We'll Always Have Paris.

Project #49 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Gay Paree City Scarf

My big souvenir while in Paris this fall was yarn. I figured it was the perfect momento, it's pretty, it triggers the memory, it's not some little trinket to clutter up the house and it gives me something to do. That's like 4 positive aspects, so it must be an awesome souvenir, right?

In a somewhat nightmare trip to Le Bonne Marche, I picked out two different yarns this bulky Bouton d'Or (French yarn to remind me of the fun we had in Paris) and a fingering weight Phildar Lambswool (in purple that reminds me of the time we spent wandering the streets of Rome and Venice).

Though I don't typically stray from the worsted and sport weights, I was drawn to the bulky Bouton d'Or for it's beautiful mix of oranges and purples, so I had to pick it up. It ended up being a bonus that it feels really great.

It has taken a few months to finally get the time to make something for myself using the yarn, but I've been thinking about digging in since returning. I mean, I even bought a new nice winter coat to showcase the scarf I planned on making with it.

The coat is another story, but just let me say that I LOVE my new cream wool funnel neck coat. As I walk around downtown, amongst the sea of black and dark gray coats, I feel a million times happier than those people look.

So anyways, as December wound down and all my Christmas presents were wrapped up, I got to work (perfect timing with all the car time we had for the holiday). I used the Windy City scarf pattern from Stitch N Bitch knowing I was most likely going to have a short scarf as I only had three balls. With the keyhole, it would be sure to stay wrapped around my neck even if it was short.

In the end, I would have loved for it to be just a tad bit longer or had the keyhole positioned slightly further up so my ends would be even, but with a little finagling, I can make it look that way.

Now I just have to get on those mitts I have planned for the "Italian" souvenir yarn and make myself a new hat that won't horribly clash with the scarf. Hopefully those can be finished before the winter ends. Hmm, maybe I should make the hat first. Ugh, what am I saying? I can't believe I'm even contemplating knitting another hat so soon. I went to the "fancy" yarn store yesterday to pick out yarn to coordinate, so all I need to figure out is a pattern. And despite my record with hats as of late, I'm thinking I could pump out a hat faster than flip-top mitts (which I plan on knitting 2-at-a-time on circulars, just got a book on how to do socks that way so I'm hoping mitts can work the same way) so at least I would get use out of them and not have to wear my little snowboarded skullcap anymore which really takes away from the pretty cream wool coat. I'm ok with keeping the black glow-in-the-dark skeleton gloves for the time being, but the hat I'd like to change. I've been a bit spoiled with my bubble yum pink button-tab so far this winter. It's not so tight that is gives me hat hair, so I don't feel the need to pull my hair into a pony-tail when I take it off.

I guess only time will tell wear the new year takes me, right? ;)