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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

  2. I love option 4., but in the more muted colors. With your lovely, colorful Birthday yarn, I think I like option 2. Better.

  5. Oh, Option 5 is so pretty, and just perfect in every way. I love it!! I crochet and finished a throw for a chair in the front room, and our cat has claimed it as hers. No one may sit on her blanket. Less her wrath be unleashed. Fear. So I’m doing another piece. Such is life.

  6. Your birthday yarn is beautiful. I really love option 4. Enjoy making which ever pattern you pick.

  7. Oh wow! Gorgeous!

    I love option 5. I wonder if you could use the varigated for the lace and top and use the solid for the contrasting v?

  10. Option 4 is so elegant, vote for that – although Option 1 could be stunning. Kudos to Gordon – gorgeous birthday yarn colors. Thank goodness the yarn did not disappear forever into a USPS black hole …

  13. I’m loving option 4, though option 2 would also be good with the birthday yarn. Hmm. I think Option 4 would be really interesting to see with all the variations in color.

  15. Option one and four are my favorites. Four is very sophisticated. But maybe you feel like an easier pattern?

  18. I think the Xanthe is the best pattern for your yarn. The orther three would be better with solid colours. I do love the Fallston pattern but I think it needs the solid contrasting colours to make the colours pop.

  19. I love the looks of option one and five. I do agree though that your birthday yarn may not do option one very well. I like five as I feel you could do it in a lot of different colors and get different looks. Plus I like the lacy edge. Whatever you choose I am sure it will turn out great.

  20. Option 4: Tablature by Rosemary Hill. It’s the most clothing-like of the options, which I always like. Wrapping or unwrapping would make it flexible enough to wear during all kinds of weather. And so pretty.

  21. The yarn is lovely. How about hats and mittens?
    I know Texas is warm, but there must be times when it’s not steaming. 🙂

    Now on to a completely random, non-yarn question.
    Have you ever had Medovik?
    Do you like it?
    Is it worth all of the drama involved in making it?

  24. I really like #4….It’s unusual… your birthday yarn is just beautiful!! Gordon is wonderful, not that you need me to say that, haha.

  25. Option 3, option 4 if you want to do something new. Kudos on the completion and the end result. If Kid 1 ever tires of it my niece would love it.

  26. I vote for Option 1 with the turquoise/seafoam in place of the darker blue and the middle yarn in place of the flame-colored yarn. Yes, there will be less contrast, so if you like contrast, get a solid or semi-solid to sub in for the dark blue. But there will be contrast, just less. As long as the recipient lets you block it, you’ll see the lace. I (personally) rule out Options 2 & 3 — too boring to knit, particularly as you’ve already done #3. And if “not enough contrast” is a concern with Option 1 it really has to be a factor with Option 4, where those stripes at the bottom simply won’t show up. You could make #4 with the turquoise/seafoam and a solid/semi-solid. That would be super pretty. Anyway, YAY for squishy mail! Happy belated birthday. You don’t look a day over 36.

  27. Oooo the yarn is lovely! For the left-over bits, have you considered over-dyeing with acid dyes? I did my first wool dyeing last month and using acid dyes are amazing! One color overdyed on unrelated yarns unifies them. And whoa! I ended up with clear dye water! No messy leftovers! Crazy fun!

  34. I like option 4 but would want to check for how many ends might need to be woven in. Very nice color choices and I like how the middle skeins tie the colorways together.

    Mohair. I would probably wear a well sealing mask if I wanted to knit mohair as fibers always ends up in my mouth. So pretty but mohair for someone else.

  35. I think my other comment disappeared. I vote for option 4 and then I think you should auction it off to BDH for charity. Because I want to bid on it. 🙂

  36. Oh these are all really pretty. I really like Options 1 and 5.

    I’m still working on a massive lace shawl but I’ll have to save these ideas for later as they’re really nice. Seems like a good way to end up with a lot of different shawls and no where to wear them if you’re home constantly knitting… 😛

  41. Option 5, It’s soooo pretty! for some reason it reminds me of a wedding dress. It would be really beautiful with your birthday yarn

  45. I don’t knit, but option 1 and option 4 are the ones I’d love to see in those colors!

    Love that deep teal and the autumnal feel of the rest. <3

    So pretty

  46. Your crop top is lovely! I love Romi’s shawls. And, I just bought that “book” of patterns. All of the designs are nice but, Tableture is my favorite. Your birthday yarn is gorgeous. Unfortunately, My yarn collection is STABLE.( stash accumulated beyond life expectancy) and there will be no new purchases for a long while. Enjoy your new knitting project and please show pictures. I love knitting and quilt porn.

  47. I am so happy you finally received your birthday yarn. Such a good husband.
    Option #5 looks the best to me, followed by option #1.

