Notes from the Underground, Part 3

We bring you another special report from HoyaGirl who has lived through 3 weeks of media deprivation somewhere in California...

Oct. 30: Day 15 of the Media Fast
Today was our anniversary, and I got the coolest present! The DCA bought me the KnitPicks Options Needle Set so I have really good circular needles to play with. The first thing I did was hook up the size 4 points and shift Icarus over from the bamboo circs. These needles are delicious! The points are perfect for working with Carol’s laceweight, and I am speeding through yet another pattern repeat. If you don’t have this set, you really need to add it to your wish list for Christmas!

Oct. 31: Day 16
We don’t do trick-or-treating in our house. There are only 3 kids on our street, so we don’t stay home in our own neighborhood. Instead, we take off after dinner and head to one of the local churches for their Halloween alternatives. This year, we went to the Around the World Trunk or Treat near our own church. The kids got just enough candy to make them happy, and they got to play some games with a few of their school friends. I spent the evening knitting Jaywalker #2 while we walked around. The sock received many compliments, and several people were tickled by the biblical name, Joseph’s Coat, of my Lisa Souza yarn.

Nov. 1: Day 17
The color is pooling badly on the leg of the Jaywalker. I don’t know if it’s my knitting or the yarn, but I’m pretty sure it’s my knitting. I must be doing something VERY different this time around. I’m even starting to wonder if my stitch count is correct.

Nov. 2: Day 18
The Moose had an orthodontist appointment today, so I took advantage of the office’s location and stopped by my LYS. I picked up enough Yosemite chunky yarn to work on a funnel-necked sweater from the Yarn Girls’ Guide to Simple Knits. The yarn is in the Peacock colorway and has all the gorgeous purple, green, and blue jewel tones that I adore. I did gauge swatches on U.S. size 11 and U.S. size 13 needles, and I thought U.S. size 13 might work the best. I worked through about half of the first skein tonight, and I can see why it’s a simple knit. It is working up very fast!

Nov. 3: Day 19
I was speeding through the leg of Jaywalker #2 today, and I reached the point at which I needed to start the heel flap. I put the two socks side by side, and I found the problem with #2! I must have been knitting much tighter this time around since the stitch counts match. The second sock was ¼ to ½ inch narrower in circumference than the first one. That’s a big difference, and I’m sure it’s what caused the pooling. I did what I thought was unthinkable and ripped back the sock. It was painful, but they were so different, and I knew I couldn’t live with them. It was a frogging kind of day, because I also ripped back the sweater. The fabric on U.S. size 13s was turning out to be too stiff for my liking. After dinner, the DCA took me down to Michael’s and I picked up a pair of U.S. size 15s. I knit one entire skein this evening, and I’m over halfway to the armholes on the front. It needed to be done, because now my gauge is perfect and the fabric is a bit looser. I think it will make the sweater more comfortable in the end.

Nov. 4: Day 20
Today’s projects will include Icarus and the new sweater. I think the sweater will garner most of the attention, because I need some instant gratification after the Pomatomus socks and the frogged Jaywalker. I did see a completed Icarus in my visit to the yarn store on Thursday, and that has inspired me to spend a bit more time with my shawl. I can’t wait until I get to play with the edging!

Nov. 5: Day 21
I finished the back and almost the entire front of the new sweater yesterday. Today, I finished the front and both sleeves. I’m still wondering if I really should block such a chunky yarn or not. I have pseudo-blocked the edges by dampening them, steaming them with the iron, and then letting them air-dry. I just didn’t do all the parts. Does it really make a difference? Aren’t the edges the most important things when you have gauge AND the pieces are exactly the same size? Who knows? I’ll let you know how the stitching up goes. The most irritating thing about the whole sweater is that I reached the end of a skein two rows (two, count ‘em, just two) rows before I was supposed to bind off the second sleeve. Don’t you hate when that happens??? I guess the new skein will be for the sewing up!

After a long absence from the Internet, regular blog entries, visits, and comments will resume on Nov. 6! Hooray!