not quite right.

I've started a new crochet project (although I promised myself I would not as this time was supposed to be devoted to the kids and the house.) But I could not resist this lovely cardi/shawl that can be worn several different ways.
the endless cardi/shawl pattern from stitch diva studios
I like that this one piece can be worn different ways and am planning to make one to take to thailand my thinking is it will be versatile and I can have it folded/scrunched in my bag to be worn in temples or thrown over a singlet top to go out for dinner. However this presents a problem because it will be HOT! So I thought I will have to make it from a natural fiber. like bamboo or cotton. So far I have tried 5 different swatches. Then I discovered I would need about 30 balls of yarn! That then meant I had to consider the cost of the yarn on top of colour and composition. To make it in silk yarn as shown would cost over $300!!!!
I found a bamboo/wool blend that I thought would be ok. It was on special at spotlight so that was good. But it is too chunky!
Then I tried a cream cotton. It was ok but too stiff.
Then I found this sage green cotton,
which is nice and soft and drapes quite well.
But they don't have quite enough balls of yarn! They do however have enough of this soft type of cotton yarn in off white and another in a cream, so perhaps that is the universe saying make it in cream!
I've also discovered a local designer who makes beautiful clothes that all mix and match together to create a range of outfits. I found it on line, but I am afraid to go into town to find out if they do larger sizes as I may be tempted to buy a whole set! I was going to try to make some as they would be simple enough to make but sourcing the fabrics is getting harder and harder. I remember the day when there was three fabric stores in fremantle, including those in the major department stores and several at local shopping centers dotted around the suburbs. Sigh!