WIP Wednesday 208: Back in the Saddle

Tarot Illuminati

For the first time in my life, I am happy to see the end of summer. Normally, I dread winter, the misery of the cold, the damp and the dark. But this year I want to put the Summer of Death behind me: after my sister died in July, it seemed that there were deaths everywhere, both expected and not - Eduard Shevardnadze, James Garner, a friend lost her father, Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Dickie Attenborough, Steven Sotloff, Joan Rivers .... I am just content when I wake up, and there are no deaths on the news.

So, trying not to dwell on my own loss, I was really happy to have the kids back from their summer in Kent with Nanny, and do some fun things with them, as well as kitting Mini Diva out for high school - she is now the same height as me (I am petite at 5'3'', I think), and she takes a size 6 shoe compared to my size 3. Cubs has restarted, both of them are doing rugby, and plans are underway for Destructo Boy's birthday next month, so already there is plenty going on.

Continuing with my crochet jag, I have been wanting to make Destructo Boy a blankey, seeing as I made one for his sister. He would only peg his color choice to 'light red and dark red' - and of course, project gestation includes many quiet enjoyable hours surfing patterns on Ravelry. I was trying to avoid modular afghans/blankets, as I am not enthusiastic about having lots of ends to weave in, but I was really struck by a free pattern I found, available from Caron, called the Spirals Throw.

Once more I wondered why we English have relatively few colorways available in decent acrylic-mix Aran-weight yarn, which is why one ends up using DK - so it'll use more yarn and take longer. But I like it so far:

That great workhorse yarn, Stylecraft Special DK in 1123 Claret and 1083 Pomegranate. At the same time, I had bought two other yarns that I thought were in the red spectrum:

We have 1132 Shrimp and 1246 Lipstick. I really want to use the Shrimp although really it is a coral-orange - I may have to find another dark red like the Claret for the right contrast. And then for the joining borders .... I wonder if there is a red ombre or jacquard DK somewhere .....

In the meanwhile, I must also contemplate whether I shall take part in NaKniSweMo this year .... catch up with what others have been up to at Tami's Amis ....