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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?

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Comments

  1. I really like 3, but 4 is a bit fancier. You could wear it out on a dress up date night ????

  2. That birthday yarn is GORGEOUS! The colors are amazing! I’ve knit Xanthe and its lovely. A little tedious (just long and boring) but worth the effort. Love the end effect. Any of these projects are beautiful!

  3. I absolutely love four. But two caught my eye as a beautiful pattern for those gorgeous colors.

  6. My vote is Option 1 or Option 4. Option 3 is also very pretty. Basically, I’m no help at all. Except for Option 2 which is also pretty (maybe with a different color? I’m not a rainbow pattern fan). So really just zero help. 🙂 It’ll be pretty no matter what. Also, sweaters? I guess that’s redundant in Texas. Maybe capelets/fingerless gloves/cowls à la Outlander (which are so so pretty): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5KivO6CCrY. So even more negative helpful. Good luck!

  10. Option 4 for sure! Completely gorgeous!

    You will really appreciate the whole house water purification system. We lived in central Texas and got our water from a well. We literally couldn’t drink it, it tasted so bad, though it was perfectly healthy to drink. Wait till you see how nice your skin will feel!

  12. I think #2 will be the best for the yarns you have. In the alternating section, consider alternating every 2 rows so it ends up as a cohesive section.

  13. I think the busier the colors, the plainer the pattern should be. I vote for Quicksilver using the two skeins on the left. I love the hygge-est vibe of Tablature but just think the pattern calls for more subdued colors.

    Feel like a jerk being so opinionated, but I’m a classics kinda girl.

  17. I love option 1 and 4!! They’re all beautiful! How long does it usually take for you to finish a product?

  20. Tablature????

    If i could knit or crochet anything nice, i’d definitly make a cardigan, or maybe a pulloverdress?????????????????????

  21. You’re going to lose a lot of the definition that high contrast yarns bring (all options but 2) given that 2 of your 3 colors are variegated. I’d look at the project pages on Ravelry for Options 1, 3, and 4 and see if you like the items as much when they are done in variegated skeins. They will lose the crisp vibrancy the images show. Some projects that do well with multi colored yarns, but you’ll have to do some digging.

  22. Maybe Option 5
    For the Alternating stripe section: Use the Black/Red Variegated and the Blue/Red Variegated Use the Blues for the Grey section

    Or Option 1
    Use Blue skeins where the black is
    For the outer shells use the black/red variegated
    For the inner mesh use the Blue/Red variegated

  23. I have zero knitting talent because I don’t have the patience, but Options 1 and 4 are amazing. I personally would buy and wear one of those.

  24. Hi sweet pea. You’re so clever!! I love number 4❤️❤️❤️. It’s beautiful & your yarn colours would look great I think. It would almost grade as a family heirloom don’t you think? I have a black & silver crocheted shawl which my grandmother did for my 18th birthday ( I’m 67 now) which I treasure. I’m sure the kid let’s would treasure a shawl each ❤️❤️❤️

  25. All the patterns are beautiful. I personally like 1 and 4 best, but I’d make any of them happily. They would take my arthritic old hands approximately forever to finish, but I’d make them.
    Actually, I’d *own* any of them happily, but I’m guessing that option 4 involves a lot of “picking up” stitches. I can do it, but I always make a lot of work out the process and do not enjoy it. Too bad. I *really* like it.

    Your new yarn is gorgeous! Enjoy it. Whatever you make will be great. (Gordon did a good job, as usual.)
    I wish I could work with wool like that. The colors of the special dyes are so yummy. It makes me drool, but it also makes me sneeze and itch, so I’m stuck with cotton and linen and acrylics…

  26. Option 4 is lovely! Can you use the seagreen/ petrol one fron your birthday yarn for this? I would love to be able to do this.

  30. Xanthe looks like a good bet with the colorway options and will be beautiful. But I might try one of the others with my various yarns waiting for a job.

  32. Ooooh. #1 or #5. I may have to go look those up and I haven’t knitted in years – they’re so beautiful and romantic.

  36. My vote is 2 or 4, but you can’t go wrong with any of them! Love the pretty new squishy shinys. (Shineys? Shinies? Yarn.)

  40. Option 2 is so pretty and would be beautiful with what you have.
    Kid 1 is lucky, that sweater top turned out lovely.

  44. Option 3 if you want to keep hands occupied without too much brain input whilst reading & /or watching TV

    Or option 4 for an interesting but nice-looking shawl

  46. Option one…screw the exact color lay out in the pattern…your colorful yard would look lovely in this style.

  49. I vote for number 5 – it’s so beautiful, but looks complicated. Oh who am I kidding- I couldn’t make any of them. I could wind the yarn in a ball for you if it helps… ????

  54. I like all of them…but then I’m in a fight with one shawl on the needles (Estonian Wedding Shawl) and don’t like the other (Fade Shawl). Thus I’ve frogged the Fade and am looking thru my Meg Swanson shawl book for something I can do by June for my nephew’s fiance.

