The Dreaded YOs Strike Again

OK, so I thought I had mastered the dreaded yarn-overs and was ready to take on a more challenging project. I was SO wrong! This is a rather long story; so if you are busy, you might want to skip it or, if you have the time, just curl up with a good cup of tea (may I suggest TnRs own 'Mozart' blend) and read on.

While reading The Yarnarian's blog a week or so ago I came across an absolutely beautiful new yarn (yes, definitely earth tones with lots of brown hue...you knew that already, didn't you) she had dyed. The Yarnarian had been browsing art books and a picture in the book on John Singer Sargent particularly caught her eye.

She says, "When I look at a painting, I first see the composition and subject, and then I look at the colors, and Sargent was brilliant in his choice of colors. What I did was look at each painting, and then whatever area of colors my eye was drawn to, that's what I tried to dye. So if you should look at any of these paintings, please note that I singled out a small portion of each one." As she says, the boat caught her eye and, hence the yarn and the name of the color "The Boating Party". And since one of my all time favorite paintings is Renoir's "The Luncheon of the Boating Party"...you already know what happened.

Well this yarn called to me and , even though I ABSOLUTELY do NOT need any more yarn and especially I do NOT need any more sock yarn, I rushed to her Etsy store and bought it. It arrived in a couple of days and the colors were everything I thought they would be...just warm and lush and lovely. Now, what do I need to knit with this yarn...not socks - it is too lovely to hide in shoes...I know, a small triangular kinda lace shawl. Perfect...and The Yarnarian had exactly the one I wanted in her Ravelry store...the Garland Shawl...not too lacy (I am not a 'lacy' person) but just enough and the pictures looked really nice...so I bought the pattern and was ready to go. And go I did...and frog I did...and go I did...and frog I did....and go I did and...you get the picture! Frustration was setting in, but I refused to give in; so I took yarn and pattern to my knitting circle and, YES, my lace-knitting teacher, Dearest Rita, was there that night. I thrust the pattern and my sadly lopsided attempt at the shawl at her and cried "I really hate YOs!!" After a few minutes contemplation, she realized that the pattern started at the neck edge and I had thought it started at the point end (the pattern did not say) and also my knit-to-purl YOs were non-existent; hence the lop-sided nature of my 4th attempt...that is because I didn't know how to do them. Dearest Rita patently explained the pattern and the YO and sent me home happy and convinced I would prevail! After frogging 3 more times (for a total of 7), I was finally on-my-way and now I can't put it down...I am really lovin' knitting this triangular lace shawl...YOs and all! Here's a close-up of the center section showing those blasted knit-to-purl YOs (the bigger holes on the right of the picture...don't really like the asymmetry, but what-the-heck) mastered...at least for now! Thank you, Dearest Rita.