One Skein Challenge

In my last post, I lamented about having a stash of one skeins and wondered about how to find the right projects for each of them. I thought a lot about this conundrum all weekend long with one particular skein in mind.  A couple of years ago ~ yes, I said a couple of years ago ~ I bought a skein of Ball and Skein's Glissade in a lovely blue-purple colorway at the Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Fair. It was hard to resist indulging in this beautiful mix of 50% merino and 50% silk, but what you should know is that I had never knit with such a blend before and I actually found the yarn ... well ... troublesome.  I cast on several projects in an attempt to find the right stitch pattern for the fabric it created but each time, I was disappointed. 

This skein was one of the first I came across last week and my immediate thought was to cast on the Elder Tree Shawl which I've admired for a long time.  I love the leafy lace details and the type of drape this shawl calls for fit the silkiness of this yarn perfectly.  But, try as I might, after knitting chart B the first time, I kept getting derailed in repeating it.  I don't easily give up and I swear I cast on and frogged this project at least five times before calling it a day.

In my search for a compatible pattern, I found nothing that really excited me so I turned to my trusty stitch dictionaries and knitting magazines and came up with an original design that is happily humming along.

I'm playing with this design as it evolves on the needles so only time will tell if this one skein has found its mission.  Stay tuned.

FYI  ~ I've called this post One Skein Challenge as I've decided to do my best to knit down my one skein stash this spring.  It should be interesting ...