Tuesday, February 19, 2008

I find myself wandering from window to window

staring sullenly at the icicles. Occasionally I venture out and whack off a few that are within reach. I does no real good, but expresses my feelings.

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As I suspected, linking the headband pdf from Ravelry to here was not hard, once a kind forum member responded to my question in terms that even I could understand. So the Gemini link is back in the sidebar, and it works for me even when I'm not logged in to either Blogger or Rav, and I've got my fingers crossed.

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I need more mittens, because this is the year when the fingerless mitts I usually wear just aren't enough. In order to make more mittens, I need to wind some yarn into balls (in this case Cascade 220).






In real life the orange looks less pumpkin and more rust. I may throw in a few yards of some leftover teal. It's only enough for a very small accent (at the wrist?), but sometimes a small color accent perks things up considerable.

Now as for winding, do I haul out the swift, or just drape it over my knee? I think the latter. I don't have a ball winder, so the speed is about the same with either method. For finer yarns (or a hairier yarn) I would definitely use the swift, to avoid tangles, but I can usually manage a smooth worsted well enough without it.

Say what you will about Red Heart, I only wish every yarn came in center pull logs like theirs. I know there are knitters who want to wind/rewind every yarn purchased, to get the feel of it and to look for knots. I respect that. But for myself, I'll get the feel while swatching, and I don't mind a spit splice or two.

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I just got crazy excited because Elann is have a really good sale on full bags of Esprit. And there are quite a few colors left. I love this yarn for summertime socks. But then it occured to me that 1) I have at least 8 balls of Esprit in the closet still waiting to be worked up, and 2) a full bag would mean making 3 to 5 pairs (depending on cuff length) all in the same color. So I'm resisting the urge.

6 comments:

YarnThrower said...

I tried the Gemini link in your sidebar again, and it's working great! Is your daughter the model? At first I thought you were making Halloween mittens. Rust, black, and teal sound pretty together...

Elizabeth said...

Give in. Order the yarn. (said in my most pseudo-mystical voice...)

You know you want it.

Anonymous said...

Order the yarn... (that is not an echo)

Who knows, maybe someone from Last Saturday Knitting would go in on it with you?

Ahem.

Cindy G said...

Oh help! Enablers! So Linda, what are your favorite colors?

Leslie said...

Re: winding yarn... I am working with Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in my Ravelry KAL and find that I don't have to wind the hanks at all - just sling it across my chest. So easy, so quick and such cuddlesome yarn I love the feel of it across the back of my neck :)

Anonymous said...

Mmmm... I'd throw a dart and pick whichever color it hit, but that wouldn't be too good for the ol' laptop screen.
Capri Blue, Canyon Rose, Cyclamen, or even Light Turquoise. I'm notoriously bad at making decisions, can you tell?