    I say do the one you’re likely to use or gift or love.

  56. Option 1 … or Option 4. All are lovely, but those caught my eye.
    Also liked Option 2, but not sure you would enjoy all that garter stitch?

    Hope you enjoy your new project

  59. Tablature by Rosemary Hill is my favorite, it looks so beautiful. I love the crop Top, you are so talented!

  63. My first response is to suggest one of the simpler ones since you often speak of feeling brain dead, but one of the prettier ones so you still feel motivated to want to work on it… Maybe option 2? Since you posted about having unfinished projects, I am fighting my instincts to suggest alternating starting new ones with finishing old ones which is what I would recommend to my husband. (I have a husband with ADHD which means he struggles to finish projects.)

  65. I vote 2 or 4. I have a Romi HIll pattern that is 3/4 done. I love the look of it, but it was over my skill level at the time with all the lace. I’ve done a lot of knitting since then so I am about to go back and finish.

  67. Have you ever watched a cat “make biscuits”? That’s me with textiles. Can’t make myself use them.

  68. Well, the one I love the most is option 5, but not much support for that. You would want to use the solid color for the lace to show off the pattern the best, but I’m sure you know that already. Have fun, the yarn is just gorgeous!

  69. They are all beautiful but numbers 1 and 4 are my favorites. Number 1 is kind of funky goth, number 4 is classic. Is it easy to just add rows to make them wider (to hang lower on the back)? I know you’re not there yet, but I’m finding my lower back gets chilled more easily as I transition from mother to crone so I like my shawls to cover my butt. Heck, I like anything that covers my butt.

  73. Ooo! Hard to choose, they’re all so beautiful!
    #4 and #1 speak the most to me – it’s the Gemini in me that wants both Edwardian elegance and Highland flair.

  76. Hi, Ilona,

    1) Very happy belated birthday and I’m so glad your yarn finally arrived! The skeins are beautiful.

    2) The crop top is gorgeous and I hope Kid 1 enjoys it for a very long time. (I’m very envious of the size small :)).

    3) I vote for Option 5. I like the design, the change between the top and bottom, and the neck. Very unique, to me!

  79. I was actually thinking last night about a question I had for you. What cast on do you use for cuffs/hats/necklines? The tubular looks nice but I haven’t figured it out. I’ve been using alternating cable.

    Also, option 4 for sure!

    I don’t know how you shop for yarn online. I want to feel it before I purchase!

  81. Love the yarn, and really love Option 1 (Fallston). That pattern is stunning, but I agree it won’t work well with the yarn you have. My next favorite is Option 4 (Tablature). It is elegant and classic. Not that you asked, but it gets my vote! 😀

    Well done finishing the crop top – it looks darling and must feel amazing to wear.

  82. I think a bright cardi would be amazing, or the first pattern… My taste is clearly not to be trusted.

  83. I would go for the cardigan, it would be beautiful! But from the shawls, hand down option 4. Its gorgeous! I need to learn to knit! I needlepoint and cross stitch but never learned to knit, though I think my grandma tried to teach me.

  85. It’s very pretty yarn . I’m going to be marginally helpfully and say I like #4 and #5. Have fun what ever you decide.

  88. Options 4 and 1 both gave me the heart-eyes-emoji-face. If you think that the yarn is too variegated for option 1, I bet option 4 would be jaw-droppingly stunning. Whatever you make — may it bring you joy in the doing and the wearing.

    Also — I want to pet those yarn skeins. Pretty!

    I don’t have normal fine motor control of my hands due to a birth injury, so I can’t knit or crochet. I’m always in awe of my friends who take string and make beautiful things out of it with sticks (and practice and talent).

  89. Ummmm, I went back and counted so I think I meant to say option 4. Unless the top was option 1?

    At any rate, the last shawl pictures – lol

  91. Option 4 is amazing and so classy and elegant and pretty! Definitely would love to see you do that!

  94. Glad your birthday yarn finally came. Option 4 (Tablature) is my favorite.

    Have fun with whatever you decide to knit! 🙂

  96. Ohhh….Ahhhh….pretty, pretty yarn!

    Congrats on the finish!

    I would go with option 2. It looks very pretty and I think the colors of your bday yarn would look awesome.

    Happy knitting!

  98. Shawls
    I like: 1 & 5

    Having said that I vote for easiest ????

    I love to knit but physically can’t do it ????‍♀️

    Thank you for your books hope the howling has stopped. I’m waiting for a new puppy arghhh the training can be stressful though once your through that they are such great companions, all the best with new water purification system too.
    Looking forward to the new hidden legacy regards

  99. Wow! So many options, but I fell in love with option 4. Amazing patterns that you find.
    That post office limbo is crazy. I got a box that was sent to me Jan 2020 in December 2020. I used the tracking number on the box to see where it hanging out, and it just comes up as too early to track…11 months later. I am happy it finally arrived and the vase was in 1 piece. Happy knitting with whatever pattern you decide on.