Butterfly

Sweater

Yarn: Skacel Divine (11 balls)

Needles: US #4

Wrap Skirt

Yarn: Plymouth Royal Silk Merino (Main Color), Skacel Divine (Motif Color), Berroco Jasper (Contrast Band)

Needles: US #6

This truly was a project with a life of its own.  I pretty much just winged it as I knit.
Planned on a cardi knitted from top down with shaped shoulder and set-in sleeves, but as soon as I knitted the shoulders I was thinking another tunic dress of short sleeves again.  Then halfway through the body I realized I wanted bell sleeves.  So I put the body on scrap yarn and knitted the sleeves top-down to see how much yarn I'd have left. After sleeves, I had only enough for a regular length sweater. When I almost finished with the sweater, I wanted something else 'cause I was getting soooo bored.  As much as I love knitting with the yarn, I really wasn't inspired by the color. The st st just seemed to go on and on forever.  I had this idea of a single butterfly motif on a skirt.  For the longest time I'd been thinking about butterfly motif on a sweater.  But I never got around to it because I just couldn't bring myself to drawing butterflies - because that's what teenage girls draw. Then last week I read this article on NY Times about Nabokov's theory on butterfly migration. Well, if Nabokov was into butterflies too, then it can't be that silly.  I put the sweater on hold again and got busy with the skirt.

I immediately thought of a wrap skirt and honestly I can't even remember why.  I decided to knit it sideway because it gives me the chance to try it on as I go since I really don't enjoy a lot of planning when I design my own sweater.  I was determined to put in some effort knitting from my too large stash this year so I got out the light green Plymouth Silk Merino I have, also some Berroco Jasper that I never knew what to do with it.  Some improvisation on short rows at the end hoping for better fit.   When I was almost done with the skirt, I realized it can also be worn as a shawl of some sort.  When I tried it on I loved the look of shawl.

Blocking is just magic.  I did rather aggressive blocking to make it more a trapezoid shape of a skirt.

After finishing the skirt.  I finally went back and finished the sweater before I can change my mind or come up with some other ideas again. 

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I've been obsessed with watching and reading the news from Egypt for the past few days.  My heart goes out to all the people in Egypt who are fighting for a better country.   I'd lived in Taiwan during an era when democracy was a something the government claimed we had but not practiced in real life.  I remember the days any opposition voice was silenced. I remember what it was like even as a little kid knowing what I can and cannot say.  I remember how presidency was held by the same leader for a long time and then passed down to his son.  I remember the oppressive social climate. 


The Egyptian protesters' will to fight for a better country is impressive.  It was truly tragic the peaceful demonstration was faced with violence against them.  I hope Egyptian people can have a brighter future very very soon without much more violence and suffering.