Let me show you Playful, a new shawl pattern from Meg Gadsbey. The pattern is free and the yarn was stash! 

I used Rowan Valley Tweed in grey, now discontinued, and Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort, which was lovely. This shawl used up the remainder of my fingering weight tweed stash. I can't believe it's all gone! I stared out with quite a big box of it, all leftovers from previous projects. A few years ago I decided my stash was just simply too big for one person. It was too hard to manage and I was running out of room. I sold or donated yarn I had lost interest in, and then vowed to use the rest of it, because saving it meant I loved it, and I might as well use what I love.  I've been fairly good at not buying yarn and adding to my stash, and I say only fairly good because I still buy yarn, but I buy wayyyyy less than in years past. I'm of course saving money which I love, but probably the best benefit is that I've got less yarn to manage and my beloved knitting room is less jumbled. I have more room to breath and having less yarn reduces my stress! I'm meeting my friend this morning for coffee and I'm returning some yarn she gave me last year because I don't have a plan for it, even after one year. I know she can find someone else to pass it on to. She'll understand because she's also trying to manage her yarn purchases and stash. 

But now to the pattern! It's a lovely travel, TV, or talking on the phone knit. The pattern is easy to remember and although it's meant to be striped, it's a nice shape, and using a solid or a self striping or gradients would be beautiful.

I felt it needed a little pop of color so I added red tassels! I rarely make tassels and each time I do I have to google and relearn how to make them. I found this ingenious video that shows you how to make a tassel out of a skein of DMC floss. These are totally goof proof and fabulous! I think older children would love making these for bookmarks, backpack embellishments and gifts.

Playful, a free pattern by Meg Gadsbey

My Ravelry project page

Embroider Floss Tassel DIY

Dahlias, zinnias and cosmos--all those summer beauties.

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