Prelude to Jazz

It's been a while since I announced the poodle stole project (March 25) and I must confess that I still do not have the actual stole on the needles. I do have a large alpaca swatch of Wings of the Swan, gull wings and a twisted open cable departing in opposite directions from a central point. Also, currently blocking, I have a small poodle yarn swatch of the Wings of the Swan motif, for the purpose of discovering actual blocked gauge. The result of all I've done so far is that I've discovered I don't have enough poodle for the stole as originally charted and will have to cut out the twisted openwork cables, unless I change the orientation of the motifs and knit the stole lengthwise. That would be all right. However, in the interim, I've sort of developed a hankering to turn this into a capelet. This is the real problem with designing a project - the possibilities abound. An update, with photos (if I can figure out how to post them) will follow in a couple of days.

When I finally got up enough courage to attempt to wind the poodle skeins into balls, I was dismayed to discover that the operation isn't too far removed from attempting to do the same with barbed wire. I knew the fiber was clingy, but had not suspected that the swift simply would not turn! And the shedding! Clouds of soft poodle everywhere! It took a while, but it got done, and the yarn is perfectly pleasant to knit with. Interestingly, it exhibits a woolen elasticity when being worked, but has very little give when being blocked; which dashed my hopes of getting the stole to grow by 25% when I dress the finished product.

You have all put me to shame with your rapid output of lovely lace. It's a good thing that there isn't a deadline. As soon as I get Jazz on the needles, I'll begin charting for a bright salmon kid mohair/silk summer wrap. Not that I have a hope of getting caught up here...