I happen to be one of those people who absolutely will not do things the way they are told. And I am stubborn.
It's apparently a genetic flaw of some sort - I have this intense need to go my own way - I can't follow the rules. As it turns out, this even applies when I wrote the rules.
I'm only just now confessing this, but I cheated on the Game of Shawls.
There. It's out.
It wasn't an egregious cheat. I just adjusted color changes and pattern changes when I didn't have a Joker to use. I'm sorry, but 2 sets of half linen stitch back to back (each set is 60 rows) would drive anyone to drink.
So let's embrace the stubbornness, shall we? (Let's face it, it ain't goin' away) Let's just do things to suit ourselves.
Anyone who has the booklet has a recipe for an infinite number of awesome accessories. Use more colors, use fewer, make it skinnier, make it wider. You can make anything from a scarf to a huge wrap, so long as you keep the stitch count in multiples of 8. Make it all in one drop dead gorgeous color and choose only the patterns you love from the booklet. Use a gradient set!
I am making another shawl in the same width as the original. I like that size - large enough to provide a little warmth but no so big that it makes it hard to move around. I chose 2 colors this time. One is Bad Sheep sock yarn in Wild Iris
(this is the company that is on clearance because I can't get them anymore), the other is Bis-sock in Limette. Bis-sock will be a replacement for the Bad Sheep Yarn (it's not here yet, but soon!) There are lots of gorgeous colors: semi-solids, variegated and speckles (the green leaf pattern shawl on display in the shop is one of their semi-solids) and it feels fabulous!!! It's soft, smooth and squishy.
At any rate, last time I made this shawl I used the Country Road kit from Leading Men Fiber Arts. It's the colors of denim and dirt, and for anyone who knows me well, it just doesn't get any more 'Yiayia' than that. But these chartreuse and vivid purples grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I may or may not ever wear it, but I am gonna LOVE working on it.