Springtime in Philadelphia

There is something especially beautiful about this time of year in Philadelphia. While the winters here do not even come close to what I experienced prior, there is still something really magical about spring: the cherry blossoms, Maryland Sheep and Wool*, the end of school, the promise of fresh, readily available local fruits and vegetables (in my backyard -- crosses fingers -- and out in the world) and warmer weather. Especially the warmer weather.

This spring, though, has been a finicky, elusive and seductive mistress. She has come and gone without a word or explanation, requiring winter jackets, flirty dresses and flipflops, a scarf always at hand, tank tops and wool socks all in the same week. One day, I am layering (one of my favorite activities) shirts and cardigans and scarves, another I am frantically trying to peel off as many layers as quickly as possible in order to avoid heat stroke.

There are still days where I still need a hat, scarf or jacket just in case, and so I knit Springtime in Philadelphia**, a lacey beret knit out of the new koigu silk blend, Mori. The combination of yarn, color and stitch pattern give it a springier feel, while the warmth and function still acknowledge the potential for colder weather.

I consider myself to be someone who understands how to knit lace well -- I am much more of a lace knitter then, say, a cable knitter (why? I have no idea -- something about too many cabled polo cardigans growing up in New England) yet I am pretty confident in my ability to chart a cable pattern with no problem. Designing and charting lace, on the other hand -- especially when the number of stitches is increasing -- was something I had never done.
I started this beret at a time I usually reserve for stockinette (finals), but somehow the intellectual and knitting challenge of designing and charting as I went was soothing and comforting when I was feeling out of control at school and gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
I knit it from the top down and the only thing I wish was different was the yarn requirement: I had to dip into a second skein for the last few rows of the body and ribbing, so it was no longer a 1 skein project to try out the Mori. Other than that, it came out pretty much exactly as I had envisioned and the yarn is flipping great. It is shiny, drapey, warm without being stifling (I wore it today!) and my first time using a speckled koigu. It has been a long time since I finished something!

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*Sheep and Wool: I went, was gluttonous, had the pleasure of meeting some localish bloggers and officially decided I would never wake up at 5 a.m. for anything else. It is too late for a real post (and I didn't take a single photo) but it was great fun.

**Second actual real name for a finished self-designed knit!
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Thanks for the kind words re: the website. It feels good to be done (and I am pretty sure I know have the wherewithal to switch the blog over someday)

Megan, I swear I tried to smile for you. But, as you can plainly see, I look like I am Crazypants.