Dear Kay,
I’ve lost those red socks. They’ve got to be around here somewhere, but I’m going to have to wait until they ooze back up from the primordial muck that is the yarn situation around here these days.
In searching for the red socks, I unearthed a project that has a tragic quality to it. It’s a Citron, that wonderful 2009 pattern by Hilary Smith Callis. It’s a handspun yarn the provenance of which I can’t recall. Somebody made this yarn, and I don’t know who. I AM HAUNTED, I tell you. I feel like I should be giving this person a high five yet none can be given.
The tragedy part is that the Citron was complete, except that it stopped halfway across the cast-off row. The yarn ran out, a sad little thread dangling from the needles indicating that no, there was no more blue handspun to be found. I obviously hadn’t knit fast enough to finish the thing before the yarn ran out. And what kind of lameness let me stuff this back in a bag and give it nary another thought? Cold hearted!
As happens, not long after I came across the Tragic Citron, I unearthed a nice, dense ball of some other handspun, provenance also unknown, of the same weight as the Tragic Citron.
In the spirit of oh-what-the-hell-the-red-socks-are-missing, I immediately undid the sad, failed cast-off and started in with the purpley green handspun.
It’s a little wacky. I definitely would not have conceived of doing this from the get-go. It is definitely a battlefield decision.
I can almost feel the mood of this spinner in this yarn—there are moments when it is as thin as thread, others when it’s loose and fluffy.
I’m at a bit of a crossroads now, could use your help. If I cast off now, this will be the small Citron that you sort of wedge into a jacket collar—it’s pretty small. I made a Citron Grand that is a much lusher proportion, and a lot more to knit. The question is whether to carry on with this purpley green handspun to the larger size, or to cast off now with the small one. I do like watching this yarn unfurl. But the variegation is really not the same action as in the blue yarn, so it’s a bit hinky and not my usual jam.
Anyway, all advice welcome. If the red socks show up, I’m putting this back to marinate another four years or so.
Love,
Ann
PS If you are inclined to make a Citron, I wholeheartedly encourage you. Here’s the thing: Hilary Smith Callis published this in 2009 on Knitty as a free pattern. To date, 12,631 Citrons have been made on Ravelry—who knows how many thousands more are out there. Hilary gained a lot of visibility yet made not a penny. She did publish a Ravelry pattern for the larger version of Citron, Citron Grand, and 293 projects show up on Ravelry. For four bucks, you support a designer’s clever idea. Voting with your dollars is a wonderful thing to do. Also: she has gone on to publish many other very cool patterns, definitely a great designer to browse.
Another asventure, go for it!
I’m sure that’s just a typo, but I’m even more sure the brilliant, colorful, and highly descriptive term “ass-venture” is now going to make a regular appearance in my vocabulary!
(and I meant that in the “talking out of my ass, flying by the seat of my pants” way, not in the … um … oh never mind.)
Knit on! We all know how the process of washing and blocking a finished piece makes magic, I think that the same thing occurs when you wrap something multicolored around your neck or shoulders — colors pop, life is unpredictable. Something that would have been absolutely lovely in just one color can become zany and mysterious with just the addition of another color — MAGIC!
Carry on! See what happens! How bad could it be – both colors are lovely and look good together. Plus, may make the red sock float to the surface.
Cast off now. It will look like a design feature if it’s narrow, but I think it will look like “I ran out of yarn” if you carry on too far. Or rip back to recover some blue, put in some varying-width stripes of both colors then cast off. I’m fond of the Fibonacci sequence for stripes. See? A horrible alternative you hadn’t even considered. I appreciate your gentle reminder to show a good designer that we value her work. I have to go Ravelry shopping now for Citron Grand!
What she said
I am not fond of the cast off now or continue in the same vein. I think it will look like a ran out of yarn. But, Gail’s on the right track with rip the whole thing out and redo for a medium size using both yarns. That would be stunning!!
If you don’t like the colored bind off, you can overdye the shawlette.
I agree with Gail D. Bind off.
I say cast off. While it’s so much nicer to knit with colours, the end result might be ruined and much less wearable.
Is there any chance that the unidentified ball is Crazy Zauberball ??
I have made Citron in laceweight, fingering and DK and I never get tired of it. Off not to investigate her other patterns.
I agree with the bind off now train of thought. It’s an accent now; go wider and I think the edge is going to look heavy and like Gail D said, like you ran out of yarn. Very pretty!
I say carry on!
Not loving the green-purple contrast, disliking the introduction of thick-thin contrast so late. I would undo back to start of previous ruched section, do ruched section in New yarn, do next section (and maybe another ruched section) in Fibonacci-style stripes of the two colors. Then finish off last ruching-ruffle-bind-off edge in the New color. Just for kicks, maybe add some stripes of a zinger color with chain stitch (embroidery needle or crochet needle) in a skinny or glossy yarn after the shawl is blocked.
