ISE5

I got my ISE5 scarf!! Here is a shiny picture of the package--I was so eager to unwrap it that I couldn't take a better photo. I then didn't post for a couple days because my electricity went out from a fuse that blew itself while I was sleeping. It's harder to find fuses here than I thought--I got yelled at by one clerk in a store that didn't have them, finally found them in another store and the cashier wouldn't let me by them, possibly because I appeared a bit suspect because I was buying the store's entire stock of baking soda (which comes in pathetic little 50 g packets here--trying to make bath fizzies means a lot of packets), which irked the nosy neighbor behind me in line who asked me three times what I did I need so much baking soda for. I should have said cleaning, which I know the german word for. Instead I just kept saying I didn't know the word. Anyway, I finally found, and was able to buy, fuses at another store. Really, if my life was a movie, I wouldn't believe it, it's so absurd! Onto the goodness:




Here is the scarf--I love it!! I had requested something a bit longer, but I actually *love* the length of this. I'm such an automaton that I had requested exactly what I'd always knit for myself, and I tend to get stuck in ruts. That's what is so great about this scarf exchange--someone else makes something and of course the minute I put it on I love it, and it gets me out of the little box I sometimes get stuck in! The yarn is so soft and I love the colors! Plus it was all minty smelling from the other goodies--mmmmm! Thanks, Cecily!!!



And, yes, that IS the periodic table on my shower curtain. Partially hidden in the mirror by the poster of Geometric shapes with formulae for their areas and volumes....

Oooohh!

Wow this came out nice! I guess that whole blocking thing is a good idea!

Scarf started!!

I found some yarn for my spoilee's scarf!! The yarn selection is pretty disappointing to me over here in Switzerland, but I think I'm used to being spoiled a bit with big stores and a lot of selection. I decided I wanted to knit something lighter, so I wanted a very fine yarn, but I couldn't find any at all lighter than sport weight. Very strange. They also arrange the yarn here by color rather than yarn composition. I know that's great for the color folks, but I tend to be more of a fiber person--I want to go around touching different yarn blends until I find the one that's the right feel and weight, and then pick the color. Here I am drawn to the burgandy box (I'm obsessed with that color), and then I find a yarn I really like, but when I go to find it in another color, I can't seem to dig it out. Grr. Enough ranting.

I decided to just go with something lightish and fluffy and knit it on freakishly large needles. Here's is a whiteout (too much flash) shot of the yarn, which really captures the color and the halo-y aspect of it!



And here is the first half-repeat of the pattern I'm trying out: "Japanese Feather" from Barbara Walker's 2nd treasury. It's hard to see the wavy edges since I didn't knit much yet, but it's so light it practically floats! I'm knitting it on that size 15 (10mm) needle, but I slipped it onto another one just for the photo. I'm finding it hard to knit on bamboo--I normally knit everything on Addi Turbos (that long skinny thing is the only pair of straight needles I own)... Ironically, living in Switzerland, less than an hour from Germany, I am unable to find a store selling Addi Turbos. Which are german. I also can't find anyone selling the german Halflinger slippers I am addicted to.