What can I do with one little skein?

It’s the age old knitter’s quandry:  one can you do with just one skein?  Yes, I have all the books.  I’ve had this dilemna before.  I’ve knit socks, hats, scarves.  But I’m there again.  I have one skein of this Alpaca.

Img_2839

It’s pretty!  But it’s different from what I thought it would look like when I ordered it.  I was expecting bright vivid colors, but it has more of a brown tone in each of the shades.  It won’t work for the purpose I had in mind, but it is soft and lovely and I feel certain it can’t wait to be knit into something wonderful.

I have been wanting to knit Fetching from Knitty and briefly flirted with that idea, but I think the cables in Fetching would be lost in the multi-colored hues of my Alpaca (which comes from Irish Baby Knits by the way.  Go there and drool!)  So I’m at an impasse here and would really appreciate any suggestions for this beautiful yarn.  It is labeled as 270 yards of merino/alpaca blend for needle sizes 5-8.

This:

Img_2838

is in my dyepots right now.  I’m not sure if you can tell, but I’m getting beautiful varigated colors on this yarn, due to the use of different base singles that have been spun together.  To say I’m overjoyed by this simple pleasure would be an understatement.  I guess I’m easily amused, but really.  It’s wonderful.

Because I have crafter’s ADHD, I’m going to switch from knitting to art without benefit of a transition.  Today’s mail contained this beautiful Artist’s Trading Card from  Svenja.

Img_2841

I can’t begin to say how much I have enjoyed coming home to daily art in the mail as a result of the Informal ATC Swap.  The swap is still continuing and you can join us by using the link for details, posting your own ATCs, and emailing the link to your cards to me, so I can include you in the list of swapping artists on the left-hand column.  My daily dose of art in the mail has kept me inspired all month long!

6 thoughts on “What can I do with one little skein?

  1. Beautiful yarn in the dye pot Joyce. Question for you… what makes something an ATC? Can you give us non-collager/paper artists a little lesson? I’m curious.
    Rita

  2. wow LOVE the yarn!!!what about a plain pair of wrist warmers?? without the cable???the colors are lovely as is that wonderful blue in your dye pot!!! someday I hope to get to learn all that!!! maybe will need to get those sleep tapes!!!!! hehehe!! well can’t wait to see what becomes of that lovely skein!!! oh and LOVE the ATC from Svenja her work is awesome and I too just rec’d 2 in the mail and these go along with several from her in a private swap a bit ago!! LOve her stuff!!! Hugs Linda

  3. The collage of your family is SO COOL! I know you’re thrilled with it. Also, your dyeing is so beautiful! I can’t ever figure out what to knit with one skein – good luck! Robin

  4. Joyce-
    What about a pair of Pam’s knucks? Could you use them in GA? That yarn is so pretty and soft, it really needs to be something for you 🙂
    Oh and I have some HA that looks almost identical to your turquiose yarn…now I just have to knit it for my son.

  5. Love the whole ATC concept–of course to get one you have to make some, right? There’s always a catch, it seems. About the alpaca: What about this:
    http://www.foxyknits.com/pc-114-17-caryls-kerchief.aspx
    I have a few lone skeins of Koigu PPM in my stash and have been eyeing this pattern for awhile and finally decided to order it–the gauge of the yarn called for in the pattern (the Koigu) is different from what you have, but I think this would look lovely as a full-sized scarf in the alpaca.

Leave a Reply to Carolyn Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.