Manic Monday: Or, Why I Can't Get a WIP Going?

So why is today a "manic Monday"? Well, the last few weeks I've been trying to start a project, but every time I do, I end up frogging it. I just can't seem to find a pattern I like that shows of the gorgeous Madeline Tosh yarn in Jade colourway that I purchased a while back from our local yarn store, Soper Creek Yarns.

I wanted to make a scarf that would look great on a young man and could be "borrowed" by his girlfriend. Something not too girlie, not to masculine. None of the patterns I looked at seemed right, so I started looking through Stitch Guides.

First was a Mock Cable with broken rib between the cables. Nah! The edging doesn't look right and you can't really see the cable. But the broken rib part looks great! So. . . .

How about a scarf that is completely broken rib? Below is a photo of the back, which I love. In fact, it looks good on both sides, which is perfect for a scarf. But now I was worried I was making it too wide to make a long enough scarf. So I'll just start again with fewer stitches.

 But it just didn't look right . . . and it started to curl in a way it hadn't when it was wider. I think I'll make a cowl with it. Now if only I can find a pattern. . . . Any ideas?

WIP Wednesday - Road to Fangorn

"He led the way in under the huge branches of the trees. Old beyond guessing, they seemed. Great trailing beards of lichen hung from them, blowing and swaying in the breeze. Out of the shadows, the hobbits peeped, gazing back down the slope: little furtive figures that in the dim light looked like elf-children in the deeps of time peering out of the Wild Wood in wonder at their first Dawn."  

JRR Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings
Part II. The Two Towers

Shelagh and I purchased several yarns from Amanda at Serene Fiber Arts last November. I was drawn to the one Amanda called "Fangorn" because I loved how the shades of green looked online. But I also loved it because I loved reading The Lord of the Rings--yes, this girl loved the books before the movies came out. What can I say? I was an English major and I "had" to read them in high school and again in University.

If you are familiar with the stories, you know it is a quest tale: the hobbits must venture out of their comfortable lives into areas of their world they do not know in order to save this world they do not know. The hobbits must travel through part of Fangorn forest, an ancient woods seemingly older than time. Think of the redwoods or the Brazilian rainforest in our world. The colours in this yarn show off beautiful shades of green. They range from rich Blue Spruce blue-green to pale aqua green. All are set off by shades of bark brown.You can see most of the colours in the photo above--aren't they lovely?

I searched for a pattern and when I found this "Cobblestones" hat pattern by Susie Gourlay on Ravelry, I knew it would work. Even the name tied in perfectly with the quest idea. Although I doubt the hobbits walked up to Fangorn on cobblestones, I liked this connection and came up with the name "Road to Fangorn."

And because Susie showed a variegated yarn in the pattern, I knew the yarn would work really well. It's a straightforward pattern and, so far, it is knitting up like a breeze. I just have to decide if it should be a beanie or a slouch hat; Susie has provided options for both.

Oh yes, and the yarn is soft and warm and colourful. Perfect to wear on a quest.