It's all due to aitapata - she posted a picture of a stripey shrug and it clicked in my head this is how to salvage my design. I don't have to rip out the two panels I've done, I won't have to buy any more yarn (although I did rather like the idea of having russet in there, to set everything off) and I will most likely wear it more often as a shrug than as a poncho.
I have two panels that are about 13 inches wide by 25 inches long. Those will join together to span my arms and across the back. They stretch to my forearms on either side, where they will be sewn together and then V area is where I'll add the collar/edging in mustard. In a sort of V-shaped cable-ish piece.
I think it will work. I'll have pictures sometime soon - it's Christmas, and Kathy is visiting, so I never really know what I'll be busy with.
Things that are finished - Hats. I started out doing one for myself, that actually didn't happen. I was using up old alpaca that turned out to be far too hot for a sweater and it wasn't spun very well or something because it kept coming undone. Well, I missed a spot in my hat and it came unraveled before it could even start to felt, so the brim had this huge strand-y hole. feh. Then there was the weird dyeing mishap that kinda came out interesting - it was supposed to be purple, but came out a sort of chocolate cherry. The recipient said she liked it, but I think she was just making me feel better :) One of them shrunk too much and that will be a prezzie for my sister in law who has a smaller head than I do. There's a green one for a friend on Next Exit who bought me tomato seeds whilst on holiday in Italy. That dye experiment turned out odd but interesting too.
So I might still make a hat for myself, but I don't like the colours of any of the wool I have in my stash. I think perhaps I'll try that Bamboo wool I saw at AC Moore.
