Finished

A new book and a new project on the needles? Something tells me there might be a finished project to report. My Abalone is done. Finished. Completo. I feared it might really be the never-ending story when, after last week's saga, I picked myself up (with much encouragement from you all, thank you) and finally got that mighty neckband finished, only to discover I didn't have enough yarn left for the applied i-cord cast-off that the pattern called for. My heart sank. I set the whole thing aside for a day (and cast on the above something else), ready to forsake it forever. 

Because it's a discontinued yarn that I picked up on eBay years ago, I didn't fancy my chances of finding another ball somewhere. So, as I saw it, I had three options. I could rip it back a couple of rows to buy myself the extra yarn I needed. But that would leave me with an even thinner band than the already slightly skimpy one I had. I could go hunting in the wardrobe for this hat, made with the same yarn, and rip it out. But someone in particular may not be pleased with that option, especially with our first Highlands winter approaching. Or...I could find a different cast-off method. This last one didn't actually occur to me for a while. And when it did - double crochet bind-off, thank you, Knitty - there was but a quick evening's work and it was done. And we even scored a handful of glorious sunny autumn days to make the blocking and drying a breeze.

Ravelry notes are here.

The new book is an Anne Tyler one, 'The Accidental Tourist' - perfect for my current needs in that I can read it in short bursts and not lose the plot, literally and figuratively. I've set aside Anna Funder for when my brain is less...whatever it is at the moment.

And the new knitting project? A circular yoke vest for one of my girls, in Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic 8ply. I'm winging it on the pattern. It's quite exciting. And satisfying. Or it will be if I can pull it off. 

Joining in the lovely Yarn Along with all the lovely Yarn Alongers.