My favorite pattern of hers is Starshower, because it drapes so beautifully. I have some yarn marinating in stash for a Citron but haven’t gotten around to it, and I think it’s enough for a Grand.
PS Bind off now.
If I were in your situation I’d rip back to the blue and bind off a row earlyso you have enough.
Me again… back up to early in the previous ruched session, add a narrow simple band of fair isle color work , then some simple lace, repeat color work stripe, then … Not sure… end with another lace section that ends with pivots or points so it will block out as a flare or ruffle… OR… end with an Argyll section with a skinny tassel at the end of each point.
Better yet, introduce new color via stripes as in ball band dish cloth, then lace insert in New color, then end New color in ball band stripe, and finish up with lace in the blue.
I will stop now and work on my soft grey garter stitch neck scarf. I will be dreaming of adding an Argyll section at the end, though, with points , with tassels on them.
I say knit on. Who is to say that your yarn did not change color on purpose?
I’m with Sarah: rip back to the blue and bind off a row early. Save the lovely green-purple for it’s own stunning project.
Bind off now, or rip back and bind off in the original color a row early. Don’t continue. Even though, as my first knitting teacher once said, “It’s just knots!” don’t make ’em where they won’t shine to their best effect. IMHO
Keep going. Maybe a fancy bind off.
I like the narrow purple at the end. Longer might be interesting but I would probably bind off now and use the rest for something else. Finishing can bring on a nice seratonin rush.
Why not frog the last row before the bind off and start binding off there—in effect, one row sooner. I see now that others had the same thought. Lovely yarns—just not together.
I say to cut your losses and bind off now. If you keep going while not totally being into the color change, you’re probably not going to like it once the change is more pronounced. I am not a fan of ripping, either, so I can’t tell you to just keep going until you decide that you don’t like it and it’s time to rip. I mean, you could do that, but that sucks.
I agree with the second poster (Karin). Until I read her comment, I was thinking bind off and just leave the purple as an accent color. However, I was thinking of how the shawl would look laid out in its entirety, not of how it would look when worn. I think the colors will interact well when they’re layered and wrapped around each other.
Consider your wardrobe.What would be the best option for your wardrobe? Do you need a solid blue shawl and that’s why you started it?
If so, rip it up and cast on a new shawl that won’t need as much yarn. If you had forgotten you ever started it, it won’t be that painful, now will it. If on the other hand, no need for a solid blue shawl, I like Gail D’s idea – rip back partially, and introduce the new color, so it looks like you planned to make stripes.
Who knows? Maybe if you make it in stripes the shawl will go with everything you own, this is a pleasing aspect of multicolored jewelry and Fair Isle sweaters, no reason it wouldn’t be true of shawls.
I’m with Gail D. and a few others here. Either bind off now where the purple looks complementary with the blue. Or, if you want a larger shawl rip back and alternate the Old Yarn with the New Yarn. I think if you just continue on it will look like you ran out of yarn and just added extra yarn. Not a good look, in my opinion. The alternating will make it look more like a design decision.
Do you want a small scarf? Then stop. I myself always think that more is more in the scarf department and would carry on. It will be scrunched up around you; people will notice the lovely colours and not the weird knitterly details. Do it!
Super-size it! Go for the grand! Do it now, before the gremlins take it to reside with the red socks!!
Go for it! Invention on the needles. Knit as long as you feel like it with the new ball of yarn. It will be Bohemian Chic and original. Or, just do whatever you feel like and ignore all of us opinionated knitters.
My comment is, which size would be most useful to you? If you use smaller shawls, then bind off; if not, continue on. I’ve made 2 myself, first from 600 yards of blood red silk merino blend. The second I call My Grand Citron Stash Blanket, knit with the equivelent of 2 strands of worsted weight-3256 yards of blankety wonderfulness. What a stash buster.
I would bind off Soon enough so that it becomes a contrast edging. To my eye that would look best.
Put a fork in it and call her done!
By all means keep knitting! We want to see the colors unfold as well.
I’m on the side of cast off now. You’ll have another FO rather than something marinating for years.
Great post! However you decide to finish the Citron, give us a look, won’t you?
LoveDiane
BTW, would you consider expanding your project and make it into a Citron Skirt? The Ravelry pic shows it knit up in stripes.
Ann, another bind-off vote here. I made a standard small Citron in Malabrigo Lace and I wear it often!
I would love to think that my comment would be the tie-breaker, but I’m not that grandiose. Well, seldom. If this were my dream (as my dreamwork coach Jeremy Taylor would say), I’d either bind off now and let the purple be a subtle accent, or I’d rip back one row and use the new yarn for something else altogether. But I really think it’s a matter of personal taste, and my taste is more classic/conservative than yours.
Bottom line: do whatever makes you happy. Because the world needs more happy people.
I’d probably take out the purple and go on a hunt for something more similar in color to the original blue to finish the last row/cast off. Half a row at the very end in an almost-match color won’t show, and besides, you’d be DONE!
