Saturday, August 4, 2007

The Devil is in the Details!

I tried, I really did. I said I'd cast on yesterday and I had the best of intentions. (Ya--the road to WHERE?? is paved with good intentions?!?) Maybe I'm fussing too much about matching up yarn "size", to the patterns I look at. I've gotten all the right sizes of dpn's for socks except size 1, which my LYS was out of, and I don't have many options around here, so that means ordering, which means waiting, and there will be no more of THAT! Every pattern that seemed a possibility for me called for size 1. (Of course)

So, I called around (meaning 2 places)! And BINGO! JoAnn Fabrics had them in a pack of four sets of dpn's. When I heard that I was thinking, "big bucks". Wrong-o! How about sizes 000, 00, 0, and 1--five of each for a mere $9.99. ($5.99 with my coupon!!) Now I don't want them because they're TOO cheap, and it has often come to my attention that you do get what you pay for.

Nevertheless, I loaded up my dogs and we went for a "car ride" -- two words you NEVER say at my house unless you plan on following through! Got me the needles, and now I'm feeling quite plucky, though still having doubts about what kind of needles you get for that price.

Now I'm ready to study my (finally) chosen pattern. I notice that it tells you to cast on 44 stitches, (with fingering weight) which seems off to me, since my recent and in depth study of socks tells me that's more for worsted weight, and fingering yarn calls for something more in the area of 60 to 70 stitches. OH SHOOT! Doubt has set in.

Back to pattern selection! I remember one that Alaina posted about early in the KAL, so I go back and look at it again. That's it!! That.Is.It!!! And guess what? It calls for size 2 needles. Whoduh thunk!

Now I'm ready! But wait---I need to learn a new way to cast on. The way I usually do it isn't recommended for socks. Not stretchy enough. I'm looking at all those yarny "how to" illustrations at about midnight with dry, burny eyes and decided: "No Way, Uh Uh, No Can Do. This will have to wait until tomorrow." Go ahead--here you can picture me sitting alone, under a bright light, surrounded by numerous books, patterns, skeins of yarn and knitting needles---looking defeated!

Well, tomorrow is now today, and once again I am filled with determination and optimism! Today I will learn a new way to cast on. Really, I will. The only fly in the ointment is that I do have one other committment: I must not only attend, but play the piano for a wedding. Not to mention some more practicing with unsure musicians before the actual event. That would be the same wedding that took up almost my entire day yesterday. I don't play for weddings (I prefer funerals; and no, I'm not joking), which means I've had to practice. And practice. And practice. Speaking of, I need to shut down, go inside, and practice some more. Later---SOCKS!!!

1 comment:

Donna said...

Alana, You can do it. Knittinghelp.com is a great place for video how to. The long tail cast on is best for most socks whatever the directions say. Unless you do a toe-up pattern, then a provisional cast on works best. Try the longtail method and I think you will be happy. Hope wedding went well!