28 December 2005

at least I cleaned the house

In a fit of panic over grad school issues (why won't they let me register??) I went online to find a soothing picture of the sweater I WILL (I swear) knit from the Sensations Dolcetto my Dear Lisa sent me. For some reason I 1. Need to see the darn thing in something other than Burnt Orange, and 2.knew there would be issues with the sweater. Its not that I'm psychic...its just too pretty a thing not to have issues.

#2 First: There is a correction to the pattern (added here as I will lose the link later, I am sure). Thank God I saw it because I know I would have thought it was me. Sad thing? It probably will be me. I spent several torturous hours last night trying to read through the math in SNBN on how to imagine/re-size/gage a sweater pattern based on, well, the pattern. I think I will need the mad genius of my DH to be able to figure it out, though.

Onward to #1! Yay! I found a knit-a-long (KAL) for it. I have spent all day trying to decide if this is a good thing or a dorky thing. From the dear sweaters' point of view, it is a good thing. To have 2 sleeves the same length? Hmm, yes, good. But participating in such a thing? I don't like blogs, I don't like communities, and I sure don't like clubs. But oh! so tempting...
I have absolutely no interest in cataloging books today. Mmmmm...yarn...

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Oh, I'm not a very good poster, am I? For months I've been swearing that I'll start posting again, but this time about the one thing that is keeping me sane and busy: knitting.


So I've been thinking about this for ages and ages, but somehow it just seems weird. That is, until I was thwarted today. I've been begging begging for the Boye Needlemaster kit for months now. Mysterious coupons sent by email. Prominent locations on wish lists. Flat-out whining in the yarn aisle of Jo-Anne's. So, imagine my joy Sunday morning (early opening of Hanukkah presents. Really.) when I unwrapped a set of my very own. I didn't want to go to our friends' brunch. Oh, no, I wanted to play with my new toy.


Now, I should explain that a dear friend and fellow knitter sent me a box of stash yarn recently. She sent some lovely stuff that I'm sure I'll use one day, but I was blinded, yes, blinded, by my love for two beautiful perfect pink balls of fluff. For the last week, I've nearly forgotten about the gifts I was supposed to finish (oops) in my quest for the Perfect Sweater Pattern. I even knit a swatch so I'd know the perfect gage for my love. Now, for me that's the ultimate commitment.


Fast forward to this morning. I should be cleaning my very yucky house. Last Tuesday morning I was sick, so its been almost two weeks since the bathroom was swept of kitty litter, the laundry was fully done instead of staring at me from the floor of the closet, or, worse the sheets were changed. Eww. Instead of the much needed cleaning, I was again futilely searching for the Holy Grail of sweater patterns. Why, I ask, have people only made scarves from Dolcetto?? I dig out a new purchase (that I, I confess, have kept next to my bed but haven't looked at since I bought) Last Minute Knitted Gifts. There it is, an easy but classy sweater for me to cut my teeth on (read: knit something other than hats, mittens, or other wee things). Simple lines, and even knit in the round so I don't have to sew so much! I rush to my Needlemaster set, hastily read the instructions, and proceed to screw on the size 7 nibs. Ok...screw on...hold end with the rubber circle thing...stick "key" in for leverage..*whew*. Ok, cool, now for the next one. Now. For. The. Next. One. Damnit!! The stupid thing won't go on straight. *urph* Ok, let's try another point. Ok, that works. Another length of cord, then? Nope, this number 7 just won't go!

I called Boye (manufacturer). I did. I was even nice, and didn't cry one bit. Not even when she said I have to mail in the offending needle, and wait to get one in return. I cried as I grabbed my keys and my debit card. I wonder will DH notice another pair of circs?