Habu Paper and Cashmere Spring Shawl

I started working on this shawl and its burgundy twin two years ago, but was stymied by instructions that appear to be full of mistakes and miscalculations, and ran out of cashmere required for the six cashmere-only "Ears of Grass" panels, and to strand with Shosenshi paper on the stockinette panels. 

The cashmere is A-34 in colorway 1305, discontinued by Habu because of inconsistent production. It has a more greenish cast than pictured here.  I hoped to find some somewhere else on the internet, whether a retailer or owner with extra, but no luck.  Habu owners tend to hold on their yarn even if they don't know what they want to do with it.  No criticism here - everyone knows that I hoard Habu too.  Finding a substitute yarn has proven difficult too.  Even the other yellow-greenish Habu cashmere isn't quite right.

So since I can't calculate exactly how much I'll need because the gauge estimates in the pattern appear to be wrong, I've decided to knit a panel with two plies of cashmere instead of three to see how it looks. If I like it, I'll knit all the panels until I run out.  Hopefully I'll have enough to to complete all six.  Then I'll strand one of the substitute yarns with the Shosenshi for the stockinette panels.

I'm using a US4 and 4.25 needles instead of the US2s called for to get six 4 inch cashmere-only panels, and US6 instead of the US3 for the seven 7.24" stockinette panels.  That should create a 20x74" shawl. 

Let's see how this goes...

Habu Hempathy Skirt

I always start things a bit late.  I didn't know there was a Ravelympics 2010 until two days into the Olympics.  Without a second thought, I jumped up and grabbed some yarn out of my stash and began knitting this skirt.  To be fair, the concept for this skirt had been stewing in my mind for a while.  It was inspired by a Ralph Rucci collection and Habu stainless steel.  And I needed a black skirt.  I quickly knit a swatch, determined the gauge, then cast on, using US4 Addi Lace Weights. 

The body of the skirt is knit with black Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy.  (I don't know why it looks blue in the photos.)  I will probably use Habu Tsumugi Silk next time.  The transparent bands are Habu Silk Stainless Steel.  They are placed to create the effect of a short skirt, offset by the below-the-knee total length.  I wanted somethiing conservative for work but not matronly.  It also had to be modest when sitting.  The skirt is knit in the round, has a provisional cast on hem, and an elastic waist band.  A simple and quick knit, completed within the two weeks of the Olympics.

I am pleased with the outcome.  My model/knit-sibling Deb makes it look even better.  I'm grateful that she agreed to model it for me, and had the patience to endure the twenty or so shots I made.  Thanks, Deb!