Purple Haze

This summer, I've been going through a purple knitting phase.

Behold:

The lovely (and finished!) Hypotenuse shawl, knit in Rowan Felted Tweed, was one of the most fun knits I've done in a long time.  This thing flew of the needles.  Sadly, the colour (Horizon) is discontinued, but Rowan still maintains an admirable selection of other colours to chose from.  Although this colour doesn't qualify as purple per se, it has blue and purple and gray undertones.  It's gorgeous, and if someone can snag this shade in a close-out, I'm sure they won't be disappointed.

I've started a pair of toe-up, magic loop socks in Rowan Fine Art, colourway Tawny.  I think my sock-knitting days might be ruined, because the feel of this yarn puts my ample sock wool collection to shame. This sock is still in its infancy and might be frogged yet.  I need to lay my hands on a pair of fixed circulars, because my interchangeable Hiya Hiya 2.75mm bamboos aren't cutting it.  I was shown a super quick toe-up cast on method that is so easy I won't even feel bad for restarting.  My knitting neighbour has been trying to convert me to magic loop sock knitting for a while now, and I have a feeling she will finally assimilate me.  There is a pair of Addi Lace fixed circs with my name on them, just waiting for me to pick them up.  I'll report back.

The two skeins of Kidsilk Haze in a purple called Ultra is but the tip of the wooly iceberg.  Sadly, it's hard to get this colour to represent correctly on the screen.  It's not called Ultra for nothing.  I have seven skeins of this gorgeousness, and will soon cast on Lily Chin's Reversible Cabled-Rib shawl.  I've had my eyes on this pattern since Vogue Knitting published it in their 1999/2000 magazine.  Spurred on by Kelly's breathtaking blog post about hers, I succumbed to the temptation that is KSH.

The variegated skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe will become Rowan's Belle cardigan, designed by Lisa Richardson.  I started the back two days ago, and it's growing quite quickly, despite the teeny 3.25mm needles.  I bought four 50g skeins for good measure, and the cardi will only require three.  I think the remaining skein will become Churchmouse Yarn's Bias 'Before-and-After' Scarf, a simple, easy and effective pattern that will use up any dribs and drabs of yarn leftover from the cardi.  Getting to use up every last little bit of KSH would make my heart sing.  (No, it doesn't take much to make me happy).

Kidsilk Haze from Rowan is referred to as KSH by addicts die-hard knitters.  It's the crack equivalent of the wool world, and isn't nicknamed Kidsilk Crack for nothing.  Knitting with KSH is an ethereal experience. 

Onward I forge!