The Journey - Finished!

After finishing up my July Camp Loopy project, I quickly finished this one up as well.  I did block it - soaked and then gently laid out, but not pinned.  It took several days to dry.  Overall this was a fun knit.

Pattern:  The Journey by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Sparkle DK from Expression Fiber Arts

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

The Journey - Four out of Five Sections Done

Last week I worked almost exclusively on this project, flying through four of the five sections.  First the Forest of Fear, although there was no fear here.  My colors are just too cheerful.

Then on to the River of Doubt.  This skein was a bit different from the first two, despite being in the same set.  This set is Honey Hibiscus.

And finally the Mountains of Perseverance.  This marked the start of the second set that I’m using - Keep the Joy.  This skein shared some of the same colors as the third skein of the Honey Hibiscus, but with a cooler background.  Very fitting for the mountains.  I’m finishing up with a skein that is mostly purples for the Meadows of Tranquility.  All in all, this has been a fun pattern to knit.

Pattern:  The Journey by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Sparkle DK from Expression Fiber Arts

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

The Journey - Starting Over

I made it about half way through the River of Doubt before my own doubts caught up with me and I decided that I really needed to knit this shawl out of a different set of yarn.  I looked at the Alpaca Silk sets on the Expression Fiber Arts web site several times trying to convince myself to buy one, but I just couldn’t.  Then I looked at other online yarn shops looking for likely candidates.  I knew that I needed at least 230 yards per skein, and I wanted a variegated, and they had to go together.  I was not having much luck when I happened to spy some Expression Fiber Arts Sparkle DK in my recent acquisitions pile.  I checked it out on the web site.  The yardage was good, at 275 yards per skein it was even better than the Alpaca Silk.  And the colors all worked together.

I decided that I would start with this set - Honey Hibiscus- and work from right to left.

And then finish up with two of the skeins from this set - Keep the Joy - skipping the blue and finishing up with the purple.  So, yesterday I caked up the first skein, and today thanks to an all day meeting I finished re-knitting the first section - the Cabin of Complacency.

I just love the colors.  Nothing angsty here.  I’ve started on the second section, the Forest of Fear, but it feels more like Candy Land.  I really like knitting with the Sparkle DK.  I wasn’t sure if I would because of the sparkle thread, but it really has a very nice feel to it.

Pattern:  The Journey by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Sparkle DK from Expression Fiber Arts

Needle:  US 4

The Journey - The Forest of Fear

I ended up knitting this section twice.  When I got done with it the first time I had second thoughts about the order of my skeins, and decided that I had accidentally switched skeins 2 and 3.  At first I wasn’t going to rip it back and redo it, but then I decided to as it also gave me the opportunity to use all of skein 1, switching to skein 2 when I ran out.  I had already done that for my switch from skein 2 to 3, well, really it was skein 3 to 2.  Here is my first time through.

I’m not sure if it makes a huge difference.  I’ve actually become rather ambivalent about this shawl.  On the one hand I really like the concept and the colors, on the other hand I’m a bit miffed that the kits don’t have enough margin to guarantee success.  You see, the way the design works, each motif is supposed to be in a different skein whose colors reflect the theme.  The original kits are available for pre-order and I did think about buying one, but the yarn is an Alpaca-Silk blend, and I really can’t work much with Alpaca, it makes my hands itch.  And even if I got another kit, there is no guarantee that I wouldn’t run out of yarn with that one.  The skeins come with 210 yards, the pattern requires 5 skeins, and the pattern lists the following required yardages:  A - 180 yards, B - 220 yards, C - 210 yards, D - 185 yards, E - 225 yards.  Right away you can see that there is going to be an issue.  I do have a feeling that the Alpaca-Silk blend will knit up to a tighter gauge than the Wool blend that I am using.

I have identified the additional skeins that I may use, depending upon the need.

The first and the third skeins are recent acquisitions, when Expression Fiber Arts offered the Mirage DK in one of their clubs.  I’ve already caked up the first skein, as I’m approaching the end of my skein 3.

Pattern:  The Journey by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Mirage DK in Arboretum Hues

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

The Journey - The Cabin of Complacency

I have been getting the emails from Expression Fiber Arts for a while now, and buying her yarn and also some of the patterns, but hadn’t cast anything on with them yet.  Then earlier this month Chandi unveiled a new pattern - The Journey, knit in DK, that came along with a story.  She had some beautiful sets of DK weight yarn dyed up for the pattern and was hosting a knit along on Ravelry.  I fell in love with one of the sets and ordered it, even though I really don’t need any more yarn in my life.  The yarn is a blend of 60% Superwash Merino, 20% Baby Camel, 10% Cashmere, and 10% Silk.

The shawl is designed as a Journey, and there is a story that goes along with the pattern.  It is a neat idea.  The first part of the shawl is The Cabin of Complacency, where we all start out.  You can’t see it very well in the top picture, but the squiggles are actually squares, like cabin windows.

Pattern:  The Journey by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Mirage DK in Arboretum Hues

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)