A Special Skein

I have a whole pile of finished knits to show you, so whether I'm on top of things enough to write all my blog posts during the week or not, I will be sure to get an FO up on Friday for you! Extended winter has put a damper on my picture taking, so I make no promises about the photos being decent (as you shall see!).

Alexandrite Shawl

Pattern: Blackcurrant Shawl by Veera Välimäki

Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Caper Sock in Alexandrite

Needles: US 10

Project Page

I received this yarn as a gift from a knitting friend who went on a knitting retreat and came back with bags of yarn. I appreciated it more than I could express when she gave it to me, but now that I've knitted with it...nope, still no words. The yarn is fabulous. You just have to get some for yourself!

I knew I wanted a pattern that would show off the incredible color without hiding it, would use up every inch of yarn, and could be worn close to the skin so I could cuddle with it. Blackcurrant was a check, check, check. Guys, it took me only two days to knit this shawl! It was addicting, interesting, fun, and super simple! I ended with a teeny tiny bit of yarn left, perhaps enough to make a mini sock. Instead of stopping the garter edge as written, I just kept going until I had just enough yarn to bind off. I was worried that the huge garter border would distract from the fun stockinette wedges, but I think it's all nicely balanced. The shape is interesting, too. You can see a picture on the project page. John said, "Batman!" while it was blocking. :)

Do you have a special skein of sock yarn waiting for the perfect pattern? I recommend this one, but I know there are others. Have you found the perfect pattern for that special skein of sock yarn (or any weight)? Share! We all love a little pattern enabling. ;) And yarn enabling while we're at it! Tell us where we can find some special skeins!