Friday, September 20, 2013

Distracted-By-New-Yarn Syndrome

You've heard of Second Sock Syndrome, yes?

I have a bad case of it. I'm working on a design project right now, and I absolutely love how it's turning out. Normally I'm happy to work away on the second sock, but I caused myself a little problem last weekend, at the K/W Knitter's Fair.

For a variety of reasons, I've been working with lots of dark and subdued colours over the past few months.

I've finished up a new shawl design, in black, and I can't wear it, as I need to keep it pristine for use as a display sample. I like the shawl very much, and really really want to wear it.

So I decided to make one for myself.

Now it's well known that I wear a lot of black. What you may or may not know is that when I commit to a colour, I really commit. When I do go for a colour, I tend to go for bright.

I was walking past the Waterloo Wools booth at the Fair last weekend, and a skein of yarn practically leapt off the rack at me...

Highlighter. It's yellow. Bright yellow. BRIGHT yellow A variegated blend of bright and neon yellow.

I know. As I was fondling it, people kept walking by the booth saying things like "wow... that's bright". So of course I bought it.

I kept the skein on yarn on my desk as an encouragement. If I finish the sock I can make the shawl, I thought to myself.

Just to encourage me to make progress with the sock, on Tuesday I decided to wind up the skein into a ball.  Just to see how it looked, you know.

And on Thursday afternoon, I achieved a writing objective, so I decide to cast on. Just so I could admire it. As you do.

And last night I made excellent progress on my sock.

As a reward, this morning on my commute to the Purl for a class, I decided to knit on the shawl a bit. Just a bit.

So yes, this shawl that I designed specifically to be knit in black? It's going to be in the most fantastically obnoxious variegated nearly-neon yellow in the world. AND I LOVE IT.

And the commissioned sock design I'm supposed to be working on?  I have a new plan: an inch of sock gets me an inch of shawl.

Wish me luck.


6 comments:

Jayme said...

OMG, that colour is AWESOME! So much fun! And seasonal too - not only for the autumn leaves, but 'highlighter' is back-to-school, right? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good plan. :)

wideeyedknitter said...

If your shawl increases, then you'll eventually have much more knitting time for the shawl than the sock per inch!

neeuqdrazil said...

And this, Kate, is why I adore you.

(And it makes total sense.)

Anonymous said...

Kate, now I have a mentor that I can cite when shawls, hats, etc. are sitting around half-done because I just came home from the Knitters' Fair or the Fleece Festival or ... and I JUST have to wind the skein and start the new project NOW. I've been battling with myself all week (post Knitters' Fair) about starting the new fingerless mitts from Shall We Knit versus finishing the Locke Street cardigan which is ALMOST done.
Thanks for the smile :-)
Peggy

Maree said...

Hi Kate, love the yarn colour. I can't seem to find it on line. HELP!!!!
Maree