Keep going. Those small Citrons look too fussy these days. (No, Gale, tell me what you really think).
The changing handspun is fabulous. Thanks for the pep talk for supporting the designer and the link- she’s got some wonderful patterns in there! xox
Ann, your Citron Grande in the chocolate Malabrigo Sock from back in the day is one of my most favorite of all-time MDK projects. I still have yet to make one, but I did purchase the pattern for when I am ready. Keep going, this new one is fabulous! xo Tammy
OH. No wonder I love my Aeon vest. I didn’t realize it was the same designer as Citron. I get lots of compliments on whenever I wear it.
I was recently at Ann Budd’s knitting retreat, and many of us were admiring a fellow knitter’s beautiful shawl, but especially the contrasting bind-off. After a few minutes the knitter looked down and said that it only happened because she ran out of yarn! It made me realize that sometimes mistakes are meant to be.
I have no advice to give, but have purchased the Citron Grand oattern within the last two weeks – to use for some laceweight that I found in the Great Unfinished Sock Search occasioned by your One-Sock KAL. Am I on y’all’s wavelength, or what?
I say keep going. A) the colors look good together, and B) I have a tiny Citron that I never wear because of it’s tininess. It ends up feeling like it’s choking me. So forge ahead, I say!
I say find the red socks!! Who can make a decision so big in just one year? Also, I do not believe I have ever seen the sequence “it’s a bit hinky and not my usual jam” in a knitting blog before. . .
Bind off now and celebrate the Wabi Sabi!
I am on my second Citron, I have made both of mine two “sections” bigger than the pattern. I like the bigger size much better and for me, it’s a lot more likely to be worn at this size.
I think your second handspun is beautiful! Knit on!
I’m with the rip back one row and cast off. Don’t care for the second yarn added on -looks like what happened- you ran out of yarn
Cast off and enjoy your petite shawlette!
I see that I’m in the minority here but I love the pale blue at the beginning that darkens as your shawl grows and love the purpling at the edge. If it were me, which it totally ain’t, I’d keep going and see where the color fairies take me. I like the thick and thin of the new yarn and love that you interpret the vagaries as a barometer of the spinner’s mood.
Ann, I love how grammatical and correct you are and then you throw in “a bit hinky and not my usual jam” and blow me out of the water. I love the way you write.
Oh, and Kay, I want you to know that since your warshrag post last week I have cast on two–one to live in the car door for waiting rooms and drawbridge delays, and one because a friend gifted us with a small 6″ square, double-thick cloth that we used and loved but now is dirty and has to go into the laundry. I need more.
Keep going. The regular Citron is too small.
Keep going, that regular citron is too small and the colors go great together.
Also, I agree about supporting the designer, but I do believe Knitty pays their designers. Not $12k worth, but something anyway.
Cast off!
Rip back to the blue. Do two or 3 stitch I cord bind off (yes it IS mind numbing, but it’s a great edge) in purple.
Hate to be the odd person muddying the water, but I say keep going! I really like the colors and shawlettes are just glorified scarves. I like a real shawl. Go big or go home!
PS I second the assertion that that is a Zauberball. Also, 4 extra rows looks more like “Oops! Ran out of yarn 4 rows short of the bind off” whereas continuing through the entire new ball says, “Yes, I meant to do this. It’s fabulous.”
I like the purple on the edge and if it was me I would keep going…
I love the Citron so much, I’m going to have to add that to my list, but your yarn is so gorgeous…I just want to put my face right in it.
Vis a vis the lack of yarn issue…I’d bind off now because I’m not sure if I’d like a larger piece with that much difference in color, but if the finished Citron is just too small to be usable….I’m not sure?
Please let us know the outcome.
I definitely advise going with the Grand Citron version. I also made the original and should have realized due to the smallish yardage required that it would only really be a nice neck decoration on my largish body. But if that’s what you want then go with the smaller one. I’m someday gonna make another – much larger version as and actual shawl/wrap. It’s a clever but simple pattern that was fun to knit. Made mine as my Winter Olympics knit-while-you-watch project years back.
File this brilliant post under “Fearless Knitting”. Why not continue on with the purpley greeny hand spun and see how it looks and feels? It may be the very thing. Battlefield decision just too funny!
Sorry, wrong email
Go for it! Who cares….you will rock the citron no matter what
Beautiful knit! But whoa – doesn’t Knitty pay their designers? I am not sure of the amount (their website FAQ shows a range), or whether an insanely popular pattern nets the designer any more money than the less popular designs, but I’m fairly certain that it is incorrect to state that she hasn’t made a penny from the pattern.
I do think it’s a lovely thing for you to encourage your followers to support Hillary by voting with their dollars, but my understanding is that Knitty does pay designers, and fairly too. I don’t want Knitty, a great resource for both knitters and designers, to be portrayed unfairly.