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Birthday Yarn and a Crop Top

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In December Gordon ordered me some yarn for my birthday from Always and Forever. It didn’t arrive in time for my birthday. It didn’t arrive a couple of weeks later. I was slightly bummed out, and Gordon emailed the shop on January 14 only to find out that my yarn and everybody’s yarn was stuck at the post office limbo. Apparently roughly 50 orders had gotten stuck in processing.

Finally, the birthday yarn arrived!

Squueee! So pretty!

I just finished a project. I know, I know, don’t faint all at once.

It’s a cute little crop top for Kid 1. The pattern is Ripple Crop Top Worsted by Jessie Maed Designs. I used one strand of Lana Grossa Silk Hair Hand-Dyed mohair in Taj colorway and one strand of Juniper Moon Findley in white held together. The sweater is unbelievably soft. Kid 1 stole it before I could block it.

It’s a perfect Texas pattern: warm but light. Size S took exactly one ball of mohair, but I have quite a bit of Findley left over.

So now on to the important question: what to knit next with my awesome birthday yarn? It would be a bit too loud for a cardigan, so perhaps a shawl?

Option 1: Fallston by Dee O’Keefe.

@Dee O’Keefe

I’ve been wanting to take a stab at this pattern forever, but I am pretty sure there is too much variegation in the skeins I have.

Option 2: Xanthe by Amba O’Brien.

@Amba O’Brien

Lace section in blue, alternating the other two skeins for the garter?

Option 3: Quicksilver by Melanie Berg.

@ Melanie Berg

I’ve made this before. It an easy knit.

Option 4: Tablature by Rosemary Hill.

@ Designs by Romi

Option 5: Tell me in the comments?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. TABLATURE! OMG option 4 is gorgeous. All are pretty, but option 4 is something I’d wear over and over again, and your yarn colours would be beautiful with it.

    Knitting blessings on whichever you choose!

  2. Option 4 looks really beautiful. I think it would be pretty with the colours Gordon has chosen…

  5. Ohhh, pretty! I like option 5. So pretty! I’m still in the learning phase and haven’t figured out lace yet. Mainly because I want a pattern I can watch TV with. ????

  7. I like option 1 the best , but if its not right for the yarn i would say go with option 4
    But my question is why is the new yarn to bold for a cardigan? I mean I would ware one in those colors , I think the 3 one from the left is the prettiest

    any way HUgs and have fun

  8. Oooohh how pretty! Every time you show yarn it makes me want to learn to knit. Or at least relearn how to crochet. But I already have a whole room dedicated to my stamping/scrapbooking stash, and I know me, I’m a “gotta have the whole set/all the things” kinda gal, the yarn stash would quickly get out of hand. My favorite is the Fallston.

  9. They’re all cool, but Option 4 looks very elegant to me. Wow. Like it can be used casually or formally.

  10. I vote for Fallston and using your blue where the designer has denim. Then you can alternate your other two colorways, or use one orange for the ladder-like lace at the upper edge and the other for the zigzag lace at the bottom.

    Tablature is gorgeous but I’m not sure how you get enough separation between the two variegated yarns. Xanthe seems to have the same issue unless you plan to have multiple sections of the hexagonal lace. And Quicksilver is pretty but your yarn has so much pizzazz. I think about yarn way too much. Looking forward to seeing this project as both a WIP and a FO, whatever you do.

    And belated felicitations. (It took the post office 5 weeks to deliver a Christmas box I mailed on Dec 10, so I feel your pain).

    • I agree with Lisa! All the patterns are beautiful but most of them count on the strong color variation to really make the pattern pop and since you can’t know exactly how the variegated yarn will knit up I would go with the Fallston as well.

    • +1, our main po sorting center got hit hard by covid and by cutbacks, ordered something last week of nov, received after new years. only good thing, I knew it was not lost, lol.

  12. I am terrible at visualizing, but #1 Fallston is just gorgeous! If I were making it, I think I would use the two outside sets of yarn – the charcoal (brown?)/orange on the left, with the aqua blues on the right.

    Whichever you choose, I’m sure it will be amazing.

  17. I have to vote for Romi, bc her designs are both classic and modern. Plus, she’s a local (local-ish) to me. Second choice, Amba.

  19. Option 5 definitely it’s such a gorgeous pattern I love it! And those colors of yarn are just stunning as well!

  21. Tablature is gorgeous! It looks complicated, though, and I tend to stay away from patterns that are too complicated and fussy, as there is a good chance they wind up in my UFO pile.

  23. It’s not to loud but perfect for a summer cardigan. Just style it with white or light blue, light yellow.

  30. Option 4 is just gorgeous! I might just try to make that one myself. But whatever you decide, it will be wonderful.

  32. I like opt 4. Also I think these yarns would look good in a cardigan but I am known to have strange tastes.

  34. 🙂 That crop top reminds me of a crop top I bought many moons ago in Beirut. I wore that thing to death. You made me smile this morning. Thank you.

    I am in love with Option 2 –

  36. You could do #1 in the 2 green skeins you have. Depends on how much yarn it takes. I also like #4.

  37. Those are such beautiful colors! And it really looks like you can’t go wrong with any choice of pattern! I don’t have the skill of imagining the final product from yarn, but they all look fun!

  38. Happy knitting birthday. Beautiful gift, and cute crop top! I’m going to vote for 2, because it is a new pattern and it will work really well with your yarn. 3 would work, but life is too short to repeat knitting patterns. I really like #5 – but I don’t think the variation will work with it… the contrast of the two colors really pops the pattern.

