My poor wee clapotis

Hello from Maryland!

The good Flibbertygibbet turned me on to this whole "clapotis" thing at Purl Soho last June, and when I read the enticing description on knitty.com I was intrigued. Not a day later one of the local Michael's (there are 3 within 10 miles of here, plus the biggest Joann's in the country, and 2 awesome lys. Am very spoiled.) had some lovely Caron Black Magic yarn in Magenta mix on sale. Two strands woven together, one black and the other alternating pink and green, my current favourite colour mix. And seven balls of it, $2 a ball?! Sure you couldn't beat it with a big stick. I bought it, brought it home, introduced it to its brothers and sisters in the stash, and didn't pick it up again till a couple of weeks ago.

It was at this point I picked up the pattern again. "Hmm, Lorna's lace recommended, don't have that...sure this worsted weight stuff will do fine. And 7 balls is loads. Size 8 needles...nope...ah these size 10s will be fine, sure I am a tight knitter anyway."

And off I go. Very excited. Saw Flib's beautiful creation, and all the others you've been working on. Yay can't wait to wear mine and attain that aura of French chicness.

Brought it, still on first ball, along to the local Borders (book store), to join the Wednesday night knitting group. Great fun, so nice to knit without dogs (2) children (1) and men (1) demanding attention. When I got home, however, and remembered to take a picture - here was the result...

See that? That's not the lighting/camera-angle/glaucoma. That's what happens when you don't check your dye lots...

I dislike frogging carefully (ahem) crafted knitting as much as the next tense-shouldered girl and so upon reflection I decided to carry on. It turns out I had bought 3 dye-lot 74, and 4 dye -lot 68. So I would alternate them, in a "yea I know the colours are a little odd its meant to be like that" kind of way. Come on now, you'd have done the same.

So, having a trip to West Virginia (that's what I love about my job, the glamour) I took the clapotis along with me, intending to unveil it upon my return. Well. Again, so here's what I'm working with...

Kind of blurry - but see how the pink and green are unravelling?? Grr...Could be why the stuff was on such a great sale...

And here's as far as I got...

(Note lovely hotel-room bedspread.) This is a little over halfway done. Why stop there? you ask. Because (and I know you saw this coming) I. ran. out. of. yarn.

AAAAAAAAhhhh

So back I went to Michaels. Hey I am nothing if not hopeful. And would you believe - they had one ball left. It was one of those sad little balls with no label on it, collecting dustbunnies in the clearance bin. probably another dye-lot, but who cares.

I decided to cut my losses, and "turn" the clapotis at this point, rationalizing that as it's worsted weight yarn instead of the (wisely) suggested lace weight, it'll be plenty warm, anything bigger could rightly be called a blanket, etc.

And I still ran out.

God bless e-bay, I bought 2 balls of it (the fourth dye-lot thank you very much) and when they get here I will finally finish it.

What have I got myself into!?