I’m finally in a groove with Josephine.  The entire first pattern repeat I was cursing the chart, but I managed to get through it, and now I don’t have to refer to the chart all the time, perhaps once per row.  Yeah, I still hate charts.  But Josephine is looking so pretty!

Everything after the first repeat was completed yesterday.  Now that it’s going faster I no longer feel as though this knit will take me until the end of time to finish. I’m still swatching as a distraction, but when I get tired of that I’m going to cast on for the two-toned shrug from fitted knits, using Malabrigo in Purple mystery.

I’ve had this yarn in my stash for quite awhile, and I’m happy to have finally found a project which will use the relatively small amount I have.  mine will be mono-toned instead of two-toned, because I only have one color.  Isn’t it pretty?  This will be my first project using malabrigo.

Oh yes, the swatches.

Valley Yarns Amherst in periwinkle.  A nice inexpensive merino.  I knit this swatch to get 4.5 st/in, but it gts 4.25 st/in after washing.  I’m planning on using this yarn (although not this color) to make my long planned Nantucket Jacket.  This yarn is currently slated for a vintage cabled sweater pattern I have, although that could change!

Knitpicks ambrosia  – I love this yarn!  It’s so lovely and soft, with a slight fuzzy haze.   This swatch got bigger with washing.  I like this yarn for the Short Sleeve Blouson from the Knit.1 Summer 07 issue.  I don’t think I want to use cotton for that sweater, and I’m ok with relegating it to fall use.  This yarn is an alpaca/cashmere blend.  I do not find alpaca to be any warmer that wool, and I’m aware that makes me an exception… but then I am always cold.  I have to get myself to stop making tanks, because even in the summer I can’t stand to wear them (evil air conditioning – I’m so glad we have window units that I can turn off when I am the only one home!)

A note on washing swatches:  I never would have thought (in my non swatch washing past) that so many yarns would regularly change size when washed.  Most seem to relax and get a bit larger, but a few (mostly cottons) do shrink a tad.  I will never start a project without washing a swatch again!  And yes, my swatches are not as big as they could be, but I’m ok with that.