Play Misty For Me-- Over and Over and Over Again

Sometimes I try to pretend that something I'm knitting will work out-- do you do this too? Take this Misty Morning Shawl. (No no... not literally!) The pattern calls for a 2.5mm needle. I have a 2.5mm but it is an Addi Turbo and with it I cannot knit the silky slick suri alpaca, so, since I did not find an alternative wooden or Inox or ebony or plastic 2.5 needle, I did the obvious-- went up to a 3.0mm. The result of using the bigger needle is what you see in my last blog entry.

It's just not right.

Sure, I can see the little ogees peering at me through the mist-- their long pretty arms of faggoting waving up around their pointy little heads-- but they are mutant. I could pull and stretch and block and wish and hope and pray, but they will never look like the pretty and popular ogees they strive helplessly to be.

I abandoned them, cruelly forcing them to watch from the cast-off position on the couch, and I began again, this time using garnet Zephyr on a size 4 needle (because that's what the last pattern I did in Zephyr called for). No dice. These ogees were too flimsy and frail. They joined the first rejects.

I tried again. Zephyr in aqua (they call it teal, but they must be colorblind!), using 3.0 needles. Better, but somehow not perfect. Away with them.

I paused to contemplate the situation and after a time came up with the perfect solution: I decide to use the original suri yarn with the originally called-for size of needle, 2.5. I swatched using dpns, which I do have in wood and the result is very pleasing.

All the time I "saved" by not running out to the yarn store and buying the correct needles was lost many times over by attempting to make do with what I have. This is why I am a toolmonger. This is why, sometimes when I am at the yarn store, I am compelled to buy a circular needle or two even if I don't think I need them. This is why, when I see a gadget or device or invention that I don't even need I will say to myself "I might need that in the future" and buy it. Indeed, most of the time I end up using it. This is why I endure the glares of my compatriots who think I am crazy and this is why, in the end, I'm the one with the smug smile on my face. But not this time.

Since I didn't have the proper needle to continue with Misty, I started the Wool Peddler shawl from Folk Shawls using a yarn I've had in my stash for about three years, a 50/50 cotton/silk yarn from the Great Adirondack Yarn Company, handpainted in gorgeous deep jewel tones with a touch of deep sable brown. The simple garter stitch beginnings show the yarn off beautifully. When knitted, the fabric feels like velvet against my skin.

Posted by Sheila at March 28, 2005 07:50 AM Posted to Knitting | TrackBack