More Swatch Play

After the mitten disaster I still really wanted to play with that fun orange yarn. I had also, while rummaging for something to make with the Easter Egg yarn, found a pattern that I'd liked ages ago but not ever made. So hey presto:

Not to worry; I've purchased some far more appropriate yarn for the actual project.
This was a grand time though...not only was the yarn pretty but I learned a lot too:

--when using two-tail cast-on, the free end of the yarn needs to be on TOP (this makes sense if you have yarn in hand, trust me) or you'll introduce twisting. Actually I'd noticed that before but thought I'd mention it today.

--however, one cannot translate that into doing backward-loop cast-on with a long free tail to satisfy a "very LOOSELY" criterion or your working yarn will be at the wrong end of the row.

--two-tail cast-on over both needles held together still works fine for "loosely."

--I MUCH prefer charts over words for anything patterned. Kept making mistakes till I could "see" what I was supposed to be knitting and then I had my Lightbulb Moment.

--that whole "severe blocking" thing for lace is looking to be completely true (as if I really doubted); I'm going to have an interesting time finding an appropriate space when the time comes.

Here's another shot (there were others all out-of-focus; I really should get a new camera):

And here's a shot of my knitting basket on the front sidewalk in the same place it was earlier this week:

Now that the weather seems to have finally turned the corner my new perennial garden might finally get into the dirt this weekend: