Breathe and Hope color ideas, Day 2

Yesterday I shared info about the Breathe and Hope shawl pattern that Casapinka designed to support local yarn shops during this hard time. We are continuing to ship out 6 days a week, so we are happy to supply you with skeins that you can knit up into this beautiful pattern. To get the pattern for free, Casapinka asks that you purchase two skeins of yarn and we will then e-mail you a Ravelry coupon code and the pattern link this weekend when it comes out. Details can be found here on yesterday's blog.

I've received dozens of e-mails asking for color help, and I do believe I've responded to them all. One of the questions I got most often is what is the EXACT yarn in the pattern. I don't recall Casapinka sharing that with me, as far as I'm aware, because she wants people to support a LYS with selling what we already have on hand. That's the purpose of this, to support small businesses during a tough time. So I can't sell you that exact combo. But I can share all sorts of color ideas here on the blog this week so that you can knit something unique and awesome. Please don't phone with questions, as with social distancing that just isn't something I can get to right now. But e-mail is great and fast! So if you like something you see here but want something different, or see a skein in the shop that you adore and aren't sure what to put with it, I'm happy to help. Just e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected]. More tips and advice are at the bottom of this post. So let's get to enticing you with color!

First off is some Flock Fibre of Canada available on Take a Hike Sock and Lone Pine Singles. This is Happy Camper with Rubellite, though we also like Flowering Desert with Rubelite and Larkspur (not pictured). Definitely a fun and springy combo, right?

Let's look at some silk ideas, shall we? 50% silk would give this shawl an amazing texture and drape, and we have those in Life in the Long Grass Silk Merino and Hue Loco's Opal. Above you see LITLG Silk in Ocean Flight with Hue Loco in Sky. Below you see LITLG Silk in Aquarium with Lush.

We also like Hue Loco's Rebel Just for Kicks with Fuchsia and Mulberry as shown above. Or Mulberry with LITLG's Ocean Flight as shown below. 

Want it to really really pop? How about Ohana with Fuchsia above or Funky Funky with either Fuchsia or Mulberry below. And you don't have to do silk if you want. I have some of the same colors from Hue Loco in Merino Sock or Phyllis Sock which can also be used interchangeably.

Above you see Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles Hush with Life in the Long Grass Singles in Halcyon. Both from Ireland. Below is more from Hedgehog Fibres, this time on Sock in new colorway Insomnia with Jelly.

More Irish color from Hedgehog Fibres above on Sock in Deja Vu and Electric. Below on Skinny Singles in Hush and Comeback. I also really like Ink with Juniper or Artifact if you want something to throw on with denim and look fab (not shown).

Above I like Hedgehog Sock Matchstick with Kelp or with Malabrigo Sock in Aguas. Combining different dyers/brands is A-OK! Below is all Malabrigo Sock. The speckled skein is Disfraz and it looks great with Light of Love, Solis or Cian (Parade looks good with Cian too).

 

Above, you'll see that Hedgehog Fibres Sock in new color Heron looks nice with both Electric or Plump. Below is Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in Plump with Bloom.

Let's take a look at some of the yarn from Texas dyer Madelinetosh. Tosh Merino Light is shown above in Murakami and Brass. Below it's shown in Simply Greige with the glittery copper version of the same yarn in Life on Mars.

Love hot, sunset hues? How about Hedgehog Fibres Sock in Phoenix and Melon. Below go with cool tones in Dew and Life in the Long Grass Sock in Ocean Flight.

Above, Tosh in glitter in Calligraphy with Grenadine. Below in Fathom with Mercantile.

And last for the day, Tosh in Leaf Fall with Georgia O'Keefe.

Some tips/advice:
- Don't search for the pattern link on Ravelry or expect your coupon code to work before 9pm on Friday (perhaps give Casapinka even more time). She isn't even activating the coupon codes until the weekend. Please also don't expect an e-mail from me with your code until Saturday, April 25 at the earliest. Tuesday at the latest if you wait to order over the weekend. Make sure you add [email protected] to your Contacts so it doesn't go in your spam folder. Please don't expect the pattern code if you don't purchase two skeins. It doesn't have to be yarn I'm linking to of course, as you can choose your own two skeins to purchase. But Casapinka requires two skeins be sold for us to give it for free. You don't have to request the pattern of me, it will be sent automatically to those who purchase two skeins for their project.
- Don't be afraid to combine yarns from different dyers like I've shown here. Many of them use the same mills, so it could be you're using the same yarn anyway. Or just ask us via e-mail and we're happy to tell you if it works or doesn't work together.
- Be adventurous if you want, or be safe if you want in your color options. Knitting is what we need it to be. If you want to take a risk with your color choices, just do it! And if you want to play it safe and choose two colors that are your safe choices, do that. Just make sure they aren't too similar or the stitch pattern won't show up. We are happy to wind your yarn for you if you want. Just put that request in the note/comment section on our Check Out page.
- Know that we will help you however we can. We love being your personal shoppers/shippers and living vicariously through your ideas. Please don't call the shop, just e-mail me, Allison at [email protected]. That's how we can best serve you while spreading our time out and social distancing (our team of four) during this time.
- Please know though that your first or second choices could sell out fast, so if you really want something, just take the plunge and order it b/c if you wait hours or a day to hear back, that particular yarn could sell out. And if something you love sells out, it's likely that we have something similar. We have over 16 tons of yarn, after all.
- We are still shipping 6 days a week, so we will get your order out the door likely within a day and you'll get tracking via e-mail. You might get a tracking confirmation at 8pm or e-mail returned at 5am- it's just the nature of how we are doing things right now to social distance ourselves and be as safe as possible. - While we are fast on getting orders out the door, USPS is taking a lot of time right now delivering (perhaps temp staff or quarantining packages, I don't know) but packages are taking triple or quadruple the time and not often even being scanned during that time. I've seen no packages go missing at all (which is amazing) but don't be concerned if you see your package go toward you, and then be sent four states away, then show up with no warning 8 days later. It's odd, but it's happening a lot. But things are not going missing. Just well-traveled packages for us and all shipping right now.
- Please let me know how I can best serve you during this time and feel free to come back to the blog every day to see what we're up to. For 15 years, the blog has been a wonderful way for me to connect with others, and I'm happy to help you make the most of your down time during all this. Just e-mail me at [email protected].
- We will continue doing special giveaways of stitch markers, totes, contests and more to keep us all going during this tough time, and to start celebrating our 15th anniversary, so consider bookmarking us here on the blog and signing up for the e-newsletter at the bottom of our website if you want to get info on what's new and coming at the shop.

Comments

[Christine Newman-Aumiller]

How cruel. Having broken my fast yesterday I am now horribly tempted by today’s selections. Must. Be. Strong.

[Cindy Carpenter]

This is how I handled that Christine, I bought 2 skeins Urth for socks for Hubs. I then went stash diving in my Hedgehog bin (previous SSYC purchases.) I get the pattern, he gets socks in some future date (I will cast on and work on them in the car). Winner winner...

[Allison]

HAHAHA! That just means I'm doing my job well!
Keep in mind that while all of these are great for the Breathe and Hope, they are also wonderful for other two color projects too. Kline Shawl. Phi Shawl come to mind first.