I can’t believe I’m writing that I finished Collinear – I knitted it in less than three weeks.  That’s gotta be a record for me.

It was a perfect storm of great pattern, gorgeous yarns and fabulous colors.

Pattern: Collinear by Paulina Popiolek

Yarns: Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering in Charles Village and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Citrus

Needles: 32″ 4.0 mm (US#6) Chiaogoo Lace Circulars

Mods: None!

KAL: My Sister’s Knitter Sock Yarn KAL

My project on Ravelry

The size and shape are great.  I haven’t made a triangle shawl that’s so long and shallow – it’s a great shape for a short person.  I can wrap it easily around my shoulders and it’s still shallow enough to not be too long at my back.  This might be the perfect shape.

Although the yarn is substantial enough, once I blocked it the shawl became light and easy to knot and hug my shoulders.

And because it’s so light I can even drape it around my neck like a cowl.

Or bandit-style under a jacket.  Love those serrated teeth.

The pics for this FO were tough to get right – and I’m still not totally happy with them.  The vivid colors made it hard to capture them correctly.  They either glowed or darkened.  I took pics in four locations and at three different times and finally found that the area near our potting shed at 6:30 am was the best.

I had picked out the best location earlier in the week but it required that I be in the pics.  When I got up yesterday morning I had no interest in doing my hair and makeup or walking downtown for a photo shoot.  So you get pics on the mannequin instead.

This project is full of “it won’t be the last time I do” this, including:

• Knit a Paulina Popiolek pattern – I bought the pattern very soon after it came out.  I thought there might have been a small error so I PMd Paulina.  She got back to me right away, confirmed it was an error and within 30 minutes she had sent out an update to everyone.  That’s awesome pattern support.
• Speaking of Paulina, she worked in several smart ways to knit the pattern.  I love it when a designer is both talented and gets the technical too.
• Knit more shawls with a single – I love how light and airy the shawl is, and the subtle color variation is gorgeous.

Now I just need to come up with *the* right outfit to wear with this.  And of course I want to wear it tomorrow to the office.  It’s supposed to be in the 90s again and that means deep freeze AC.

I’ll catch you on the purl side.

I mentioned in my last post that I don’t enjoy working with many yarns at once.  But sometimes pretty sucks you in and dazzles – this is one of those times.  I did lessen the annoyance factor a bit this week though.

I put the edging yarn (that teeny ball) in a yarn bra and attached it to the shawl with a locking stitch marker.  This way it’s always where it needs to be and there’s one less yarn strand to deal with.  It hasn’t eliminated tangles but it’s definitely reduced them – plus I don’t have to deal with that tiny ball falling to the floor and rolling around any more.

That’s not the only shawl on the needles though – I started a Dangling Conversation a few weeks back out of my Fiber Optics gradient kit.  You might remember that I started a shawl with this yarn last year but it wasn’t doing it for me.  I love how it’s working up in this pattern though.

It’s worked on a 3.25 mm needle so it’s a bit airy and drapey.  The beads give it just a bit of weight so it’s not all fluttery but I don’t think it’s going to weight it down.  I’m going to love wearing this one and can’t wait to see what it looks like all blocked and evened out.

And then we have Imagine When.  The color is very me but also very different from my other shawls I’m currently working on.  I have the perfect skirt to wear it with too.  I love when I can think of a whole outfit around a WIP.

 I’m further along that this pic but still on the first wedge.

I’m on vacation this week and want to have at least one FO to show for it.  If I’m focused I could bang out any one of these.

Or I could start 3 more projects…

I’ll catch you on the purl side.

I think it’s a combo of pattern/yarn/color and competitiveness.  As you guys know, I’ve only completed one FO this year.  Ugh – that’s gotta change.  I don’t mind knitting for fun and knitting knowing that something might not work out.  But I actually enjoy wearing my FOs.

By the end of Friday I completed Section A.

See that orange stitch marker?  That’s where I ended last Sunday.  That’s a lot of knitting during the week.

I added the Citrus (orange) yarn on Saturday.

I didn’t realize I’d have 3 balls of yarn going at once though.  I was duped!

 Why yes that *is* a purple Jambox in the background.  Consistency, people.

I’ve definitely slowed down now that I’m juggling all these strands.  I also procrastinated decided to weave in the ends so I wouldn’t be battling them too.  Plus it gave me a short break from the knitting.  Do you ever do that?

Before I started the orange I had in my mind that I’d get that section done by this Friday but now I’m not so sure.  The multiple strands are slowing me down.  And truthfully, I’m finding other things I “need” to do to get away from it.  I even cleaned the kitchen.

Yeah, desperation.

Still, I do love the colors and love how they’re melding together versus looking like two distinct colors – just what I was hoping it would do.  And the variation in the orange!  omg I love it.

I also have a hankering to pick up a sock just to do some quick, mindless knitting so I might break out a WIP as well.  I’m hesitant though because I don’t want to lose steam on Collinear.  As I was knitting I had delusions of getting it done in 3 weeks.  Maybe even 2.  I can dream, right?

I’ll catch you on the purl side…