So I blame Knitabulous again. I’ve been doing that a lot, haven’t I? But while she was in London, she went to the Stitches and craft type show and then she emailed me. In that email, she told me she’d bought novelty yarn. She also told me I’d understand when I saw it.
I sniggered. She knew I would. Then The Wool Inn tweeted a You Tube link. Turns out it’s the same novelty yarn. Emily was in ecstasies when she saw it. And Ailsa was right. I couldn’t resist. So I ordered some from Crafty Yarn in the UK.

And cast on (so to speak) on Sunday.

It’s weird stuff, sort of like a strip of fishnet. And to cast on, you just jab your needle into the holes at 4cm intervals. And there’s no wrapping yarn around needles, just jab some onto your needle and knit with that.

Yes, it’s 100% Acrylic and yes, it’s tacky, but it makes gorgeous ruffles! I can’t imagine using it for anything else, but I know plenty of people who would want one of these scarves.
And it’s not all evil – it even got Em knitting!

(Because I keep putting it down to work on something else, and she wants it done!)

And the ruffly bolero has been photographed!

Super quick, super easy (especially if you have an awesome friend who does the crochet for you!) and I love it!
Specs:
Pattern: 106-8 bolero with lace border and winged puff sleeve in ìAlpacaî and ìVivaldiî
Yarn: Drops Alpaca (3 skeins) and Drops Vivaldi (1 skein) from Scandinavian Knitting Design
Needles: 3mm Knitpicks Harmony circs
Mods: None!
Knit exactly to the pattern as I understood it. Not the most descriptive of patterns though! I did knit both fronts at the same time, and did a three needle cast off on the shoulders.

And now, I’m knitting with novelty yarn. I’m serious!

The Colchmumblemumble scarf is coming along swimmingly!

I have only four pattern rows left, then some short rows and an icord cast off. I’m hopeful that I’ll have enough yarn, and I’ve been knitting furiously, trying to reach the end before I run out of yarn.
Shut up, it might work!
Even though it’s not particularly lacy, it’s not been without dramas. I am incapable of casting on the exact number of stitches first go. 300-odd stitches doesn’t work very well with a “close enough is good enough” attitude.
And I’d apparently forgotten how to read a chart, as evidenced by the multitude of leftover stitches at the end of the first row. (That may or may not have had something to do with the number of stitches as well as the misreading of said chart)
But all is on track now, and hopefully I can jump the perhaps-running-short-of-yarn hurdle.
In other magic, look what happened!

My bolero grew a ruffle! (With the help of the fabulous Knitabulous!)
Thank you all so much for the lovely comments about Emily’s big night out – she was chuffed to read such lovely things, and I’m glad it wasn’t just mummy bias that coloured my opinion of how beautiful she looked!

So it’s all over. Emily has finished her final exams (results still 3 weeks away), signed out of school and had her big final dance.
I’m biased, I know, but I think she was the most beautiful girl there.

And to top it all off, she says she had the best night of her life!

So moving right along, the Ruffly Bolero is going great guns! Being so small, it didn’t take long to knit up. In fact, it’s already been blocked.

Although I may be misleading you a little, because it’s already seamed, too.

I cheated on the shoulder seams and did a three needle bind off, as you can see in the blocking picture. So all I had to do was the side seams and the sleeves, which aren’t even set in sleeves, just little cap sleeves. Super quick project!! I am a bit worried that it’s too short, but it should be okay. (Denial, I haz it!)
Now, of course, it needs the ruffle. But it’s crocheted, and I can’t crochet to save my life. So my lovely, fabulous friend Knitabulous has stepped in and is taking up the crochet hook for me.
And I get to cast on something new!

It’s the Colchicaceae scarf by Angelika Luidl, now known here as the colchmumblemumble scarf. I’m knitting it in yet another MadelineTosh yarn, the scrumptious Pashmmmmmina that I got from The Loopy Ewe.
The pattern calls for 500 yards, and I only have 360. But I’m knitting it on 3.75mm needles instead of 4.5mm needles, and the yarn is a little thinner than the original, so I’m hoping it’ll all be okay.
Denial. I really haz it!
And finally, it’s Emily’s Year 12 Formal (or Prom, or Graduation, depending on what part of the country/world you live in) tonight. The past two days have been filled with beauty appointments. She got her hair done this morning.

More pics over the weekend!