Charting the High Seas in Freeform

While still in the final throes of completing my freeform vest (only about 4 scrumbles left to go on that one), I have become enthalled by yet another Freeform project that my friend Laura from the knitting group has introduced me to.

This is a Freeform Shawl/poncho/not a poncho project with what looks like short sleeves? It is assymertical - going up high on one side and low down the hip on the opposite side. This is a knitalong project, and it's a kind of "knit as you go" type thing. I am about three weeks behind on getting started, but that's okay, because I make my own pace.

You can see a picture of Laura's "not a poncho" (NAP) by going to her website and looking here. She is doing hers in colors of charcoal grey, blues, greens and white. Charcoal and greens have always been appealing to me but blue and white are two of my LEAST favorite colors. I don't do blue. Period. But guess what? I was immediately drawn to her NAP and loved everything, including her colors. Maybe it is because it's January and even a winter-lover like myself is starting to crave spring? Her color choices remind me of the sea. What's funny is that she is inspired by an Iceland theme - so she has quite a different image of what she's making. Where I see a dark, stormy sea evolving into a warm, inviting spring/summer ocean, she sees Iceland. Go figure. It just goes to show that we each have a different vision of the same project.

For some reason the blue in this shawl/poncho thing is vastly appealing to me. I'm afraid I'm not very imaginative. So I asked Laura if she minded my copying off of her colors. She insisted that no, it was fine for the very fact that we DO have such a diferent vision of where we're going with it. So here goes - I'm off and sailing on an unknown course mateys (Warning: the designer of this project, Jane Thornley, talks in sailor's slang, and it is as infectitious as the project itself).

Here's a photo of the yarns I've chosen so far. At the top of this entry, you can see that I've just barely started, knitting only the beginning 5 inches. I'm starting with a Lion Brand Homespun yarn in the color "Edwardian" - it's a dark charcoal. But I'm going to soon be adding in blues, greens, maybe even whites? I'm not sure. Do you think lime would be too wild as an accent color? Not sure if that would mess up my whole color scheme or make it "pop" in an appealing way. Working with color is something I'm trying to learn more about through Freeform.

Here are my yarn selections thus far (I'd like to get a ribbon yarn or two in the mix), but my background color is a grey boucle.

I may do more varied yarns than what Jane is suggesting, because already I've picked out about 10 different yarns or more that I want to use. And should I go with Charcoal, green, blue and white? Or should I go with Charcoal, green, blue and lime (for accent). Not sure. Any thoughts, feel free to weigh in.

This project somehow puts me in mind of another project I wanted to make several years ago and never got around to doing, the Shardigan. It's not the same at all, don't get me wrong, but I think you could wear them in similar circumstances. It would be great for wearing as a wrap during cooler spring weather, or taking a walk on a cool summer night evening (preferably along the beach, right?), with a short sleeve shirt underneath.

If you are interested at all in participating in this Knitalong, go to Jane Thornley's knitalong page and begin on what is now page 4. It started around the middle of January, but you can join in at any time. After exploring her website, I already want to get her book when it comes out!