5/27/14 - One of the most unique pieces I’ve ever knit. I’m really pleased with the results - the starkly contrasting colors work together better than I ever dreamed they would. This would be a great way to show off a hand-dyed light color variegated yarn with a darker single-color coordinating yarn. I think I’d even be willing to take on the more complex version of this fun pattern!

Typical for Leethal’s wonderful designs, not for the faint of heart. That being said, it isn’t difficult to knit (like lace); it’s just a step above ordinary which requires a little time and concentration to work through. It’s wonderfully charted and photographed, and there are YouTube videos to give all the how-to’s you might feel insecure about. It totally appeals to the geek knitter in me.

5/21/14 - additional yarn dyed - ALMOST the same colors - they’re not obvious, but there are differences my perfectionistic soul is disappointed with, alas. Section 4 started; again, whoo-eee, challenging, but yet the pattern works if you work it! Blocking will help, too. I’m liking this a lot more than I thought I would!

5/18/14 - Nearing end of Section 3 and running out of both orange (CC1) and gray/brown (MC) (I knit loosely and am using size 8 needle, so original estimates were inadequate). After much math manipulation (i.e. there are about 4200 stitches in the MC in the border that this size requires… Yikes!), I figured I need more of all three colors (a small amount of orange and blue-green and a whole bunch of the gray/bown). Back to the crockpot! It’s actually a good place to have to have an odd dye lot for the main color - it won’t be as obvious if it’s not quite the same. People will think I planned it that way! :D

5/16/14 - starting section 3… I’m not sure about switching back to orange/brown… but going with it. 6 foot circular REALLY handy at this point :)

5/12/14 - Section 2 underway. 217 stitches and increasing while decreasing (short-rows)… this might take a while. The long cord isn’t getting in the way as much now.

5/11/14 - Looks like I’ll be making 5 total ‘diamond’ repeats for the 1st section (37” wide… (target was 30” - so it should be nice and wide). So far, so good. A few little redo’s when I messed up oddball rows that give the diamond texture.

Using the mega-long circular needles (6 feet? it’s too much, alas) I made several months ago per tutorial here:

http://shar.es/SENbu
(www.knittersreview.com)

(The plumber’s teflon tape is essential… they just weren’t the same, no matter what else I tried to close the gap between the needle and the nylon cord).

First step - the dying :)

All 3 skeins were dyed at least twice… CC1 was buttercup yellow (Yellow Sun with a bit of Fire Red) after first bath; 2nd bath with diluted Vermillion Red made it orange. CC2 was murky green with a hint of blue (Sky Blue with a bit of Yellow Sun) after first bath; 2nd time added diluted Sapphire Blue to make it tealish. Main color was supposed to be light gray (diluted Jet Black with a bit of Sky Blue and Yellow Sun per some web sites’ suggestions) - but, though quite lovely tan/brown/green/blue/orange (last picture) it didn’t ‘go’ with the other two- so back into the water with some more diluted Jet Black… it’s still drying but looks like it’s more of a dark brown. Dying is always pot-luck.