It's not just the swatch that lies

Must blog but tired don't want to complain have stuff to say been doing knitting some spinning no pictures of either must do something about that but tired hate complaining in publicblogging should do my G no not yet when did obligation to post get into the mix but i want to blogtouch my buddies tired should be doing yardwork no thanks should be doing expense report yech handed taxes to the big guy at least that's off my plate but need to write letter and clear desk and pay bills and why do I have to have a day job?

Monkey mind, indeed. 

Swatches are evil mind-twisters.  Every knitter knows this.  How about when it twists even further?  Sometimes, it may not be the knitter's hands that are the culprit.

Manise spotted this one from across the table.  I was swatching for Green Gable.  US #6 gave me 13.5 st/inch with Rowan Calmer.  I went up a needle size.  Manise pointed out that my needles were still US #6.  "You must have picked up the first set.  Looks small", she accused.

My Lantern Moons, purchased as US #7.  Two measure out as #6, three measure out as #7.  My record keeping isn't good enough to know where to return them. 

Just imagine what my swatch WOULDN'T have told me about Rowan Calmer for Green Gable.  (Many thanks to Manise, whose eyes are as sharp as a needle gauge.)

BMFA Sheep to Shoe (Lapis)  is on a wheel.  Strip the roving into three equal lengthwise parts. 

One reassessment and reallocation yields 87.8 gms/82.2 gms/93.8gms.  I wring my hands.  Is it even enough?  Most people don't have drug-dealer scales.  Most people eyeball it.  Isn't that good enough? 

As I inspect the color changes, it becomes clear that the roving will not spin out into clear color transitions.  The weights are fine.  I'm 50% into spinning worsted technique, a good amount of twist (Goldilocks and the Three Bears: not too much, not too little, just right), planning three ply from three bobbins.

Startitis has continued.  There really has been a point to it, which became clear when I cast on for Green Gable, and then the Wool Peddler's shawl.  I finally found WIPs that made me want to knit again. 

The barbarians came on Thursday and blew the leaves away.  It is shocking to see lawn.  Of course, the lawn that has been revealed is in shocking condition.  I hope that is temporary.

The croci have stretched, reached up their tiny arms, yawned, and are preparing to smile.  At LAST. 

Comments

[margene]

This is not the time of year to assess the lawn...it is just starting to reawaken. A week or two should reveal what is needed as the green will start to come into view. Ours are just stretching with a yawn towards the sun.
Manise's eye will save you time and angst. The spinning looks marvelous as will the socks!

[Theresa]

Lantern Moon replaced by broken dpn via email. I bet the company would fix this for you.

[Marcia Cooke]

You mean thing with that measly Golding BOBBIN, for Pete's sake!

[Carole]

Your first paragraph is priceless. I'd call it martini brain, though, not monkey brain.

[Mel]

On the other hand, EZ pointed out that you could often get by with that degree of incremental difference if one or two needles in your set are of a different size.

[Danielle]

Your sheep to shoe will yield some lovely socks. I'm spinning some sock yarn that defies photography -- blue, brown, green, but all very dark -- but I'm only going for a two-ply. I'm into the second bobbin, and hoping to finish it soon!

[Lorette]

Martini brain, monkey brain. It's all the same thing. Unless you drink enough martinis, in which case the monkey brain stops entirely.

Yikes on the needles. I had that happen with my Knitpicks Options, but Lantern Moon? You'd think they're spendy enough to be marked accurately.

The Lapis is lovely stuff.

[Manise]

I couldn't believe it when the needle gauge confirmed my suspicion. Glad we got to the bottom of it before you went completely lulu repeatedly swatching.

The Sheep 2 Shoe singles look awesome my dear! I should unearth mine out of stash.

[claudia]

That is some lovely spinning.

Ah, monkey mind. I know it well.

[Martha]

Seriously, the needle thing makes me nuts. Inox needles (which I prefer for lace) are consistently easily a half-size smaller than their marked size. Thank goodness for needle gauges.

[PumpkinMama]

I've been eyeballing the sheep to shoe roving, but leery of the price - would you say its worth it - is the prep as good as their dye jobs are?

[Beth S.]

Fascinating! I wonder how common these kinds of quality control issues are, and how many failed projects are the result. I want to go home now and put all my needles through the sizer... I bet I'd find at least one pair like that.

And I am seriously impressed with Manise's visual acuity. Wow!

[Lynn]

Oh, go ahead and whine in public. I do on my blog (which may be why hardly anyone reads it) and if you did it, I'd have company. This has been such a long, hard winter and such a slow, cold spring, we all should be whining boodles. We need a Knitbloggers Whining Boodles Day, a public disgorgement of general crankiness amongst the pointy-wielding masses.

OK, now I feel better.

[Kim]

Hmm...you have grass? I have been whinning for weeks about lack of grass, dirty snow...and on and on, it's ok for you to whine too :-)

Scary about the needles, I never thought to check either.

[Sylvia]

My lawn is a foot tall and a deep green. Need to go to Home Depot and buy a weedeater and rake...

Needle gauges can lie, too. None of mine agree.

[Teyani]

love love love that spinning. The colors are divine. It will probably end up being fairly muted and heathered looking as a three ply - which will be awesome for socks.
divine.
Whining is acceptable every now and then- I think we all want to every once in awhile.
But, I agree.. blogs aren't always the best choice.
feel free to call if you need an ear.

[Lucia]

A book report on Peter Rabbit, a book report on Peter Rabbit...

That's what happened with my pink/white BFL. I decided to use the Doris Day method (que sera, sera). (I think that is Latin for "what lovely bodily fluids," but I digress.) You saw how that turned out. Let your conscience be your guide.

[Lynn]

Think about SOAR...

[vanessa]

email or call lantern moon.
and take a nap ;-)

[Kathy]

Manise is awesome! And I always eyeball, but have a shorter foot!

[Romi]

I've had that experience too! I bought a set of dpns - not from Lantern Moon - and one was much larger than the others. It prompted me to go measure my other sets, and sure enough, there were several other sets that included needles of different sizes. :P

And I second Vanessa: naps are Good. :)

[kmkat]

Yeah, my Addi circs are different sizes than the equivalent bamboo dpns. My ancient set of Boye interchangeables are different sizes than my Knit Picks Options. To top it off, my needle gauges -- from two different manufacturers -- do not agree.

Que sera sera, indeed.