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.
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.
Lace section in blue, alternating the other two skeins for the garter?
Option 3: Quicksilver by Melanie Berg.
I’ve made this before. It an easy knit.
Option 4: Tablature by Rosemary Hill.
Option 5: Tell me in the comments?
I pick option 4 or 2. Love your yarn
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
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…
I love option 4!
I am having trouble deciding between 3 or 4. Both would be amazing.
Love 4, then 1.
Option 4 is gorgeous
I LOVE Pattern 4, but maybe that particular yarn would look best with Pattern 1, which is also fabulous!
Oooh option 5 is so pretty, what about crocheting a shawl?
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.
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
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
Option1 or Option 5 Cute crop top.
Make tablature, very classic looking
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)
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.
Ooo, I love that yarn! I think option 4 is my favorite pattern, but a loud cardigan is always fun too! Happy belated birthday!
Options 1 and 4 are gorgeous ????
You could also knit a hat, a sweater for hot water bottle, gloves.. possibilities are endless 🙂
4
I really like 5
I think Option 1 and let the variegation fall where it may!
Option #4 is gorgeous!
Option 5 is my favorite!
Option 4. Is beautiful
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.
Options 4 looks really pretty 🙂
I don’t knit, but I love number 4 (Tablature by Rosemary Hill), it’s gorgeous!
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.
Option 5 is really nice
Option 4…beautiful and interesting!
Opt 4 will be beautiful with the colors you have!
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?
Option 4!! Soooo pretty!!
I like option 1 and option 3… both are gorgeous!
Option 2 is meh and option 4 is really nice…
I like number 2 the best.
4 for sure!!
Option 4 is beautiful and looks like it would keep your neck warm.
Option 4 hands down!
Option one or four! Don’t worry about how the verigated colours will contrast in the different sections. That’s part of the fun.
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.
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!
Hey Tara,
So sorry about you being stuck in lockdown!
Have you checked the big BDH recommends thread on the blog https://ilona-andrews.com/2018/open-thread-for-author-and-blog-recommendations/
Hope you find something good!
If I could knit, one or four. Both are lovely.
Option 5 spoke to me.
that Yarn looked yummy.
heart hugs
Option 2 would be gorgeous in that yarn!
Option 4 definitely. Different, elegant. Something I could wear over and over. Classic colors will go with everything.
Congrats Gordon, it looks like your gift is a winner with your fans as well as Ilona. ????
Ooooh! Love them all but Option One captured my heart. Happy Birthday encore!
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!
I meant option 4, not option 3. Option 3 has three colors, not two! Lol.
4 looks way cool, but 3 is nice as well. Are your hands feeling well enough for this now? That’s great news!
Option 4, with the middle skeins for the lace, and the other colors for a good contrast in the garter areas.