WIP Wednesday 115: A Seasonal Knit

So Auntie Fashion's Blankey is finished and awaiting collection this weekend. Thus, my needles were once again free, which was a good thing as I had an Urge. 

I find it almost impossible to resist Urges when I get them - and at least this one is harmless, as it was the Urge to knit another shawl.

It's not like I even wear shawls, but I love to knit them: so lacy, so pretty, delicate, feminine, old-fashioned yet modern; I love to see them grow and then the full blossoming of the pattern that occurs with blocking ... The only shawls I don't like and won't knit are the solid, chunky ones that involve garter stitch and/or colorwork, ie. the ones that seem to be on trend right now.

Wow, sorry about that - it's been a while since I exercised my mad soap-box skillz and the tendency momentarily escaped me.

So. I knew that I wanted to knit Vlad, right this minute, even though it wasn't in my queue and there are plenty of other shawls which are; and I thought I had the perfect yarn for it:

                                                          Drops Lace in Black

It's very luxurious at 70% baby alpaca and 30% silk. And of course, who could resist knitting a big lacy shawl with 800 metres of this mournful black color during the dark winter months using eco-lightbulbs ? The perfect recipe for going blind and insane, although I'm not sure which would occur first.

But - and here is where I am glad that I checked the projects page and the pattern more closely, although (naturellement) it was not until after said skein of yarn had been wound - it turns out that the Vlad pattern is written for 4-ply/fingering.

Drama ! I have no black 4-ply.  

Crisis ! It's Sunday, no yarn shops open. 

Dilemma ! What to do ? 

As you already know, I am not only quite obsessive very focussed, but also I'm an Instant Gratification kinda gal, so you can see that things were really serious - no way could I alter my plans and cast on something else (heavens forfend !), yet how could I make the highly anticipated Vlad without the proper yarn ?

Phew ! I could hear your sigh of relief almost as loudly as my own: buried in my stash was 'Mistoffeles' a 425m. skein of semi-solid merino/nylon superwash red 3-ply from Black Cat Fibres, that has been awaiting the right project for the longest time - since 2010 actually.

So I have named this shawl Bloody Vlad: perfectly appropriate for an October knit, I feel. Go see if there are more seasonal projects over at Tami's Amis ...