Searching for circs to start a new project has become hazardous. I use certain sizes over and over. Sometimes I knit hats, for which I need a 16-inch length, but for knitting flat -- scarves or shawls -- on circular needles, I need a 24-inch or 29-inch length, or whatever the equivalent is in centimeters.
Recently my kind friend E. lent me a needle (5mm, 40cm; or US7, 24in.) and a few books. The books she will get back as soon as possible, but I have fallen in love with the needle. It is an old Skacel brand (not sure if it's labeled "Addi" or if it predates that), with gold-plated tips. I would not have thought there was such a measurable difference in metals for needle tips, but of course there is.
Addi Lace needles are a conundrum, because they are brass, and they give off a distinctive odour while I am using them. But, they have nice pointed tips and very flexible cables. I just don't know if I can endure too much of the brassy smell they give off.
Knit Picks Options are nickel-plated, and they are nice to work with. The Options set only comes with one pair of tips in each size, though. I still haven't got around to ordering repeats in my commonly used sizes. So every time I go looking in my options set, the size I need is already stuck in a project.
A few weeks ago when Cmeknit1 was cleaning out her stash of needles, I volunteered to take all her bamboo circulars off her hands. There were lots of them in the common sizes for worsted weight, in a decent length for flat knitting. I still have a dwindling supply of those.
But my point is, and here's the thing, I need to frog or finish some UFOs, so that I can gain back the needles that are hiding in them. (I figure if it's getting to the point that you need the needle for a new project more than you can muster enthusiasm for finishing the unfinished project, you should probably consider frogging it. Then again, right now I have two needles sitting in an unfinished cardigan. So I really should reclaim the needles, but I am not prepared to abandon all the work I have already done. Therein lies my dilemma.)
[Insert huge knitterly sigh here.]
Moving on now.
UFOs
I have been accomplishing some knitting. I have finished two colourful Noro feather-and-fan scarves. I've started another in the Ella Rae Jaspe Wool I got in my last swap. (Not sure if that is a good use for this yarn, though. I may end up reclaiming it for something else, like a fair isle hat.)
POC = Probability of Completion
POF = Probability of Frogging
Unfinished objects currently around, other than the cardigan (which we've already discussed):
- Cabled button toque (POC: slim to none; POF: slim to none - I won't be needing those big plastic 10mm DPNs anytime soon)
- Afghan square (POC: undetermined; POF: slim to none - It is on straight needles)
- Sideways watch cap in Noro (POC: slim to none - it's Kitchener stitch; POF: high - lovely yarn, ugly hat)
- Storm cloud shawlette (POC: undetermined; POF: undetermined - it's in a mess right now, and I am not good at fixing lace)
- Scrappy hat in greens and blues (POC: low; POF: high)
- Odessa (POC: low; POF: undetermined - I got so far on this one, then I went and used metal DPNs for the decreases and they slipped out and the rest is history. Very. Messy. History.)
- Boot sock (POC: high; POF: low - I don't need the needle)
And of course the Norwegian slippers are still around, waiting to be sewn together and felted. I'm not sure that's ever going to happen.
2 comments:
I have this problem with needles. I buy them, I lose them ... then I buy more and that's when I find the ones I thought I'd lost.
I'm going to be saving up for an interchangeable set ... probably the one that Webs sells. I love the Addi set, but it doesn't come with 16 inch cables at all. That's the big seller for me.
Good luck with the UFOs! I have to make myself limit my number of projects or else I would never finish anything. I think my max is four (sometimes five).
See, that's why I love the options set, you just unscrew the tips, replace them with end caps and mark the needle size on the project (either with those nifty tags they have or with just a pit of paper pinned on the project) and then you can screw the tips onto a new cable and start your new project ;-)
You can do that until you run out of cables :-D ( I do...)
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