Somehow my Rowan Cashsoft Shawl got lost in the shuffle. I'm almost done with my second ball.
I absolutely love this yarn. It's very silky and delicate. It's got a lacey feel to it even though it's a four-stranded yarn.
I'd been using size 9 straights to knit this up and with two stitch increases on each end, eventually I would come to a point where I had to move the knitting onto circulars. When that time came, so came the knowledge I didn't have any size 9 circulars. As I was trying to cut back on the knitting spending the project got a little lost in the shuffle. However, just recently I realized I needed some needles for another project, so I found myself at Joann Fabric on Monday. Wouldn't you know it, they only had one size 9 circular needle. I bought it, but it didn't solve my problem because a) knitting requires two needles and b) I was way too lazy to hit another store.
Yesterday, though, I came across some more blogging serendipity. The Yarn Harlot had an interesting blog entry on needle types and their strengths and weaknesses. She made a great case for metal needles for certain types of projects, and for certain types of knitters, and it dawned on me that I did have one pair of addi turbo circulars that I never used, and they just may be the size I need.
A little back story: I hate metal needles. I personally blame my inability to finally “get” knitting on my having only aluminum needles to practice on. Once I tried my first pair of bamboos I could knit with ease - with abandon - with joy in my heart for being able to generate the beauty that is a stockingnet stitch swatch for the first time in my life! My work didn't slip out of my fingers, my stitches were even, and I was happier than two bumps on a rump (or is it two bumps on a stump, or two lumps on a stump? Anyhoo, moving on...)
Getting back to the addi turbos. How did I, the stalwart hater of all metal needle badness, come into possession of these heavy, nickel-plated needles? Well it’s the age-old story of peer pressure. I had bought these metal nightmares a while back upon the suggestion of a LYS proprietor who swore by them. I, the person who at the tender age of 14 had stalwartly stood up to a neighborhood bully practically twice my size and refused to fight on the grounds that fighting was no way to resolve a conflict, may just have a tendency to melt under the steady eye and opinion of a knitting proficient.
As soon as I attempted to use the needles I knew them to be wholly worthless to me. They were really heavy and slipperier than an oil-slicked frog. I didn't need slippery in my life. And so I had nothing to show for my foolishness except the loss of precious spending money with which I used to purchase them.
It’s a sad story, I know. There’s hankies right over there. Dry your tears because there is a silver lining. You see this shawl project, this Rowan Cashsoft yarn was giving me a bit of ogida on the purl side. After reading the Yarn Harlot’s post it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe a slippery needle might do the trick. When knittin' time came around later that evening, I pulled out the addi turbos and was pleased as punch to find they fit into the size 9 needle gauge hole. Perfect.
I’m now using my bamboo needle on the right side, the metal needle on the back side and the knitting is a breeze.
I absolutely love this yarn. It's very silky and delicate. It's got a lacey feel to it even though it's a four-stranded yarn.
I'd been using size 9 straights to knit this up and with two stitch increases on each end, eventually I would come to a point where I had to move the knitting onto circulars. When that time came, so came the knowledge I didn't have any size 9 circulars. As I was trying to cut back on the knitting spending the project got a little lost in the shuffle. However, just recently I realized I needed some needles for another project, so I found myself at Joann Fabric on Monday. Wouldn't you know it, they only had one size 9 circular needle. I bought it, but it didn't solve my problem because a) knitting requires two needles and b) I was way too lazy to hit another store.
Yesterday, though, I came across some more blogging serendipity. The Yarn Harlot had an interesting blog entry on needle types and their strengths and weaknesses. She made a great case for metal needles for certain types of projects, and for certain types of knitters, and it dawned on me that I did have one pair of addi turbo circulars that I never used, and they just may be the size I need.
A little back story: I hate metal needles. I personally blame my inability to finally “get” knitting on my having only aluminum needles to practice on. Once I tried my first pair of bamboos I could knit with ease - with abandon - with joy in my heart for being able to generate the beauty that is a stockingnet stitch swatch for the first time in my life! My work didn't slip out of my fingers, my stitches were even, and I was happier than two bumps on a rump (or is it two bumps on a stump, or two lumps on a stump? Anyhoo, moving on...)
Getting back to the addi turbos. How did I, the stalwart hater of all metal needle badness, come into possession of these heavy, nickel-plated needles? Well it’s the age-old story of peer pressure. I had bought these metal nightmares a while back upon the suggestion of a LYS proprietor who swore by them. I, the person who at the tender age of 14 had stalwartly stood up to a neighborhood bully practically twice my size and refused to fight on the grounds that fighting was no way to resolve a conflict, may just have a tendency to melt under the steady eye and opinion of a knitting proficient.
As soon as I attempted to use the needles I knew them to be wholly worthless to me. They were really heavy and slipperier than an oil-slicked frog. I didn't need slippery in my life. And so I had nothing to show for my foolishness except the loss of precious spending money with which I used to purchase them.
It’s a sad story, I know. There’s hankies right over there. Dry your tears because there is a silver lining. You see this shawl project, this Rowan Cashsoft yarn was giving me a bit of ogida on the purl side. After reading the Yarn Harlot’s post it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe a slippery needle might do the trick. When knittin' time came around later that evening, I pulled out the addi turbos and was pleased as punch to find they fit into the size 9 needle gauge hole. Perfect.
I’m now using my bamboo needle on the right side, the metal needle on the back side and the knitting is a breeze.
Comments
Shannon, thanks for the compliment!