I could have used this yesterday - they cranked up the a/c in my building without letting anyone know. (I should have guessed when I drove up and saw that all the windows were covered in condensation):



It's the Lion Suede shawl!

And here's the back:


This is the crocheted shawl off of the label. To my disappointment, it's not as big and enveloping as it looks on the label (surely, the model they used was one of those stick-insect women who never lifts anything heavier than a fork, if she even lifts that). Often triangle shawls disappoint me in that way - I have broad shoulders (not FREAKISHLY broad, I think, but broad for a woman), and it seems the triangle shawls always cover the parts of my arms that sleeves ALREADY cover - what I really want is something to keep my lower arms warm.

Yeah, yeah, I could wear it "slipped" off my shoulders like you see in Gone With The Wind and other "period" movies, but I don't like having to do the constant fidget-adjust necessary to keep it from falling on the floor - all you can do with a shawl around your middle back is stand there and look pretty, and I'm not much of one for just standing around.

As for the yarn - way back when I bought it I promised a mini-review. Would I use it again? Possibly, but only for accessories. It's very thick. It's somewhat reminiscent of their bulky chenille, but without the chenille problems of fraying all over the places. It might work for a vest - although I didn't particularly care for the vest made of it in the most recent Interweave (I think they used the wrong body-type model; on a different woman it might have looked better). I don't think I'd want an entire sweater of it; it's a heavy (weighty) yarn without being particularly warm.

I think it would be nice for a hat, or perhaps a bag.

Otherwise, I doubt I'd buy it again unless there was a pattern specifically calling for it that I wanted to make.

In other news, I'm still contemplating the Rowan purchase. I could afford it right now, that's not the issue, but I have SO MANY projects ahead - I'm trying to work at least a few sleeve rows on Zelda each day so I can have that done sometime (I hope to have it done before I take my second mini-vacation in August, but I kind of doubt I will). I think my next sweater-type project will be the second Bookworm vest out of the Fable I got for my birthday. And then, maybe the Fibonacci sweater, or the "Grandpa's Cardigan" I plan to make of Nature Wool.

I also - ahem - have yarn in stash for a THIRD Bookworm Vest. It's a handspun from my latest trip to Yarn Again - it's in what I'd call Monet colors, predominantly green and purple. I bought a pound of it (all there was) - handspinners tend to have the habit of not giving yardage and I "think" in yardage. I'm pretty sure there's enough of the yarn, and it's the right weight.

I'm contemplating sending the link to the Jimmy Bean's site (or another online source if there's one that's cheaper) to my dad with a suggestion that it might make a good Christmas present for
me.

(although part of me says - if you wait till after Christmas to see if you get the yarn, Rowan will either discontinue the yarn or will discontinue the color you want. I've been burned too many times by yarn companies - and it's bad of them to do that; one of my fundamental personality quirks is that I have an inborn fear of 'if I put off getting what I want, I will somehow be thwarted from getting it.' I know, yarn is way down there on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, but still - it's really disappointing to get your heart set on a particular color, and then find that it's not to be had anywhere...)