Works in progress - Part Two

Here's another episode... Bought this lovely kit from Knit Picks (http://www.knitpicks.com/) since I wanted to try out entrelac.  I just checked and the kit isn't available any more but here is the link for the Andean Silk yarn (http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Andean_Silk_Yarn__D5420126.html).  I've decided that I just love the hat, but I'm not as crazy about the long cuffed mitts.  I also changed one of the colors to suit me better, I swapped out the bright red for a blue.  The color starts at the ribbing in Sangria, then the first entrelac triangles and first round of blocks in Merlin, then Hyacinth for two rounds of blocks, then Imperial for two rounds of blocks and then back to Sangria for the decreasing sized blocks at the top of the crown. It will be a big slouchy beret which should be nice and warm.  Update: I found the pattern on Ravelry here's the link http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yvette-entrelac-beret--mitts

To answer the obvious question, no, I don't actually knit this way - I just strung the hat onto a cable so I could shoot the picture.  I do confess to having a wonderful time using my ebony double pointed needles from Germany on this project.  I never really thought of ebony as a good choice for knitting since it is so brittle, but it is a delight to knit with! Smooth, but not slippery, holds this silk and alpaca blended yarn just right for the way I knit.

Entrelac is a neat concept that I'm really looking forward to using for some design work. It is an illusion of a diagonal weave and technical enough to keep me interested.  Stockinette is nice, but boring, and I do keep some plain stockinette projects on the needles for when I knit somewhere I can't devote my full attention.

As for this project, I'll finish the hat and probably do a scarf in entrelac to finish up the set. I question whether I'll do mittens to match since I think the alpaca wouldn't hold up as well as wool for the hard wear that mittens or gloves get compared to a hat.