Code Breaker

You're probably going to laugh at this post, but I just started watching season two of The Bletchley Circle and was suddenly struck by how much the current project I'm knitting is like reading code.  If you're a TBC fan, you may recall that in the opening scene of season one, Susan is reading a knitting pattern while clicking away on her needles.  Of course, that's a hint at her secret past of being a code breaker during WWII.  

As I'm trying really hard to knit down my stash, I pulled out my one skein of The Fibre Company's Road to China in the malachite colorway, my US3 dpns, and cast on for a pair of Nalu fingerless mitts. I'm in the mood for a small'ish project with some teeth to it ~ you know, a bit of chart reading, some simple stockinette, and a thumb turn to add interest.  I started this project at the same time that I began watching season two of TBC and when I got past the cuff ribbing and started on the cable chart, I couldn't help but notice the similarity of me and the Bletchley girls.  Okay, I admit it ... being a code breaker would be one of my dream jobs!  Yeah, I'm that kind of geek.

Palate Cleanser

I'm not very good about having a zillion (or even three or four) projects on the needles at once, but when I'm knitting something like a sweater, it really helps to have something small going at the same time.  Some of you can knit a cardigan and a pullover and a sock and a shawl and a tea cozy all while knitting a blanket~and the knitting world needs you~but once I have more than a couple of projects in my knitting basket, my mind goes all wonky.

But there's also a part of my brain that craves something new when it comes to monogamous knitting.  I'm being very faithful to Miranda's please knit list, but I know that I'll be a happier knitter if I get to cleanse my palate every now and then so I dug into my stash and pulled out a skein of DK just to feel a different weight in my hands.  

I've been wanting to knit a Lonely Tree Shawl for over a year, but the last time I attempted this pattern, I kept messing up.  I'm almost embarrassed to say why but I'll 'fess up here ~ I didn't realize that when reading a lace chart, repeats are meant to be done within the row and not after completing a whole row first.  Duh!  I got it now (can you see the huge lightbulb flashing over my head?), and I'm making nice progress on this beautiful shawl.  I'm loving this mustardy color yarn I'm knitting with, too ~ more photos to come!

22 Little Clouds

A few weeks ago, when I embarked on my one-skein challenge, the first pattern that jumped onto my needles was Martina Behm's 22 Little Clouds. I hadn't knit a Behm design before and while I know she's designed a gazillion patterns, I thought I'd start off with one of her free patterns to get a sense of what she's like as a designer.  

I decided on one of my older skeins, one that I had in my stash since August 2012 (yikes!).  Bugga is wildly popular but like a Behm design, I had never knit with it before so this little project was going to enable me to cross off two items from my knitting bucket list.

The combination of yarn and pattern is a total win-win. The subtle but vibrant color changes are gorgeous and the simplicity of the pattern made the shawl practically knit itself.

I would say that my first one-skein challenge project was a huge success ~ just not sure if I should keep this beauty or gift it?

#Oneskeinchallenge

Ever since I rummaged through my stash and found a huge number of single skeins, I've been sort of obsessed with matching up my pretties with patterns that meet the challenge's criteria (which, of course, is simple ... limited yardage).  It's been a ton of fun thinking about the various cowls and shawls that will be filling my knitting basket in the coming months.

In fact, I was so inspired about my one-skein challenge that I started a hash tag on instagram (yes, #oneskeinchallenge), and a knitalong over at the Project: Stash Ravelry group. I'd love it if you joined along.

So, how am I doing with my challenge? I'm finishing up Martina Behm's 22 Little Clouds in the gorgeous skein pictured below and am still enjoying my original design that I'm knitting in Glissade.

Cephalopod Bugga

Ball and Skein Glissade

But I couldn't resist and cast on yet another one-skein project, a pattern that I've been wanting to knit for such a long time, and that has already been knit over 14,000 times (whoa, that's amazing!).

Dream in Color Smooshy in Lipstick Lava

Can you guess which pattern I've got on my needles?