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Temperature vs. Humidity in the Race to Dry

I added some more motifs to the Gypsying afghan, over the weekend, and this afternoon I laid it out on the bed where I could look at it.  Placing the still unattached motifs beside it, I think I've worked out how many more rows/columns I need to add.  (Two of each.)  Then I'll have to look at it again and give it a test run.  ;o)  I want it to be at least long enough to stretch out under.  Once it's long enough, I'll fill in the big gaps with half-hexies.  Then there's the border to consider...

I have to say, I'm very pleased with it, so far.  I only wish I were closer to being finished.  We've definitely reached the point (which I encounter in just about every project) where I want it done so I can move on to something else.  This almost always happens-- even when I enjoy the process.  I'm impatient to start something new.

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Speaking of next projects...

I think I've decided to go ahead and frog that beret.  I had a single (clearance bin) skein of I Love This Wool in a particular variegated colorway, and since a single variegated skein didn't inspire me to save it for another purpose, I selected it as a likely candidate for the second yarn I'll need when I re-work the beret in stripes.  

The only problem was the colorway.  Of course I forgot to take a photo... It was named "Stonewash Brown", and there are photos out there. There was nothing wrong with the color as it was-- dark brown, medium brown, tan, blue-- but the blue just didn't mesh well (imho) with the colors in my hand-dyed yarn, so something had to change.  

Any excuse to play with hand-dyeing!  (g)  I added some yellow and leaf green food coloring gel and ended up with... well, it looks a lot like camouflage, actually.  I hope it'll work well with the other hand-dyed yarn.  The tones of the greens certainly look nicer with the other yarn than the original blue did, at least.  

I did the dyeing yesterday and left the yarn hanging outside most of the day (in a shady spot to avoid bleaching).  I was rather surprised that the yarn was still quite damp when I brought it in.  It makes sense that wet yarn would dry more slowly at lower (January) temperatures than in, say, August heat... But on the other hand, January air is a lot less humid than what we endure in August, so I thought that would balance things out.  I guess not.  Oh well.  I'll just have to be patient.  It's not like I'm ready to knit, otherwise.  I still have to unravel the hat, for one thing... and for another, I'd rather not start the hat until after I've completed the afghan... 

So.  Back to work on the afghan, then!  ;o)