering. My toes looked like hunch-backed monsters. So rip, rip, rip! I’m undecided about trying the linen stitch again (decreasing at a slower rate) or just knitting it plain. But no matter, I have a shiny new project to distract me from toe-related decision-making.

Lemme hear you say, “OoOOoOoOooOooo!”

Remember the Kelpie shawl I raved about in this Inspiration Saturday post? I debated the merits of no fewer than 6 different color combinations of the lovely and intriguing Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn… and I just couldn’t decide. I thought I had resigned myself to yet another color combination (Snowbound for main color with Tent and Thistle for contrasts) but something held me back from placing the order.

Black Trillium Fibres Pebble Sock Gradient, colorway Pease. Click for shop page.

I had received this beautiful gradient set for Christmas and was itching to find the right project for it. When I saw SmokingHotNeedles’ project page on Ravelry, I knew just what to do. She paired her gradient set with a solid skein of the same yarn, but I still wanted to give loft a try, so I ordered a few skeins of the Sweatshirt colorway and anxiously awaited their arrival until I could cast on.

Itty bitty shawl!

Oh teeny, tiny shawl beginning, I am smitten already. The Loft yarn has a really fascinating texture. Most commercial yarns are worsted-spun, meaning they are smooth and dense and strong. (Remember my guest spinner post, all about worsted vs. woolen differences?) Loft is woolen-spun, so it incorporates a lot of air, is a bit more delicate and elastic, and has a really neat sponginess to it. The novelty is fun and I bet it will make a really warm fabric. I don’t normally knit with metal needles, but with such a sticky/grabby yarn, would recommend it. I can’t wait to see what the finished fabric looks like!

Sometimes, new beginnings can be just as fun as finishing. This explains my WIP pile, I suppose!