I’m not busy enough. Obviously I’m not, or else I wouldn’t be starting this project. I mean, who DOESN’T have time for a 365 project, an afghan, and a full time job, and with time to spare? Hah! This, of course, is why I decided to start the Catkin by Carina Spencer.

It all started on Valentine’s Day, when my loving husband made me browse the local yarn shop as a stalling method so he could set up the last bits of my surprise. As I was starting to get antsy, he let me know that I could pick one out. It was a beautiful Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Candlewick, a gorgeous yellow. I had no idea what it would be used for, but I knew it would be beautiful. I found the Catkin and fell in love.

I went back and got my second color, practiced the swatch pattern in worsted weight yarn, wound my hanks into perfect little cakes…

Already I’ve learned a lot. For one thing, I didn’t know how to do a provisional cast-on. I still only kind of get it, but it seems to have worked! I will also be the queen of M1L and M1R by the end of this.

I did my practice swatch in worsted weight yarn first to get an understanding of it, and I learned that carrying the yarn in the back of the catkin bloom is s something that needs to be done LOOSE! My gauge with the Tosh came out a little small, so I’m using size 5s.  Though I did rip out my swatch because I’m paranoid about running out of yarn.

I started a few times, messing up on the provisional edge, then got 20 rows in, discovered that my yarns weren’t twisting as I carried them along the edge. So, since I want this to be beautiful, I ripped it out and started from the beginning. I think I will be using a lifeline several times in this pattern, since I’m still not good at fixing mistakes.

*Note: It wasn’t until a few days after I got the yarn that I realized that I had also gotten a Madeline Tosh Merino Light over the holidays, but the color didn’t match, so I still have that to play with later!