Saturday, February 07, 2009

The Magic Loop Is...well...Magical!

Zoinks! It has been a long time since I posted! I do have some very good reasons for the lack of posting though...1) I took my theory OWLs (written qualifying exams) a week ago, 2) I take my practical OWLs (oral qualifying exams) on Tuesday, and 3) my home computer is not playing nicely with others, so I don't have a computer with which to upload photos. I have been knitting a bit though! Last Wednesday, I finally had it with the amount of work I was doing and went over to Hanks to buy some 40in circular needles in 2.25mm. I had ordered some from KnitPicks, but they were taking too long. I had decided last week that my Simplicity socks were going to be too big on the 2.5mm needles I was using and I needed to frog before I went any farther. To be perfectly honest, I think I need to go down another size, but I can't emotionally handle doing that. I decided that if the socks are too big for me, I will FIND someone who can wear these socks or I will wear them as bed socks. I realized that my perfectionist tendencies are preventing me from finishing a pair of socks and this has got to stop. The only way I am going to learn how I like my socks is if I finish a pair or two.

In happier news regarding my Simplicity socks. I love Yarn Love yarn. The yarn is so cheery and holds up well to frogging (yarn: Juliet; colorway: Maiden). I also LOVE knitting socks on one circular needle. The project is far more portable than any DPN project I have ever done. I have also noticed that I am knitting faster and with a more "normal" gauge for me. With one circular needle, I only stop once per round and there are only two possible ladders. With the evil DPNs, I have to stop three times per round, plus I have to worry about four possible ladders. Since I am not as worried about ladders with the one circular needle, I am not knitting so tightly, which is really improving my gauge numbers. Now that I have gone magic loop, I am never going back. Now, what am I going to do with all those DPNs I own???