Ooo, Purdy!

I got my hands on some Madelinetosh in Steam Age. Oooooooh baby....Here's what I did with it:

Talk to Me, Dance with Me

Pattern: Narragansett by Thea Colman (my first Babycocktails project, though I've been following her for nearly a year!)
Yarn: Madelinetosh tosh dk in Steam Age
Needles: US 8
Project Page

I've had my eye on this pattern since it was released. Finding the right color is always a hold-up for me. I've loved Steam Age for quite some time and it seemed to be just right for this project. I think I was right. :)

I'm not sure how well the variegation comes out in these pictures, but it should in the next project's. I didn't make any alterations to the pattern. It's a little recipe-like in order to be easily customized for a perfect fit, but my dimensions must be just like hers, I guess, so I didn't use the added directions. I did a cabled cast-on on the neck to keep the boatneck from stretching and sliding too much, but I think it's doing too good a job of holding up the sweater. I found myself constantly pulling the sweater down throughout the day. I haven't washed it yet, though, and I expect the yarn to bloom quite a bit (superwash likes to do that), so I may not have to worry about it anymore.

Overall, I really, really love this sweater. I named it for a Hot Hot Heat song that's always stuck in my head. The yarn colorway reminds me of club lights or something, so I had to pick something dance-y. And! I had one whole skein leftover! Just enough for a...

Lucky Rikke

Pattern: Rikke Hat by Sarah Young
Yarn: Madelinetosh tosh dk in Steam Age
Needles: US 4 and 7
Project Page

Lucky because I had dreamed of a Steam Age Rikke since...I finished my first one, I suppose! And here was a whole skein of yarn just waiting to become one! :D As most who have knit it did, I shortened the hat by about 1.25". The slouch is perfect, it hugs my big fat head perfectly, the color is amazing, it doesn't fall off my head (my blue one sometimes does), and when I wear it with my new black coat (a fluffy one with a faux-fur-trimmed hood), I feel like I look so super stylish! I might not, but I feel like I do.

Unfortunately, now that I've knit with Steam Age, I can't find another Madtosh colorway that excites me as much (though I did recently begin another Different Lines with Fragrant and Luster and the mixture of the two colors makes me melt with love for them). Oh well, I've got so much yarn to knit through, I can't think of buying any more (though that hasn't and won't stop me from getting more!).

Thanks so much for the votes! I think I'll leave the poll up a little longer (and let you vote more than once...if I can figure out how to do both of those things) because I haven't finished my second Elijah yet and need to before I start anything else. Looks like Star Crossed Slouchy Beret is just barely pulling ahead!

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