Aestlight

Happy Spring, dear readers!

Last I wrote, we were still plunged in the depths of a harsh winter, dark and dreary and bone-chillingly cold. And at the time I'm writing this, I'm happy to report that it's...dark, dreary and surprisingly cold. Sigh. Unfortunately, Old Man Winter refuses to loosen his icy grip on the city and let us enjoy the new season. Even though the weather refuses to cooperate, I am currently, stubbornly, working on my spring and summer knits: short-sleeve tops and shawlettes in cotton and bamboo, perfect for wrapping yourself on chilly nights.

And so here is the first of my new season knits, which has long been in the making:

Aestlight by The Shetland Trader

Needle: 6

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock, velvet grapes

Skeins: a little less than 1

Smizing.

I started this shawl sometime in September of 2009 and finished it a couple of days ago. Yikes. It's kind of sad when responsibilities get in the way of other pursuits and prevents you from working on things that, paradoxically, you would rather be doing in the first place. No more. I refuse to get caught up in the minutiae of work and classes. More time for knitting, says I.

Now from the side...

Anyway, the project itself was very lovely, although it had its slow spots (obviously). The pattern was very well written and the construction was interesting: garter triangle, bird's eye lace, and then a knitted on border which was, for lack of a better term, a bitch to knit. That border took FOR-EH-VER to knit, but ultimately was very much worth it, creating a visually striking project. For the bind-off edge, I just picked up and knit across one row and then bound off on the following row. Child's play.

And the back. Fin.

This was my first time working with Malabrigo and I am in lust. Buttery soft, sproingy and the colors are TO DIE. I will definitely be using Malabrigo for future knits, but the real question is: what color should I choose next? They're all heavily saturated and beautiful. It even looks fabulous in the skein:

I recommend using Malabrigo just once in your life. Go ahead. Treat yourself.

Anyway, here's hoping that the weather takes a turn for the better and we'll get to break out our season-appropriate knits.

Happy crafting!