As part of my self-imposed challenge to reduce my long-standing stash, I unearthed a pack of eight balls of Rowan 4-ply Soft, 100% merino in Shade 393, a classic camel colourway.

A pre-Ravelry purchase, the source details are a bit hazy – I have a vague recollection of finding ‘a bargain’ at a department store that has long since been taken over, which makes me think it must be more than 10 years ago. Three of the balls had been knitted and ‘frogged’ (by me) at some point, before being put into long-term hibernation.

To be honest, I can see why. It’s a hard colour to get inspired by. Especially when there are so many fabulous yarns ‘out there’ to tempt me off the ‘straight and narrow’ of my current challenge.

So, with resolve, I headed over to the Ravelry rabbit-hole and drew up a shortlist of potential patterns. Having struggled for inspiration, suddenly I was feeling overwhelmed by the options! Should I add another colour? Lace? Cables? Long sleeves, short sleeves, cardigan or jumper?

To cut a long story short, I’ve taken the plunge and have cast on Thea Colman’s Baileys Irish Cream – a perfect name for this colourway!

It’s a bottom-up cardigan, knitted in one piece to the armholes, where the sleeves are added and the cardigan is then finished with a yoke. It has a folded hem, although you can’t tell from this photo, as it won’t be sewn into position until the main work has been completed.

So far, so good … I’ll let you know how it goes!

Have you rescued some long-abandoned stash recently? I’d love to hear about it!

😀