I normally wouldn’t knit using acrylic but this yarn was a birthday present from Z two years ago and it’s pretty darn pretty! Super sparkly, beautiful deep blue color, very soft and springy although just a little bit scratchy. Since we’re going on a cruise to celebrate this year’s birthday (a BIG one) I thought it appropriate to knit something in this yarn for the trip. :)

I’d never label of this as sport weight. I’m guessing they’re counting the metallic thread as a ply (why?) but it’s definitely fingering, not sport.

Lots of spring in the yarn but I’ll still may go up a needle size when I get to the lace portion to give it more “air.” Will also steam-kill this yarn and block it like a fiend! Note: I did NOT go up on the needle. Stretching by hand showed that the lace was light enough.

I chose this pattern because it’s simple enough not to compete with the busy sparkly yarn and yet intricate enough to still be beautiful and keep my interest. Since I’m planning to use all 800 yards, I’m thinking to do 15-17 repeats of the first section.

AUGUST 3: Second skein added three rows shy of completion of repeat #12 (225 sts).

AUGUST 10: Decided to end stockinette part at 285 sts (15 repeats). I didn’t feel like doing a swatch and math so I’ll play it safe and start the lace part here. LOL

AUGUST 14: Third skein added at row 11 of lace.

AUGUST 20: Fourth skein added at row 34. Very glad that I stopped at 15 repeats! Hope the yarn faeries make this skein stretch to the bind-off. :)

AUGUST 25: Well, the faeries let me down. I ran out of yarn with 15 stitches to go in the JSSBO! Now to think that BO back and redo without extra loops on either side of the leaf tips (extra stretch isn’t really needed there). Ended up with about 7” of yarn leftover. Whew!

Now to weave ends and block this puppy before the cruise.

SEPTEMBER 3: Soaked and lost a little color, which didn’t matter much since it started out really dark. Blocked in half to get symmetrical leaves and points. Found one join at the edge that I hadn’t woven in so my picture isn’t perfect. :( In all honesty, I didn’t have the energy to block out the points properly - there should be more “petals” but I’m not confident that this acrylic will even hold a point. So we’ll see. If it does, I’ll reblock and take the time to pin the petals properly. I’m definitely doing to do this again in lace and will block those ends the right way. :) The piece is still a little stiff and scratchy but not horribly so. Still very VERY sparkly! Makes me think holiday party. LOL