the lives of a ball of yarn9

Nine lives of a ball of yarn.  It started back in September when Mike and I went camping in South Dakota for our 10th Anniversary.  Part of my vacationly mission was to find a yarn shop deep in the Black Hills.  To find a skein of yarn spun with rich history and magic by a local resident artisan, but no.  None to be found.  Anywhere.  I asked around at local restaurants and museums, older women at historical centers, and even a crafty looking woman at a gas station.  "Sorry, I don't know of anyone who sells yarn."  Humpf.  Now I know this can't be true.  It gets cold in South Dakota.  I mean really cold.  And I'm certain there must be someone, somewhere in the area who loves to warm their head with a toasty hand knit hat.  

Then we saw the barn!  The maneuver Mike did with our Kia rental when I yelled, "YARN"  was Hollywood movie worthy.  The man who runs the little shop was so friendly and did you know that his father in law raises a flock of 100 sheep and his wife spins a bit of the wool for fun, but they don't sell locally anymore, because no one was interested.  

They did however, have a whole wall devoted to Lamb's Pride {aka Brown Sheep Co.} and when I saw the pile of Burly Spun in the perfect shade of Grassy Knoll, I bought the whole lot.  

I have six skeins total.  792 yards.  48 ounces.

So began the task of writing up the sweater pattern I'd been dreaming of for a while.  A coat, really. Top down with pleats, a tab in the back, giant tree branch buttons, and a pointed pixie hood.  With a simple bit of math and a gauge swatch done, I was set to go.  The gauge, btw, is 2 stitches to the inch!

I knit the whole thing to the pleats three times {with variations, of course}.  Each time, not really loving the way the fabric was draping on my body.  I'm 5'2" and top heavy with skinny legs. I really should have known that a long coat with bulky yarn and pleats was not the way to go, but I assured myself that if I could just get the shaping right it would be flattering and slimming.  {hindsight, I know.}   Well, when I finally had it right, with a shape I could live with and the sleeves done, and the hood almost finished...  I ran out of yarn.  Of course I found what I needed online, but I was already into this coat for a small fortune and I just didn't love it enough to fork over the extra cash to finish it.  And the hood was the best thing this coat had going for it, so I frogged it.  Again.

Now the obvious question: What in the world do I make with all that yarn?  With some inspiration from friends, I thought it would be fun to put together nine small projects.

Nine project that are quick, easy and fun! I hope you enjoy~

The Parker Hat

fun and playful, wide seed stitch edge, crazy giant pom

pom topper, one size fits most teens & adults

Renee

a seed stitch cowlthick, warm, and a little bit pretty

Puck

irresistible and mischievous, pointed

top with pom pom

Boot Cuffs

a little pick~me~up for those boring, brown mud boots

Soft Pillow

a square pillow, knit in the round, finished with a seed stitch flap, closed with wooden tree branch

buttons, soft and squeezable

Soap Sack

a small pouch, a place to put all the slivers of soap, knit in the

round, cinched with a drawstring

Fingerless Mittens

something for the guys, knit in the round, rugged and warm

Door Snake

for old houses with drafty windows and doors, knit length wise on a

long circular needle

Fringed Ascot

by request, a non~tradition twist

on the formal neckband

To purchase knitting patterns in this series, visit:

Website:www.thesittingtree.net

Etsy:www.etsy.com/shop/thesittingtree

Ravelry:http://www.ravelry.com/designers/elizabeth-murphy