shine on

Under the influence of a few days off, a scarf is done. It came out beachy.

Not quite an Opera Scarf as in the pattern, which disappeared from the Blue Sky site but you can find it online elsewhere. Just be aware it comes out chunkier than it says it will, this version in KnitPicks Shine sportweight . I've mentioned how whatever I'm making looks like my environment? I'm powerless over this impulse. So when I finished the knitting seaside in Delaware, I figured it needed something along the edges, maybe small shell buttons, to elevate it from the crafty look. A skein of Trendsetters Vixen at the yarn store nearby looked perfect. This is the impulse that's lead me to buy more bright flowery sundresses over the years than I should admit to while there, just right for happy hour on the porch by the crashing waves. That look silly when I return home to life in my land of wrinkly muted natural fibers and faded denim.

I'm not recommending Shine for any lace projects but I applied another skein of it in worsted weight to just one more hat for the teenage son. (You can tell his age by the grafted on earbuds.) I like this yarn for a solid knit. I like it a lot for ribbed beanie hats. I'm thinking it might be just right for a summer afghan project, part of the MDK not-so-secret mission to cover America in mitred squares. Except, of course, for territories blanketed by Log Cabin.

Feeling rested, I got the Saddle Seam Pullover back on track , too, with front and back split this time for the same size outcome. If you've seen anyone else working on this baby, can you send me the link? There's only one little chart for the 6 row repeat of the stitch pattern. Now that I'm working on the split back, I'm using the chart that I was reading right-to-left every row, to go back and forth, with purls and decreases every 4th row. I guess my mind is supposed to be nimbler than it is, I wish there was a graph with the decreases charted. As usual I didn't read through the whole pattern until I was well into it, and discovered that in a few rows I'll be using the same dinky six row chart but also doing some short rows to form the neckline shaping. Keep your fingers crossed for me.