Popping corns

I love food. All kinds of delicious, yummy foods. I love appetizers, mains, and desserts. I love condiments, seasoning and sauces. There are also some foods which I just love to smell - coffee being freshly brewed in the morning, the smell of baked bread straight out of the oven, and buttered popcorn as you walk into the cinemas. As much I love these scents in my kitchen, I (and most people) would hold firm that food is to be eaten, not worn. And that's where my latest cardigan unravelled.

You see, the SWTC Soysilk started acting quite a bit like buttered popcorn. It started to crunch a little, it started to pop a little as I knitted it, and it even smelt like popcorn when I decided to wet a little corner to see if it softened up. I didn't like it, and I surely didn't want anyone to think i'd been rolling in the cornfields all day when they approached me. So, it got frogged, and will have to wait another day...

(the crunching just didnt do it for me)

Soysilk and cotton

went into my LYS yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were stocking more diverse and interesting types of yarns. In the past, they had always stocked items from Jo Sharp, Patons, Filatura Zara and Zarina, Naturally NZ, Patons, and Heirloom. However, on entering yesterday, I was delighted to see some Rowan Tapestry, Rowan Summer Tweed, more cottons, and some odds and ends here and there. Despite the fact that the Rowan stuff looked a bit out of place (did someone decide to sell some stash yarn perhaps?), and the fact that the entire yarn store needs to be revamped, I was happy to just fondle things in there!

I was quite restrained this time, and only came out with two things yesterday. And even better, they were for a specific purpose in mind - Katie Himmelberg's Hexacomb cardigan which knits up at approximately 20st per 4".

In my little bag was some Twilleys Freedom Cotton for use as my contrast colours - it doesn't feel very soft, but it was the perfect cream colour to offset the main colour:


And some South West Trading Company Oasis, made entirely of soysilk which is remnants of corn and soy.

It wasn't at all cheap ($18.50 for 100gm) but I do hope it turns out nicely as I found it immediately intriguing, and really loved the colour. Additionally, on touching it, it doesn't feel at all soft right now, but from the various reviews i've read about this yarn, I've heard it turns out otherwise when washed and has a very nice drape. So here's hoping!

Snippets

Boy it sure has been awhile! I had originally planned a short two week complete house makeover (painting, removing tiles/carpets, reflooring, decorating etc), however, the lazy bones in me took over and the two week house makeover has now extended . Luckily, while I have been offshore, my boyfriend has been busy at work removing the tiles and putting in the floors on his R&R days. Bless his soul!

Anyways, I do have FOs, but before I posted an FO, I felt it obligatory to post an in-between "progress" shot, just for the sake of it! I haven't blogged about this particular project yet, but it certainly has been fun to knit and even more fun watching the ruffles and the lace take form. No prizes for guessing what it is though, as this project seems to be making it into everyone's ravelry queues!


I also went yarn shopping recently, and in addition to my normal Bendigo purchases, picked up a pack of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in a teal sort of colour. I had originally planned on making Phildar's Assymetrical Cardigan with it, but am now thinking of putting it towards Phildar's little blazer jacket cardigan.

And lastly, having received my Interweave Knits Spring 2008 edition, I am now in the hunt for yarn for the Sylph Cardigan, and the Hexacomb cardigan which I am absolutely lusting after and hope to start on today as soon as I've picked up some yarn...

So with that, I'm off to the LYS, and stay tuned for some FOs!