When I bought these two skeins of Crazy Zauberball (75% Superwash Wool/25% Polyamide) in Amsterdam at Stephen and Penelope, I had the idea that they would combine to make a really outstanding shawl.
Here's how the yarn is described by the manufacturer: "Zauberball has been kicked up a notch, as two strands of the main ply have been dyed individually and then twisted together for a crazy combination in Zauberball Crazy! The end result is a self-striping multi-colored pattern, with a bold variegated design."
You can really see the intricacy of the colours in a closeup.
I thought I would have no problem finding just the right pattern, but it actually took me quite a while and a great deal of consideration. The pattern needed to be simple enough that it would allow the colourways to do the heavy lifting yet meaty enough that it would hold my attention and result in an accessory I would actually want to wear.
It ultimately came down to a choice between Foolproof and Pendulum, both available for purchase on Ravelry. I chose Foolproof because the designer's description intrigued me greatly:
"It’s an intriguing construction; a real mystery.
How about a cowl with no casting on & no binding off?
It’s made in rows but ends up all in one piece.
There’s no knitting in the round, no sewing, no grafting, no provisional cast-on, no picking up stitches. Promise.
You can make it to your own custom size, in your own choice of yarn without having to make a tension square. No kidding.
No purling, no knitting. Oh, wait, just joking - there is knitting - it’s garter stitch - with funky stripes and some easy intermediate increasing & decreasing."
So I cast on during a chatty evening with friends. I had to restart a couple of times because my needles were extra slippery and somehow I kept losing count (the moscato may have been a factor). In no time at all, I knew I had made a great choice for this yarn combo. Just LOOK at the halfway shot.
Originally run as a mystery knit-along, the pattern is given in a series of four clues, four sections that you knit in sequence. During the early clues, the structure is baffling. Even seeing shots of finished pieces, I still had a hard time understanding how I was going to get from here to there. It made for a very interesting knit indeed.
Plus, the dreamy colour changes along the way were really enchanting. Most of the finished Foolproofs I've seen involve two solid colours and they're lovely, but I do have to say my choice of yarns was inspired.
The Foolproof looks lovely hanging down and absolutely gorgeous looped twice. I wore it last week, and the young man working the check-in desk at the hotel where I was staying called to me halfway across the lobby to tell me he liked my pretty scarf. It's an eye catcher, alright!
I'll very likely make it again. Next time, I might try the variation called "Free Spirits," which allows you to choose your own weight of yarn, size and striping. Ooooo....
