No Title

You probably have guessed after the last post that, being an equal opportunity neurotic, I both acted on my thrift impule and my need for instant gratification at the same time. Its a win-win! I ordered some Options needles, the metal ones, not the full set, but the ones I thought I would use the most (in other words, nothing above a size 8, though I'm thinking now I should have gotten the 9s as well...) and a couple of sets of longer cables, and some of those little needle size tag thingies (because I am nothing if not disorganized and one can never tell when one cannot figure out what size needle one is using). And it was free shipping on orders over $45. I ordered a book too... but I can't for the life of me remember which one. What I really wanted was Knitting Lingerie Style, but it isn't available through the site until September 28th, and my patience has limits.

Which reminds me, I was thinking about that foolishly short needle the other day that I started the skirt of the Duster with, and I though I might actually measure the length of it to see how short it really was. My friends, I am a very poor judge of length. Apparently the total length is 28 inches. Twenty-eight! I would never have guessed it (obviously). I was so sure that it was less than two feet... Nevertheless, it is still far too short for the task at hand, and so I feel 100% vindicated for ordering new needles. (I'm not sure why vindicated is how I feel, but I though, so there you have it.

Anyway.

So the new Beaverslide, teacher's pet that it is, cut in line and threw itself onto my needles. I was leaning towards Mrs. Darcy, but not 100% decided (although did you notice that Mrs. Darcy and Jolie are practically the same shape and style? I didn't, until I went back and looked at both of them again.) The pattern for Mrs. Darcy called for a gauge of 16 stitches and 20 rows to 4" on size 9s, though the yarn was some unheard of brand. I thought I would be smart and go down 2 needle sizes, even though the Beaverslide is way chunky, and swatched on 7s. That was the swatch you saw yesterday, after it had dried. It was a little stiff and the gauge I got was 17 stitches and 23 rows to 4". That would mean recalculating everything, which I was not really in the mood for. So wonder of wonders, I swatched again, this time on 8s. (I apparently refuse to knit with the specified needles.) I would show you a picture, but it looks exactly like the other swatch. You can use your imagination. This one turned out at 16 stitches and 21 rows to 4". As they say, it's good enough for government work! I'll just keep an eye on it, and maybe add a row here or there, but I think it will be fine, me being such a short-waisted individual and all.

I cast on tonight and am halfway through the waist ribbing. Hooray for chunky yarn! I think I'm in love.

ETA: Good lord, what's with all the typos?! I am so embarassed. And whoops, I forgot to add a title. Just what the heck is "instant verification" or "waste ribbing", anyway?! Oh yeah, I was nearly unconcious with fatigue when writing that post. Let that be a lesson: never sleep and blog. :)

posted by Carrie @ 11:18 PM