For Lent this year, I decided it was time to observe it with something that really would be a true challenge. I’ve previously abstained from some of my favourite treats, but those never really felt like a proper emotional and mental challenge. So this year I decided to abstain from buying yarn, which presents a tougher than usual challenge, as my favourite yarn company have a cracking Spring sale on, and I’d usually be spending a small fortune stocking up on my favourites. In addition, I’ve taken on the challenge of making a cardigan using any oddments, dye lot ends and scraps to make a cardigan, to ensure that none of those lovely bits and pieces go to waste.
In my first week, I’ve cast on a 2x2 rib, using a colour that I know I have a few balls of, so can use the same colour on pockets and trims. I’m then working in stocking stitch for the main section of the cardigan, which is being worked in one piece, so I’ve had to add in the extension on the circular needles! All the rows are being worked from the right side, as it doesn’t really matter if I don’t work any wrong side purl rows, as all colours are only being used for one row. On my first attempt, I tried to get all the way across one row with one colour, but I quickly changed my mind on this for 2 reasons. One – some of the scraps are so small they wont do a whole row, and two – it actually didn’t look very pretty having such a narrow stripe of each colour. So back to the top of the rib, and this time, I’m working each row alternating between two colours. This way, even if one of the pieces runs out, I can start a new one in a similar colour and it doesn’t stand out that I’ve had a colour change. It’s also pretty cute to look at.
One downside of working with all these small pieces of colour – the ends!!!! So, I’m going to make sure that once I’ve worked a couple more cm. I weave all those ends in as I go (in the spirit of the good intentions I started the challenge with!).
I’ll update next week with my progress.
-Michelle x