The other day, I was sitting around thinking - just thinking, not thinking while doing anything else - and it occurred to me that August leads to September, which leads to October, and on and on. Which also means that December will be arriving (OK it would have arrived even if I hadn't thought about it), and that if things continue as they are, two things will be true: 1) finances will be tighter than ever, and 2) even if they are/were not, it's unlikely that I would be going out to shop for gifts.
And then it occurred to me that I just might want to consider doing something now to avoid worrying about it as the holiday season came closer. So I poked around to see what I might want to knit for gifts this year, and decided that I will try this pattern and see what I think; if I like the results, it might be something that I will make variations of to give.
(pattern photo from Ravelry)
If I decide that I like it and enjoy knitting it, that would be great since I have soooooo many amounts of scrap yarn to use. I've already put many of them into my Cozy Squares of Memory Blanket, but there's still some left over even after that. I attempted to get one started the other day, and I found the right size circular needle, but oh man, was it hard to use! It was one that I've had since I learned to knit, and I don't exactly remember the specifics, but the needle part has some kind of gray - almost rubbery feeling - coating on it, and the yarn was not willing to move along. I realized after trying to continue nonetheless, that if I was even going to be willing to make one single hat to see how I liked the pattern, it was going to be unpleasant. So I powered up the ol' computer machine and went to Loop's website and ordered one of these. I justified it by telling myself that I would use them over and over, and that I would donate the pair I already had the next time I donated yarn and books to a local shelter. So today I picked them up and will see if this is going to work out.
Though I fear I may have become a needle snob. But those coated needles were making me stabby, and I knew there was no way I was going to continue. If they were the only needles I would/could ever have, I'm not even sure I would have used them. I'm guessing that when I first learned to knit, I just thought needles were needles and it didn't matter. Now it does ... at least to me.
I just started this book yesterday:
Be sure to visit Kat's blog, to see what she and others are reading and knitting this week for Unraveled Wednesdays.
11 comments:
I totally get that needle thing....and I know EXACTLY the gray needle you are talking about. I still have a couple kicking around and had to use one not long ago for a quick hat I made. (Large needles, hardly ever use them, hate to spend $$ to replace something that gets used so rarely...BUT---nasty nasty nasty!!!) I do love the way this hat turned out. And like you said...great use for all those scraps.
A bit freaky, though, that Christmas really WILL be sneaking up on us!!!
I think I had some of those needles also. The brand might be Inox. I hated them too.
I also have that book downloaded to read. It is starting out to be interesting but not too deep, which is good right now. The other book I’m reading is the first in a humongous three book bio of Stalin, which isn’t exactly light reading.
Those Chiaogoo's are gorgeous!! I have to have good slide when I use circulars too. I usually use Knit Picks which are okay but the joins can be a little bumpy. I hate that.
Life is too short to put up with yukky needles! It really spoils it if you have to struggle with annoying needles. Thank you for the thoughts on Christmas. It is so true that this year we will probably be facing a different kind of Christmas. You have prompted me to start thinking about it - now I just have to turn the thinking into action!
I vowed to get rid of any needles that make my knitting a chore. And I did. I sold them at a garage sale. Knitting is supposed to be my pleasure and my therapy, not a chore.
And the thing is, the needles get used over and over. You'll always feel the same way about them, so there's no use keeping lousy needles.
Stripes appeal to my it-would-be-wasteful-to-throw-away-even-the-smallest-bits-of-yarn side.
I think the right needle makes all the difference. I don't buy the super expensive Signatures but I do think investing in needles that make knitting pleasurable and don't do physical damage to hands/arms/shoulders is worthwhile.
It is hard to believe it is almost the end of summer and then fall and then the holidays. I have one or two knitted gifts ready to go but should get moving on a few others.
I'm definitely a needle snob! At least as far as what they are made out of goes. And they will definitely make a difference to your knitting! And thanks for the reminder that I wanted to start Christmas knitting early this year and that I should do that rather than start another sweater for myself. :)
I got rid of most of my gray needles, too. I really like bamboo needles, especially knitters choice, but sometimes metal work for me, too. What is that gray coating?
I got my package and I am smitten! Thank you so much. I'll be blogging about it today! Really brightened up my week!!!
I started knitting for the holidays already so that I am not marathoning later in the year. Also I have two babies to knit for (not my grands...) and a wedding!
Whatever makes your hands feel good and your yarn pay attention works!
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