Ribbon is very expensive.  Did you know that?
I need 30m of it for my drop stitch shawl.  And I couldn't find any I particularly liked for less than $2.50 a metre.  That's $75.

What the pattern calls for is this yarn – Artfibers Houdini.  Oh so pretty.  And shimmery.  And beautiful colours.  And it's US$18.00, plus shipping across the Pacific.  Somehow, I don't think so.  That would cost well over twice the amount I spent on the yarn.

I had almost given up hope, and was considering cutting some metallicky fabric into strips (and somehow make a non-shedding design feature of the frayed edges) when I found it.  In Spotlight of all places.  It's not by the same people, and the colours are not beautiful, but it was exactly what I needed.  And ended up being $5.95 for 45m.  What a score!

And, it is 100% nylon.  I heard that nylon could be dyed using food colour, as it has protein in it.  I decided that it was worth a try.  The original pastely colours are not really my thing.  Especially for a charcoal coloured shawl that I'll mainly wear in Autumn/Winter.

And it worked!

Here is the yarn defore hand (the pink one, not the grey.  The grey is for the rest of the shawl):

And after!

Now, if you try this at home, you really do need to dye some samples before attacking a whole lot of nylon, as it's not exactly the same as wool.  It's a whole lot brighter.  My usual bright, blood red colour came out florescent red, which was not what I was expecting.  So the burgundy-purpley colour of my dyed yarn has a whole lot of yellow and black in it to tone down the super-brightness.  It's also subtley varigated.  I didn't want it to be too busy, but did want a little variation.  The burgundy goes from a dark reddy-pink colour to a definate purpley colour.

Also, I've done a little maths on this whole Olympic Attempt deal.  The finished shawl is 24"x74".  That didn't sound too bad to me, until I realised that's 60cm x 185cm!  I figured that I would just alter the pattern to make it the same size as my favourite pashmina…  Imagine my dismay when I measured it and it's exactly that size.  At least I know I'll like the finished size though…

And, even better, that's 10cm each day of the Olympics.  Someone will have to bring my meals to me, I'll be living on the couch.  Plus, I start my Master's on the 7th to last day… Oh boy.  Oh well, it'll be beautiful, and at least it won't sit in the bottom of my knitting basket half-finished.  I'll have to wear it to school the next day after that marathon effort (hehe, get it, marathon, Knitting Olympics?? oh, nevermind).

I have probably rambled on long enough.  I have some nylon ribbon yarn that needs stroking and admiring!

Natalie