As the Swatch Lies

I swatched last night after I got home from work. I was using the 3.25mm circ that the pattern told me to use. It turned out too big, quite a bit too big. I had a 2.75mm circ as well, that the pattern said is supposed to be the smaller needle for the ribbing, and so I decided to change to the 2.75mm circ and swatch. 

I knit one row onto one end of the 2.75mm circ. I started on the purl row using the other end of the circ and about 2/3 the way across the row, I felt something catching on the yarn. I scootched the yarn down the needle a bit and purled a few more stitches and there goes that catchy, catchy again. I don't like it when good yarn catches because it could be ruining the yarn. I wiggled the stitches over a bit to have a look and low and behold I was dumbfounded. 

The bamboo needle on the one end of the circ, had been snapped previously and taped together with scotch tape and put back in it's pouch!!! Me??? I didn't do that! I'm sure I didn't do that! Just because I have imposed a self-banning on bamboo circ's thinner than 3.5mm for myself, because I tend to snap them, doesn't mean I did this to my 2.75! I just know it couldn't have been me! 

I looked for another and didn't find one. Hmmm.. seems I have a good reason to visit my LYS asap! (like I need a reason LOL) 

I found some straights I haven't used in a long time. I used to do baby things on these years ago, they are old English plastic needles I inherited from my Grandmother and/or Great Aunt. And I love them! It felt so good to use these needles again. I successfully swatched with the red #10's (3mm) and pulled out the white #11's (2.5mm) for the ribbing. I cast on, worked my ribbing, and into the striped body of the little boy's vest from Rowan Purelife, The Organic Cotton Kids Collection am doing as a store sample. I make it up 4.5 inches and have my ribbing and all the striped part done. The knitting looks very nice to me, and although I had my doubts about the colour choice when I put the red and the brown together, it's all playing nice now. I do think that because of the colour choice that the finished vest will be more suited to a girl than a boy, but since it is a store sample gender isn't going to make or break the garment. 

At this point I thought to stop to double check my gauge. This is when I discovered my swatch was lying to me. The width of the back of the vest was one inch too small!!! Go figure! 

It is now on hold awaiting my new 2.75mm circ this weekend so I can re-cast on the ribbing and have another go. In the mean time, it is the Cable-Edged Vest by Sally Melville from Mother - Daughter Knits in burgundy Zara, another store sample. It looks like a very interesting design and will be fun to knit. The yarn is totally yummy too! (I need to get some in my stash muhaha...)

I love to play with new yarns and patterns. Isn't this so much fun?

Backbuster Yesterday

Yes, I know it's not Tuesday anymore, and yes, I know I am not posting pics again, but too bad suck it up! (now I know why no one reads my blog! LOL)

This was from yesterday but lazy me is just getting around to post it now.....

I have spent a goodly bit of today trying to beat the fact that life is getting in the way and staying strong and true to my knitting goal for the day. That goal is finishing the back of the Ballooomin' Cardi, hence I have named today Backbusting Tuesday.

I started off well with a whole pattern repeat with my morning coffee. Most people would have a piece of toast or a muffin but not a knitter, or at least not this knitter! A coffee and a repeat then on to a few things that needed me, then back to my knitting. A simple enough plan one would think. Well I think that I was the only one who thought this plan was solid. I was sidetracked when my daughter and granddaughter came over to make bread and do laundry, a few calls to Mom and other assorted tidbits of knitting time abusing activities occurred, and it was after lunch before I knew it. I rushed to my chair and picked up my needles and did a couple more rows. Wonderful, but not enough to finish. I headed out early, well, I tried to head out early thinking that I could manage a couple more rows at All Strung Out the LYS that's near my work, before I had to go to work. Well my early wasn't early enough and I only had enough time to arrange to get some merino and silk fibre drum carded and quickly visit with and pet all the glorious yarns on the shelf. Then a rush to work, flying in the door with just minutes to spare. See I wasn't late for work after all! 

I have my breaks coming up and not that many rows to go was all I could think as I sat at my desk and started in on the emails of the day, hoping for a nice quiet evening without too many problems for me to solve, after all I was wanting to concentrate on keeping my knitting mojo strong). Well as life always happens, I was fairly busy all night, but I did knit during breaks. I didn't quite get finished though. I am home now, tired, and am going straight to bed. 

I will finish the last TWO shoulder decrease rows in the morning... night, night. 

 

Life As It Happens

Me thinks me gets too caught up in life as it happens. How do you balance the two? Knitting/Life.... Life/Knitting. Is there a balance? or do we all just go with the flow? I have been very guilty (is there a state more guilty than guilty?) of living my blogging life through the blogs of others. 

Yes I am lazy. 

It's so much easier to just pick up the needles, or sit in front of the wheel, instead of having to think creatively and write out a blog entry. I have so much to blog about since the last time, where in the world do I start? The knitting, the spinning, the workshops, classes, fun events with knitterly friends? Is there any rhyme or reason to it all? All the little treasured moments are all packed inside my memories and then mish-mashed around by life as if it was a high-speed blender inside my head. 

I have a bunch of pictures on my camera waiting to uploaded to my computer. 

I have some FO's that are waiting to be bragged about. 

I have spinning projects and cast on's as well. 

They are all neglected in print as I continue to let life just lead me along.

Suffice to say that I will not try to catch up my cyber life with reality. (yes I can still tell the difference, isn't that amazing?) I will instead try to highlight some glimpses into my memory with bits and bites of things past as so I get inspired to. In other words, I am going to try (really hard trying) to blog often over the next while, before I explode from keeping it all in.

 

Topic for today, Current Events.

Today was Monday Knit and Chat at Starbucks. Yes, I actually went today, on a Monday. I don't often, but I felt the need for a good cuppa coffee and a bit of knitting. (Friday's K&C was a well needed social event for me, with a whole 7? or was it 9 or 10? stitches accomplished in the 4 or 5 hours I spent at Starbucks that day.) I managed several rows on my Baaaloooomin' Cardi (Interweave Knits Winter 2008 cover choice). I am so happy to be back working on it. I had put it on hold for a few months to work on other more prioritized projects. I am almost finished the back now and I KNOW I  am going to wear this sweater tons. I am totally in love with the yarn. (I weally heart it). It's Cascade EcoWool in black umm.. oops... in colour #8095/! and I can see myself using this yarn again, and probably again too. 

Hmm... what projects can I plan for more Ecowool??? 

Oh wait... I am trying to stick to my self imposed yarn diet. I have cotton that I want to knit. remember the mantra... I need to knit summer cotton tops.... I need to knit summer cotton tops.... I need to.... Oh crap forget it, I know I am going to knit whatever inspires me at the moment.

P.S. Gessh, isn't this boring with no pics??? Maybe tomorrow....