Current knitting obsession

Yeah, I've kinda just realised how long it's been since my last post. Not strictly that long ago from a time point of view, but in terms of what I've covered, there's a bit to catch up on.

Today, however, I'd mostly just like to drooool about Botany Lace. I may have been smacking people over the head with this (metaphorically, not literally. I wouldn't do that to the yarn) on Twitter and Ravelry, and maybe even Facebook, but I've neglected my readers here and only realised that today. And I feel really really bad about it. No honestly, I do. Really!

(Aw c'mon. I've been working really hard on that 'sincerity' thing. You can still tell when I'm faking it?)

Anyhoo. Botany Lace. If you haven't knit with it, you really should. Now. Life's too short.

Acquired kinda by accident (translation: impulse buy stemming from 'ooh, pretty colours!' outburst in LYS. Yes, I am that easy).

My first colourway, the one that started it all, was bought entirely because of its pretty pretty colourway. The yarn felt nice and all, but I was mostly buying it for the colours. They're my kind of colours...

And I knew exactly what it wanted to be (which normally doesn't happen until well after I've brought the impulse purchase home. And therefore it doesn't count as an increase in stash, as it was bought for a planned project. Shut up. My blog, my rules).

So as anyone who has met me may well know at this point, I tend to, urm, kinda, like, repeat my shawl patterns. A lot. I find one I like and I knit the crap out of it. I knit more than one. Sometimes way more than one. Examples would include Heartland Lace (3 times), and Holden (5 times). Oh yeah, and Swallowtail (also 5 times, though I've just cast on a sixth).

And then there's this one. Luna Moth (6 times. This would be my seventh. I know, I know, I need to diversify!). The colours of this skein just screamed Luna Moth at me. Well, they did for a while. Quite a few days, actually. Then they started whispering something about another pattern that would also look fab in this yarn, possibly (probably) even better than it had looked when I worked it the first time in, urm, a different yarn (which I also love. Though maybe not quite as obsessively). Fabulous and all as it had looked , this could be even nicer. More to my taste. Oh, that, and my five-year-old niece had procured it on her last visit (because it made her feel all swishy like a princess - how do you say no to that?) so I didn't even have it any more. Obviously, I would HAVE to knit a new one. And maybe even with this yarn.

But what about the Luna Moth I felt it was destined to be? Well, as chance would have it, I happened to be back in the exact same LYS shortly thereafter. (Yeah. It was entirely by chance. I dare you to prove otherwise). And lo, another exquisite colourway, calling my name, and begging to be transformed into a Prairie Rose (note that I had only knitted the one at this stage. And that it had been abducted. So I absolutely needed to make a new one).

So I bought that one...

...and promptly (very promptly, actually) turned it in to this..

Pretty, huh? Exactly what this yarn was supposed to be! Except that now I had a bigger problem. Having actually finally knit with the stuff, and then gone through the spectacular blocking process (it expands like you wouldn't believe. Seriously, it's like four or five times its original size. Hanky to blanky in twenty easy minutes), I was completely in love with a hell of a lot more than the colourways. This yarn is perfection.

(Yes, it turns out that I am that shallow. Pretty pretty pretty is enough to get my attention. However, I think it says something for my character that it's only when I get to know a yarn really really well that it turns into full-on obsession. Aherm).

So anyway, I had been perusing patterns (as one does), and had found a nice one that I thought would also look particularly good with this yarn. So as the first skein was pre-destined for another project, I needed to get me another. So back to LYS. Except when I got there, I couldn't decide. I wanted the pretty bright colours, but I knew deep down they'd look like crap on me. But I went to the till with it anyway. Then changed my mind and ran back to get the more suitable colour. Then dithered, and lurched from yarn-to-till-to-yarn (while melting head of staff - sorry Jacqui) for some time, before eventually going for the sensible (though obviously still beautiful) colourway...

...soooo pretty! Except now the colours had me thinking of other projects again... Heartland Lace, anyone? And I absolutely could not get the exquisite colours of the pretty pretty bright one out of my head. So what if the colours weren't flattering? It would still be fun to knit, right? And how often was I going to have it, like, wrapped around my face? It wasn't like I was thinking of a cowl or anything (okay, I kinda was, but I changed my mind. Fickle like that. You may have noticed).

So you all know where this is going. One week later...

They are pretty colours, aren't they?

(Yes Jacqui, you were right, you agreed with me, they're absolutely not the right colours for me, they will not do anything for me, the blue-grey will indeed be way more flattering. But this was an entirely selfless act, I have no problem sacrificing personal vanity for the sake of the pattern (anyone who has seen me in a home-made hat can attest to that). This colour is good for the pattern. It is in the best interests of the pattern. And from an entirely business point of view, I bought both skeins, so what harm?). ;o)

It was a wonderful moment, as I was so sure that the pretty colours would have found a new home by now, but no. They were waiting for me. The little brother who'd had his ass dragged into the shop with me did not seem to share my enthusiasm, but I was undeterred. We showed my new yarn a good time...

...though he was reluctant to let me pose it with his Guinness. Apparently he knew some of the people who were cracking up laughing at me and wondering what the hell I was doing. I have to share a house with this guy, so decided not to push it.

Oh, and that exact same night? I blocked this...

Destiny. It's perfection. Where a project turns out exactly as you want it to. Which almost never happens.

(Also, the first ever shawl I made where I didn't make a mistake that was only discovered either several rows later or after bind-off. Not a one. Or at least I haven't found it yet if I did).

But now I'm back at square one. All skeins have a plan. I have knit the Prairie Rose pattern twice. However,  I still don't have one in my possession, as I happened to have it with me when I acquired the pretty brightly coloured skein. It was unceremoniously ripped from my grasp (by a staff-member who shall remain nameless. You know who you are. Happy birthday tomorrow, by the way!) to be installed on a shop mannequin.

So I have no Prairie Rose. What to do, what to do...

I think we all know where this is heading...