Saturday Stash

What a funny week it's been.  I seem to have accomplished very little while knitting steadily -  as much as I can each day.
I did go for a day-long tour of community centers on a big yellow school bus with a bunch of folks who are planning their own center.  We just went for fun, really, since our little center will never grow any bigger.  There were some interesting ideas and we met some nice people along the way.  I can't knit on a bus or in a car - not a pretty result - so that was a few hours lost.

Enough kvetching.  Here's the tally for this week.  Charlie's cardi is almost done but I'm having finishing issues.  I haven't done the button bands yet because I'm thinking I might just put in a zip instead.   The sweater turned out heavier and a bit more jacket-ish than I had anticipated.  But in looking through my stash of zips these are the only two appropriate (sort of) colors.  White...
 

...or blue. My button collection is not being helpful either so I can't even show a mock-up.  So, the choice for Charlie to make: zip or buttons?  And, just to add another level of interest, I have enough yarn let to put a hood on this cardi.  It would be fairly simple at this stage.  I see it with a band of the same waffle stitch.  But what does Charlie think?

Still on the needles:  a warm and soft scarf in a worsted weight acrylic.  Ball bands are gone - don't ask me what it is.  I'm in love with reversible cables, especially on a scarf.  And this pattern, On the Side by Abby Tohline had the perfect contrasting elements for me.  That cool cable winding through the field of seed stitch.  The texture is wonderful in this yarn.  I made it a little wider than normal but I think that would be welcome on a cold winter day.

And, just finished:  a scarf I am calling Blueridge for obvious reasons.  This is a bit of yarn that I found in the thrift shop a long time ago.  It's a blend of mohair, cotton, acrylic and nylon - it knits up very light and fluffy. without all the mohair fibers flying everywhere.  The pattern I used is this one by Nancy Kleiber.  Very easy and the ruffles are fun.

And, just to round out a week, here's a shot of the latest garden bed.  Anne whipped this one together with some of the better leftover deck boards (untreated).    This is a nice sunny location and will probably be another home for squash next summer.  Right now it's waiting for soil but we've got time.  I find this bed very pleasing to look at even without any resident plants.  My favorite shape is the triangle; I'm sure that's why. 

One of the most fun parts of this stash pledge is that I can search for and try out many patterns.  It's wonderful to have so much online - and free!  It's so hard to settle down to just one.  A lot of swatching goes on around here.  The hardest part is resisting the blandishments of the various yarn companies newsletters.  It's tough but I keep telling myself that they'll still be there in January when I'm ready to stock up again.  Won't they?