What's Black and White and White and Black All Over?

Ages ago I acquired some yarn that was leftover from a friend's project. I get to try out so many interesting fibers that way! This is Ístex's Einband, a lace weight Icelandic single-ply Z-twist yarn in a gradient of colors from black to white.

Having recently finished two sweaters, it was time for something new, and I cast on for the Aranami shawl, reversing the colorway as another Raveler had done, so that my shawl goes from black on the bottom, where the shawl begins, to white on top.

Following the directions, I soon realized I was going to have leftover leftovers (the HORROR!), so I immediately cast on another shawl, this time reversing the gradient from black to white, since this shawl starts at the top. It also begins with an 88-ridge garter tab, which completely astonished me, but it's done and I've moved on. The pattern does not call for multiple colors or a gradient, so I will just add the new shades where they fall and see what develops.

 

The yarn is not as fuzzy as my photography skills; I will do better as it grows. In fact, this yarn is so "crunchy" that I am comforted by the Ístex reassurance that it becomes soft and manageable after washing. That was certainly true of my lopapeysa, done in Léttlopi, their Aran weight yarn!