  45. Quicksilver if I’m picking one of yours. I fell in love with the Hotel of Bees shawl and have it on my list.

  47. Wow, I’d love to see number two as you described it, but number four would also be amazing. Sorry, not much help… ????.

  48. 1 or 2. Romi Hill’s shawls are beautiful, but the process requires thought and dexterity that I don’t always have.

    Please let us know which one you choose. I am having a hard time deciding on my next project and may let your decision be mine as well.

  49. I vote for Tablature….really pretty!???? I am newly ‘retired’ (not by choice, thanks Covid!) and have been thinking about learning to knit. Anybody have suggestions on a good kit or book I could use to teach myself?

    • I found Stitch Bitch really helpful. I alternated between that and YouTube videos, because sometimes I want to see it in action, but sometimes I want it in print so I can learn at my own pace.
      As a fellow newbie, the one thing to remember is patience. It is incredibly easy to make mistakes at first. You’ll be happily going along, and then you look down three or four rows down and discover you’ve added two or three stitches. I still do t understand how that happens. Give yourself permission to make wonky pieces at first. It will get easier.

    • I like Very Pink; the videos are clear and some of them are in slow motion. Here’s a link to the basics of slip knot (the very first thing you put on the needle), casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off: https://verypink.com/category/techniques/basics/

      I also found it was easier to knit with a circular needle. That way I’m only wrangling two things in my two hands, instead of three (with two straight needles). If I drop the needle it’s still connected and I’m not scrambling all over the floor to retrieve it 😉

      Good luck!

  55. Do you personally think the colours are too loud for a cardigan? Or is it only that you worry other people might think so? Because if it’s the latter, I’d say just go for it if it makes you happy; and if it’s the former, then those shawls are gorgeous 🙂 Having zero experience with knitting, and looking at the yarn, I think I could see option 1. But where I live, shawls are not really a thing, so what do I know ????

  57. I love option 4, but if you don’t want to do it again, I vote for option 2. (of course, I can’t knit – I’ve tried on several occasions and just don’t have the patience – so what do I know)

  67. All 4 options are beautiful. However, considering the colors in your new yarn, I recommend option 1. I love option 4, but don’t think the colors in your new stash would work well, unless you are looking at just the end result and not the color changes and variations.

  68. I really like Option 1 and Option 4 (and scurried over the Ravelry to add them to my favorites), but I am not sure that either one would work well with the yarn. The yarn is telling me Option 2…which probably means I have been knitting too much lately.

  69. I don’t knit but I love shawls. I pick option 4. Very distinctive and your wool colors in this would be stunning. The crop top is just adorable. You have a pretty good husband there!

  77. I love the last shawl by Rosemary Hall, but not sure what you’d use for the lace edging? Is there enough of the blue skeins? I thought I’d make a dent in my yarn stash over the past 12 months of lockdown and shielding, but despite the extra time, I didn’t knit more – instead I’ve read… But my book stash hasn’t gone down either because I appear to buy more than I read. Hey ho, I shall have to stop buying and do more reading and knitting!
    Stay safe and keep smiling.

  80. That yarn is lovely.
    I think option 1 would work best.
    As for option 5 – just how long are the colour repeats in the variegated skeins?
    I have some yarn that looks very much like the two skeins in the middle. Absolutely gorgeous, but when I started knitting, the overall effect was a muddy orangey-blue with a bit of pooling – just meh.
    I’m now doing something like ‚Brightness and Contrast‘ https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/brightness-and-contrast
    only bigger.
    If you’re in for a fun project, something like the ‚Bubbles Bandana Cowl‘ https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bubbles-bandana-cowl
    might also work. Shouldn’t be too difficult to change the pattern to make a shawl.

  83. I vote for option 4 . Love the pattern . It seems very elegant.
    Ohh the crop top you made for your daughter is wonderful . Light and frothy. Like a summer sorbet with lemon and blueberries.
    Wonderful birthday gifts. The turquoise and teal colors are exquisite. The orange and rusts are warm counterpoint to the blues.
    So pretty. Enjoy the yarn.
    Thank you for sharing .

  85. LOVE number 1 but, as you said, the birthday yarns might not work as well — I think option 4 is gorgeous too!! And the crop top — darling!!!

  88. I’ve done Quicksilver, it’s an easy knit, and the stripes break up variegated yarns well.

    I’ve done something similar to Xanthe, but I did not care for how the lace+variegated yarn combo came out. It looked way too messy.

    I love Romi’s patterns, and she’s usually active on Rav if you have issues. The whole Romi group is extremely helpful as well.

    I vote for Quicksilver or Tabulature.

  89. My daughter would love the crop top! Options 1 and 4 are my favourites but I’m no knitter so can’t comment on whether they work with the beautiful birthday yarn.

  91. I love option 1, its so vibrant. Maybe its because I have been staring at only grey and white colors for the last two months and I’m a sucker for blue and orange but its wonderful!

  94. I’m stuck between #1 and #4. They are all really great choices, so have fun with whichever you choose.

    Have fun!

  96. My vote is for Option 2. So much so that I just bought that pattern ???? I feel that shawl will give the yarns a beautiful place to shine.

  100. So I realise this is not helping you narrow down your options but have you checked out the patterns of Stephen West?

    • That was my first idea, too, but I think even Mr. West hasn’t got a design that works with two such strongly variegated yarns…maybe one of the new honeycomb designs?