Book review: Shawls, Wraps, and Scarves

Have you ever jonesed for a book, finally got around to actually buying, you brim with excitement while waiting for it to arrive, and then, when you get it in your hands, your response is . . . meh?  You contemplate returning it because you're on a yarn and fabric budget and you have to preserve each dollar.  Yet you paw through it, hoping to find more than one or two patterns you can use. Of course, while you're doing this, you muck it up. And now you can't return it. Suddenly, you find that, yeah, that shawl does look cute. And I could bang that scarf out for what's-her-name.

Well, this is that book.

Something about how you could use something three different ways to come up with sixty patterns!  I'm a sucker for options, that's why I love books by Ann Budd.  I want the ability to disregard the recommended yarn and use what I have on hand.  It's not often that I visit a yarn store with a specific project in mind and buy just for that project. This might account for my large yarn stash. (Have I mentioned that I love yarn?)

Initially, I bought this book because I have several lots of just 1-3 skeins of yarn, and, since moving to SF, the weather and fashion climate is definitely amenable to accessories.  Somewhere in the description or maybe the pictures, I saw or perhaps envisioned, options.  I guess I should have paid a little more attention.  The book sort of gives you options. You get a particular stitch or stitch pattern offered in three styles.  Some of them use different weights of yarn.  But, really, it's just sixty patterns.

To be fair, its probably more me than anything else.  I was looking for something in particular, and I thought it was this.  Now that I officially own it, I've managed to look at it with somewhat fresh eyes.  Some of the shawls are cute, though I'm not terribly into using mohair - very fiddley.  The scarves are almost up my alley, but the jury is still out on the shawlettes.  See exhibit A - the capelet that has been hibernating since 2008.

So, maybe this was less a book review and more about my how I bought a book, ottered it, and now I'm stuck with it.  Have I mentioned that I've already casted on one of the projects?

Flashback Friday: 2008

It's a trip recalling 2008.  Especially now that I'm in SF.  In the spring of 2008, I left the reservation to be with my man in Tucson.  Up until that point, I was largely preoccupied with churning out a lot of quilts as they were in demand, especially during the winter.  I didn't stray much from the usual quilt block assembly, so I didn't feel particularly clever.  Moving to Tucson, however, allowed me to break away from the usual and try something different, among other things.  :P

The Double Wedding Ring quilt was one of those things.  I have always wanted such a quilt, and I didn't want to take any shortcuts.  I only wish I had made a small wall or lap quilt or pillow to start.  Or even just one ring.  Instead, I delved right into a creating bed-size quilt.  Now I feel compelled to stay on course even though it has been five years!

Everytime I pull it out, I marvel at it.  The problem is that it's been a slow process.  Why? Because I didn't plan it out very well.  Sure, I chose the fabrics and gathered the supplies. But I've continued to do this quilt piecemeal, and, to get it completed, I have to start being efficient.  And, well, motivated to be, uh, efficient.

See, you can't just pull out the long ruler and start cutting squares and triangles and whatever.  The acylic templates help, but you still have to cut around them.  I suppose I'm ok with that.

Then, you have to piece them together.  Only, my least favorite part is attaching the second side to the  "melon." 

Am I complaining too much? Sigh.  I just wonder whether other quilters have the bottleneck dilemma.  Everything else comes together well, and I still love the result so far.  So, once again, I'm going to try to take this UFO and finish it.  I have a plan in mind; we'll see if it works!