  52. I vote #1.Looks like it takes 2 skeins, 1 from center and 1 from the right. I did her Catoctin and those instructions were easy to follow. It has a knitted on edge and it took me as long if not longer to do the edge on Catoctin as it did the center. I like #4 but it takes a more yarn and the stripe section is long back and forth knitting and the knit on edge will take a lot of time as well. But if that doesn’t bother you I vote #4

  53. Help. I’m a crocheter. I do only simple things, but love yarns for their color and feel. So I went to the Always and Forever website you recommended. Love their yarns, although can’t afford them. But I don’t know the abbreviations they use on their order pages, and can’t find anything about them on the website. DK? Silky sock? Silk Heaven sock? I’m clearly not in the know about high-end yarns. 😉

    • Hiya! Join Ravelry – a free site for knitters and crocheters. You can type in queries and look at yarns with standardized information independent of the yarn company’s descriptions. Because what you want to know is how many yards/meters are in a skein of 100 grams…

  58. I LOVE Pattern 4, but maybe that particular yarn would look best with Pattern 1, which is also fabulous!

  60. Gordon is so thoughtful and the gift yarn is gorgeous. I love options #1 and #4 myself. Look forward to seeing what you choose and how it turns out. I love items with a lot of color, probably why I love Option #1.

  61. no real preference on the pattern, but looking at them laid out, I’m kind of seeing a lovely sunset after a storm over a lagoon and would do something to play up that angle

  62. I am drawn to the last one, but I have the feeling that you are a much more experienced knitter than I am and able to judge what your yarn wants to be. I am a firm believer that yarn “wants” to be certain things and firmly resist becoming things that don’t suit. My current knit is a color block scarf in stockinette with a garter border. It’s pretty simple but has taken forever to do. Probably because I keep putting it aside and doing other stuff. It’s close to finished and I have no idea what I will do with it. Put it away for a gift next Christmas most likely. Someone could always do with a warm thing as a gift. LOL

  65. I love the crop top, no wonder kid 1 blocked it ???? Patterns 2 and 1 seem less challenging, 4 too much work if you are looking for sth relaxing. I”ll guess 3 may be easier because of previous experience (and violet and kinda pink colors with silver, if I remember correctly, also looked beautiful)

  66. For me it would be the 1st or 4th. I guess it’s all down to the colors and what you think will look best. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

  67. Ooo, I love that yarn! I think option 4 is my favorite pattern, but a loud cardigan is always fun too! Happy belated birthday!

  68. Options 1 and 4 are gorgeous ????
    You could also knit a hat, a sweater for hot water bottle, gloves.. possibilities are endless 🙂

  75. Check out Steven West’s Seashell Shawl. It was a fun knit and you’ve got plenty of yarn for it. I just knit his Hiberknits 2020 Shawl also with some yarn I got from Jems Luxe. So many choices! But I do love Romi Hill’s Shawls as well.

  78. Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the post. Loved your birthday present from Gordon.

    Yes. I sympathize. my due January 7 power bill finally showed up. Monday. January 25. No clue where all It traveled in past weeks. Fortunately I use online bill pay and I had fortunately overpaid because I estimated amount due.

    I like option 1. I know colors are not what your birthday yarn is but it looks to be a nice pattern. Option 4 also looked like an interestingly complex pattern. However whatever you make will be appreciated and worn.

    Out of curiosity I need to make a non standard dog coat for a Rhodesian Labrador. I don’t knit but my sister who does said if I found a pattern and provided yarn she would make. Do you have any suggestions? Narrow V chest with long back (girth is 29 & 3/4 inches and withers to tail socket is 22 & 1/2.). Thank you.

  82. Option 2 is my favourite. I love the lace section and the blue would contrast really nicely with the colours of the other yarn.

    I like option 3 too, but if you’ve made that one before maybe you would rather try a different pattern?

  84. I like option 1 and option 3… both are gorgeous!

    Option 2 is meh and option 4 is really nice…

  89. Option one or four! Don’t worry about how the verigated colours will contrast in the different sections. That’s part of the fun.

  90. I would go for 3 or 4 if only because the symmetry of both appeals more to my eye.
    But that’s just me and I honestly haven’t finished a knitted pattern in years as I’ve been trying to go through my yarn stash and have crocheted more shawls as it uses up yarns faster.

  91. Option 1 or option 4 ????crop top is cute!! Random but have you read anything really good lately that youd be willing to share? Ive reread all your books and am bored outta my mind and need some new reading materia! Were in severe lockdown here!

  95. Option 4 definitely. Different, elegant. Something I could wear over and over. Classic colors will go with everything.

  98. I love option 3. It’s soooo pretty! But I admit, what I love most are the two colors chosen for the picture. Second favorite is option 1. However, I wonder if you could make the color changes work for you. I’m not sure how long each section is, but maybe you could work one skein from one end and the other from the opposite end when you get to the next section of the shawl.

    In any case, have fun making things out of strings!

  99. 4 looks way cool, but 3 is nice as well. Are your hands feeling well enough for this now? That’s great news!

  100. Option 4, with the middle skeins for the lace, and the other colors for a good contrast in the garter areas.