Friday, March 22, 2013

Scary vs non-scary knitting and crochet tools

Finally: a haircut.  I haven't had time for one since November, but a few days ago I got in to see Rob for a trim, to which I was superhugely looking forward because in addition to his being really good at cutting my hair,

a/ Rob's been to all the places I'm going to in Italy and

b/ his partner is a crazy prolific knitter.

After we'd talked for a bit I said You know, I'm thinking about not bringing knitting.  And he agreed straight off that I shouldn't.  ("Well, maybe for the plane.  But can you even bring it on the plane?")  Rob figures I'm going to want to be looking at the scenery, be it out a bus window or on the ceiling in the church I'm waiting to hear music in.

(there will be five of those, in case you feel like keeping count, and maybe six. no, wait! Six, and maybe seven, but two of them are in the same place, so only one ceiling to stare at.  Except hello, it's a church in Rome so two long stares might not be enough anyway.)

Bottom line: I'm thinking that really, this is just too porcupiney to go taking anywhere there might be a crowd, which is to say anywhere in public:


So it's going into my checked luggage for quiet breaks from the mayhem.  Did I mention I'm going along with a big group on an organized tour?  The schedule is crammed, and I kind of think those 'quiet breaks' are going to be filled with a/ gelato or b/ unconsciousness or c/ both, and none of those things are conducive to knitting. Still, at least I'd have it.


On the way over, I only have a few hours to fill before - with luck - I fall asleep, so I'm not too worried about getting twitchy with no socks to knit.  But I'm flying back during the day and it's going to take 10 hours to get home once the flight actually takes off, which as we all know probably won't be exactly on time.  That's where I'm thinking this might be good:


Okay, maybe not this exact thing.  This is a 10mm crochet hook and it looks like a small tree stump or something.  I showed it to Pete, aka the guy who asked me very politely to "please don't draw attention to yourself" when I showed him the double points with Koigu sock yarn on them, and he said the hook looks completely non-scary.

It's giving me too loose a fabric though with the Noro yarn I have, so I've ordered a 6mm hook and also a 5mm, just in case.  I figure I will use them regardless because I do enjoy crochet, and I really enjoy these Addi Natura bamboo hooks.  

What does that mean for the 10mm hook?  Well, probably that I'm going to stop into a yarn store for something bulky this morning, because as it happens I'm going to be right next to one with ten or so minutes to kill before an appointment.  Life: it's so sad and tragic.


Getting back to the scary needles: they are KnitPicks Harmony Wood 5" double points, and GAH, even with shiny new ones in the length I like, I'm just not in love any more.  I've been spoiled by the square needles with their slippery, coppery finish.  Still: the woods do produce the nicest fingering weight sock I make, so I'm gonna stick with 'em.

Not today though.  When you see the Koigu socks again you'll know that any progress I've made with them was entirely Italian.  Today, with any luck at all, I'm going to finish my second pair of Circus socks and then,

oh dear,

break down and launder some socks.  This is the big, big downside to knitting so many socks: you can go a long time before you really have to wash any, but when you do have to, NELLY, is it a huge job.  So wish me luck even if you're thinking more of the bulky yarn hunt than the massive Sock Wash, and have yourself a terrific weekend. See you Monday!

3 comments:

Leslie said...

Have you tried knitting socks on 2 circulars? It's how I knit them when I travel. I don't have to worry about losing a DPN down the aisle of a plane, and I don't have to worry about stitches fall off either side.

Mary Keenan said...

That's a good point (ha) Leslie - I did actually buy 2 circulars for the travel socks. I should put one of the socks onto them so I can try both ways!

Leslie said...

To be honest, I find that working two circulars makes my hands tired more quickly, but it can't be beat for travel...I especially like that I can't lose my working needles when I hit the end of a row. Of course, when I switch back to working on DPNs I find that I drop that working needle as if it were attached...until I've had to pick it up or rescue it from the cat 5 times, then I remember :)