Monday, January 24, 2011

I am a total geek

They're heeeeeeeere:

  
Oooooooh, they're so pretty:


So I celebrated by knitting myself a hat.  (And just in time for the -35C weather, too!)


 
Um, and so, here's the thing.  This hat is the reincarnation of my Burberry-Inspired Cowl: 


The cowl just wasn't doing it for me.  I wasn't wearing it.  And the yarn is delicious and it was from Wood, so there was NO WAY I was going to let it collect dust in the winter accessories bin (yes, we have a whole bin - a basket wouldn't even come close to containing it all...it's one of those massive Rubbermaid storage bins).  So I frogged it and IT LIVES AGAIN!

So there you have it.  I am off to swatch my arse off for my next sweater and make some socks.  

GET THIS: since I started knitting in the Continental style, I've reeeeeeeally loosened up.  I started knitting Ruth's socks with a 3.25mm circular and it was too loose.  Next, I tried a 2.5mm circular and it was too loose.  So I went down to a 2.0mm.  And guess what?  STILL TOO FLIPPIN' LOOSE!  Two! Point! Oh!  Millimeters!   That's like knitting with tooth picks!  They don't even make them smaller than that!  GAH!  So it looks like I'm going to have to a) start knitting socks in sport weight yarn or b) knit all socks in the English style, which is about as tempting to me as the thought of licking my kitchen floor.  All. Those. Stitches.  And. All. That. Ribbing.  And no Continental.  

Sigh.

PS: You know, I think it's time for a change, folks.  I switched to Apple several years ago because they just work (iMac, I love you).  I drive a car that is dependable and fuel-efficient and good quality, because it just makes more sense (though it is not made in North America - GASP).  I try to eat organic and local, because it is kinder to the planet and better for my health.  I even learned a totally new way of knitting (after 25 years of using the old method) because it was just smarter and more efficient.  I am all for tradition and standards and all that, but I think it's time for you crazy Americans to get over your impossible-to-understand-and-full-of-nonsensical-gaps knitting needle sizing conventions and come over to the dark side.  The totally logical, totally fool-proof, "it just works", dark, METRIC side.  

I mean, you have two versions of size 1 needles and two versions of size 2's.  And what's up with having a size 0? How is that even possible?  Honestly.  That's just silly.

7 comments:

  1. Lovely hat! The cowl was nice, too. I need to finally learn that continental method, too.

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  2. Love the hat! Love continental! And AMEN to the metric system!

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  3. Chris, do you mean to tell me that you knit THAT much and you don't knit in Continental??? Woman, that is crazy town.

    Ash: sing it, sistah! Methinks we should start a petition?

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  4. So...how much do you like them? I want them but I am afraid to invest if I don't like them. I can't do metal circulars but I've been eyeing the birch ones...
    Sweet hat! No kidding just in time for the cruel weather changes....Stay warm!

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  5. I shall sign that petition! After 10 years in the US the un-metric system still makes me nervous; I can't figure out recipes or weather forecasts or google maps... Have you seen size 00 or even 000 needles? Yay to the continental method!

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  6. I feel like I am a geek...what are you holding? A bag full of all sizes of needles? Are they those Addis that everyone was talking about? And...this might be my biggest geek question, but what is continental style?

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  7. I know!! That's what I get for being taught to knit by two grandmas who only knew the American method, I guess. But you've shown me the light. I'm totally going to figure this thing out.

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