Believe it or not, Spring is almost here. Every March, the Azalea Trail takes Houstonians on a tour of homes whose gardens overflow with pink and white azaleas. Luckily, the former owners of our home planted a few azalea bushes in the backyard.
The sunny weather prompted the husband and I to make a quick trip to Austin, just the two of us. You know it’s love because our first stop was Hill Country Weavers, my favorite Austin yarn shop. The place had expanded since I was last there with an additional two rooms overflowing with yarn. I picked up these lovelies – 300 meters each of 67% silk, 23% kid mohair, 10% nylon yarn by Hand Maiden. It is hand dyed in Canada.
Here’s a glimpse of it catching some rays among the azaleas.
I honed in on this pattern from Malabrigo Book 3. The pattern calls for Malabrigo sock yarn with a gauge of 24 stitches over 4 inches. The gauge for the Hand Maiden yarn is 20 stitches over 4 inches. This should result in a larger shawl which is what I would like. I’ll definitely knit a gauge swatch before casting on.
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Here is one more view of those colorful azaleas. And there are still buds waiting to bloom.
Agujas 
I love azaleas. I am mourning the loss of my one and only bush in the recent heatwave we had. You have some lovely types in your garden.
Thanks! We were worried about them last year when we had the drought but they made it through okay. Lost some other plants though.
Such lovely azaleas! My parents have some but I never get too close — there are always tons of bees on them!
Oh! Haven’t noticed any bees around ours but they are attracted by the honeysuckle when it blooms.
Azaleas are such wonderful flowers. Ours don’t bloom until June but they are worth the wait.
You have those blooms to look forward to!
Oh, so green and colourful! My world is still white and brown. The yarn looks very soft and lovely.
The yarn is so soft and i love the pastel colors.
Beautiful flowers AND yarn! I like your shawl pattern too. I’d love to see pictures of it when it’s done!
i can’t wait to start on it!
The azaleas have exploded all over my little southern Mississippi town, as well. But, I haven’t seen any white. Ours seem to run from pale pink to positively crimson. In the yards, in the woods, on the side of the road, growing wild everywhere you look. It’s quite breathtaking.
Sounds lovely!
Oooh! I love this shawl!
I can’t wait to see your shawl! The pattern looks beautiful!
Oh.. and we have little daffodil sprouts shivering in our 30 degree weather.. so jealous!
It’s actually gotten a bit cooler to 50 F today over here. That’s cold for us!
That yarn is beautiful. I can’t wait to see the shawl when it’s done!
I can’t wait to start it! Work has been consuming a lot of my time.
Spring still seems a very long way away here. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
We have short winters but boy is it hot in August!!
Up here, my azalea is still asleep and the tulips are just waking up.
Tulips are my favorite flowers! I need to plant some for next year.
Make sure you plant them in the fall. I have gladiolus to plant after the last frost here.
We have azaleas here in the Pacific NW, too, and they are so bright and cheerful set against the often gray days of springtime. I love them. Great photos!
Ours finally dropped all the blooms. It looks like a pile of brightly colored snow!
Gorgeous post from the flowers, to the yarn and the pattern!
Thanks! The blooms recently dropped into a pretty pile and the yarn is waiting for me to get knitting!
I love azaleas! When I lived in Oregon and Washington, they were amazing. Here in Central California, they are gorgeous in the nurseries, but I’ve never seen pretty ones in people’s yards. I hope you post your knitting project as well. The yarn is beautiful! 🙂
Beautiful flowers and the yarn is lovely! I think it will be interesting to see how the subtle variations in colors knits up in your shawl. Happy knitting!
I am curious about how the colors will play out.