Ever since our first month’s Camp Loopy Challenge last summer, I have been a bit taken with two-color shawls. First of all, it’s really fun to pick the colors. Secondly, they look so darned fun, knit up. I finished my Sothia Shawl, which has been on my “Want to Make” list since I approved so many of your Sothia Shawls last summer for the challenge! I like shawls with ruffles (although I’m so not a ruffle-y person). I knit this with 2 skeins of String Theory Caper Cobalt and 1 skein of Hand Maiden Casbah Smoke.
What I like about the pattern: It fits really well. I like how the ends are designed to curve in around you. Nice shape. Also, a very cute ruffle on the end. However ….
What I didn’t like about the pattern: Knitting the never-ending ruffle. I’ve made quite a few things with ruffles (like this Mara Shawl and that Mara Shawl, this Shawl that Jazz and that Shawl that Jazz, this 28’s Cousin 53 and that 28’s Cousin 53, this And So Are You and that And So Are You, and Pleiades. Just one of those). I’m used to ruffles. I can get into a zone and K2P2 like nobodies business. This one, however, went on and on, and had two increases as you went on. Granted, this makes the ruffle flare out a bit (which is nice), but holy cow, I never thought I’d finish that ruffle. Glad it’s done. Maybe I should steer clear of ruffles for awhile.
Now I have picked out three more sets of colors for two-color shawls and I’m going through different patterns, trying to decide what I want to do. I am thinking about: Skewed Shawl, Dancette, Pamuya, Whippoorwill, Amalia, Spectra, Scalene, Ulmus, Taygete, Daybreak, Lakedale, and Ishbel. Decisions, decisions.
Here are the colors (all in Madelinetosh Merino Light, because we have shelves and shelves and shelves full of it, enticing me.)
There’s the Envy/Baltic Combo:
The Charcoal/Black Velvet Combo:
And the Mansfield Garden Party/Fragrant Combo:
Doesn’t that make you want to knit a two-color shawl? Have you tried one yet?
Sheri yes,IknowIhavetheQuarterlyChallengeSweatertodo,too
I have not tried a two color shawl yet but that Charcoal and Black Velvet Combo just might give me the extra push 🙂
The only difficulty with two color shawls is finding two colors that go together nicely and don’t end up blending into each other so much that you can’t see the differences. A trick I have read about is to photocopy your two skeins in black and white (just lay them on the scanner bed and make a B/W copy). If the black/white/greys are too close then you can decide to either go ahead and know your shawl will blend or change one of the colors to something either brighter or darker. I have both the Ulmas and the Taygete on the needles.
Your Sothia shawl is beautiful! Wow! I love the colors you have chosen for a new shawl– personally, I would choose Mansfield Garden party/Fragrant Combo because they are such happy bright colors. But, unfortunately, if I made it for myself, I woudn’t have anything to wear it with. I would be better to make it with Charcoal/Black Velvet combo as I have things that I could wear it with. Or, maybe I should go shopping for some new clothes? Have you you ever knit something and bought clothes to wear with it?? Sound funny.
On a side note, I do almost exactly the same thing when I’m trying to decide what colors to knit (paring them up next to each other), only instead of ‘feeling’ the yarn, I have to do a cut and paste of the color (in Excel) and then cut and paste the next color next to it to see if it “works”. So… great job and representing the colors. They’re almost always a good true representation.
I Love the charcoal and black velvet combination. I have knit several two color shawls including a striped Baktus in Cascade Heritage silk in black and charcoal and a Clockwork in Madtosh Glazed Pecan and another yarn. I love your Sothia.
I have 2 sets of yarns for shawls from last summer’s activities that I haven’t chosen patterns yet. I have Mansfield garden party paired with Loopy’s green w/envy tosh sock and TML in cloak+ amber trinket + nectar.
Ruffles kill me. I tend to dislike rows that are forever long because my knitting time is limited. If I can’t pick it up and sneak in a row while the kids eat breakfast or on my lunch break… I tend to not pick it up. I love your shawl though.
I have been looking at Brown-Eyed Susan (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/brown-eyed-susan), but have not done started it because I am afraid of the ruffle, but your shawl is making me get my courage up. 🙂
Pretty! I have Pamuya on my Favorites list. I think you should knit that with the MGP/Fragrant combo!
Your Sothia turned out soooo gorgeous! It was definitely worth the trouble. I love the magic of blocking! Which reminds me that I need to work that magic on my own project…
As much as I love blues, I think the Charcoal/Black Velvet combo is gorgeous, and likely the most versatile combination amongst your choices.
And the Sothia is to die for… seriously! I’d never really considered that pattern before and now I think I must make one.
I loved my Stripe Study from last year’s camp loopy, and I’ll surely do another. I just finished color affection (three colors!) and loved it too! I’m still a little hesitant about pairing colors that don’t include one neutral (white, black, grey) though.
I have started a Whipporwill in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga Karner Blue Butterfly and Butterfly Tattoo. But it’s in timeout because of an error and my short attention span led me to other projects. I should probably pick it up again, because it’s a lovely pattern in one of my favorite yarns.
Still, that MGP/Fragrant combination is calling to me…
I picked out two colors for a Catkin – then changed my mind, and picked out two more colors….I usually end up with yarn to make three different sets of the same pattern!
Pick colors, yes. Decide and stick with those two? Not so much!
I like your color choices! You really are good at matching them!
The shawl looks wonderful. It must be hard/lovely to wander around the store changing your mind about colour combinations. Hard to work. Lovely to think up new combinations.
I think Sugar is Sweet looks very pretty in two colors.
You must try some Veera shawls! Different Lines is two color, and Color Affection is three. Both are extremely fun knits – and no ruffles! The garter stitch does go on and on, especially towards the end, but the short rows keep it interesting.
I love the Charcoal/Black Velvet combo. It would look beautiful as a Pamuya. I made one of those for Campy Loopy last year, in blues. Maybe, that’s why I chose the other colors. I love the pinks as well.
Your Sothia shawl is beautiful. I like doing lace, but I like how this shawl looks wrapped around.
Congrats on finishing Sothia!! Despite your (& others’) warnings about that ruffle, I still want to make one too… and in fact, the yarn is already sitting in my TLE virtual cart, just waiting for Lent to end (& for me to finish some other stuff 🙂
Another Veera shawl I would add to Michele’s list is Line Break… even though it is only one color, it is tremendously entertaining!!
I am currently knitting Color Affection in three colors of Pashmina. Yum. I vote for the Black Velvet combo…. pretty!!!
I’m getting ready to knit Faberge http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/faberge/ My friend designed it and I am having trouble deciding on colors.
Your Sothia is beautiful! You must knit like the wind. I am so slow.
I have knit a Taygete, and have several others that you list in my favorites. The last time I was browsing I was quite sure Scalene would be my next cast-on. I also like Color Affection very much.
Oh Sherri! I feel your pain on the Sothia ruffle! It does go on forever! I waited too long to start during Camp last year and I literally had to stay up extra hours, get up hours early to finish it! Since I had to do the whole BO in the last hours of deadline it made my hand go numb!
BUT, I bet you’ll fall in love with the shawl so much (I love wearing mine) you’ll find yourself contemplating knitting another sooner than you think! Beautiful colors!
Mansfield Garden and Fragrant are gorgeous…might push me over the edge. I hope you still have those in the shop when I come in May.
Sheri your Sothia is beautiful – I am READY for ruffles despite your warnings – I have done several with ruffles and actually I like mindless knitting for when I am tired.
I have never tried MadTosh ML so my only dilemma is whether to do two colors or not – It’s so hard to pick two colors when you can’t see them in person.
I really like Dried Roses – it is out of the box color for me however I could not decide if anything else went well enough with it or not. Someone was saying when doing 2 color shawls you have to get enough contrast for the stripes to show so that sounds tricky to me.
Hope the Easter bunny brings you lots of chocolate eggs. Melody
what about:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flamboyan
I think it will be my first ever two colour shawl! Now to pick the colours…
Love your Sothia. I made one for camp last year and will make another. I love the mindless neverending ruffles for car or knit nite knitting. My husband calls it idiot knitting. And he may be right. Any hints about the first camp project?
I’m working on a Sothia now. I have several sets of yarn picked out, too, including two colors of Wollmeise that are begging to go together!
Love the shots of the shop and all the YARN! Two color shawls…I’v got a couple on my to do list. I’m trying to clear my wip for a TIG Pamuya that is screaming at me in my queue! And I have some really pretty Tosh Light Fragrant that is waiting for its mate (color unknown right now, but I was out gazing at yarn yesterday!) for a two colored shawl. Happy Easter!
I’ve just finished the Vulpix, a Stephen West club pattern, and loved working a two-clour shawl!
Unfortunately, it was snatched up as soon as it was finished. The downside of unisex designs…
I’ve only done one two color shawl. It was a ton of fun, but it is a very simple stripe pattern. I kind of wish I’d done one with something like a ruffle or actual lace pattern.
Your Sothia turned out just beautifully! And yes, the ruffle is HALF the project time-wise but I think it really makes the piece kinda’ special. 🙂 Yours certainly is!