Before I begin, I should tell you this story has a happy ending. My latest project is a pair of socks that I’m knitting for myself (I am my own guinea pig). I’m using size 2 double pointed needles with Patons Kroy brand sock yarn super fine 75% wool 25% nylon yarn in Blue Striped Ragg. So far they’re turning out just as I want them to.
So there is the good news, here comes the bad news.
If you probably couldn’t tell, I was incredibly frustrated with my knitting project a few days ago. My yarn kept slipping, my hands wouldn’t relax and I was on the verge of giving up on knitting altogether…again. One of my life’s mantras has always been “Go big, or go home.” I paint on big canvas, I drive too fast, I never have time where I’m not doing something. I took this idea into knitting and after semi-successfully completing my first and only knitting project, a scarf, I decided to jump head first into intermediate knitting and try socks.
I purchased size 4 bamboo double pointed needles and grabbed a leftover ball of worsted acrylic yarn and went to town. I worked and worked on this thing for a few hours, knitting and purling for a few rows, then messing up, ripping it out and starting over. It was a disaster.
I posted my last entry in the heat of the frustration. I angrily knotted up my needles in my yarn, took a photo, then threw the project in the drawer. After cooling off, I picked up my crochet hook and made 3 dolls in a matter of hours, deciding to take a break from knitting for a day or so. It felt so good to have my trusty crochet hook in my hand and the relief that if it slipped out of the yarn, I wouldn’t have to deal with a travesty. However, knitting was at the front of my mind. I wanted a handful of double pointed needles and the hope of someday warming my feet in wool socks.
I went to the craft store and bought a size 2 circular needle and found a medium/fine yarn weight in my stash. But this was worse than the double pointed needles debacle . I realized it was because the cable was too stiff and wouldn’t pull smoothly through the yarn. That needle was immediately returned.
Finally, I grabbed a pack of metal size 2 double pointed needles, and found some adorable sock yarn, cast on, and things seem to be running smoothly. I think discovered my problem. I was using the wrong size needle-to-yarn combination. Either my yarn was too thick and my needles too small or my needles to big and my yarn too small. I’ve never paid attention to the yarn weight or needle gauge until now. I guess those little symbols and instructions on the back of the ball band are there for a reason. Who knew.
Sorry this post was a little long winded. but like I said, I like to “go big or go home.” Until the next knitting crisis.
The Jellyfish Barn 