Both from a micro view and a macro view, the Rios Slip Stitch Afghan is looking good. Though it did require that I finish half of it to be certain.

Determining When a Project Is Looking Good

Yes, Malabrigo Rios is a really beautiful yarn. And yes, I chose some really beautiful colorways of the yarn for this project. And over the years, I’ve come to understand how to successfully blend variegated, multi-colored yarns.

But I was a bit thrown when I finished the first wide, horizontal stripe of this afghan.

I didn’t dislike the fabric that was created. But it was definitely NOT what I expected. The purple yarn was much more mottled than variegated. I also expected the stitch pattern to highlight the purple yarn more than the green yarn. I was worried that these two effects might ruin the overall plan I had for the afghan.

Fortunately, the many years of working with multi-colored yarns reminded me that I can’t evaluate an entire project on a few inches of knitting. It requires a much more macro view to determine if a project is going to be successful. And what’s the worst that could have happened? I’d have had to rip out all the work and start again? It’s knitting…and I love knitting. Even when it’s re-doing knitting.

But now I’m halfway through the afghan project. And I needn’t have worried at all.

Knit-friend Selma calls my favorite palette of colors “broody.” I usually go with deep and saturated and rich.

Either way, I’m quite pleased with how this project is turning out.

Current Knitting

Having finished half the afghan in less than two weeks, I’m confident it will be finished in plenty of time for the upcoming Men’s Knitting Retreat.

Five stripes of the ten completed and I’m very happy with where it’s going. I’m not even sure that if I planned it out as described in the last blog entry, it would have made me feel any better about it.