Needle trauma

Poo. I cast on for some hot sexy summer evening lace knitting last night, with new 2mm needles and the yummy unknown cone of yarn. The needles were evil. They were cheap things from the market in town, and the only ones I can get within bus travel distance of where I live in that size. The tips looked ok in the packet, but the evil buggers were far from sharp enough to go through the loop of yarn on the needle. That sounds like a bloke I used to go out with actually… Anyway, I now have to buy some new needles online, which I wanted to avoid in case they were rubbish. Shows how good that plan was! Thankfully, the Heirloom Knitting website sells needles they recommend for lace knitting, for not much money, so I’ll have to buy a few pairs from them before I can start seriously considering a teammate for the Amazing Lace knitalong. That kind of scuppers my plans a bit, but I’ll just have to cast on for the Rowan River stole thingy tonight instead of knitting the lovely shetland style patterns I have.
I’m allowing myself to cast on for the lace because the Argyle socks have been set aside. Don’t worry – all is well! I’ve stopped because the pattern is prepared, and being tested 😀 I’ve also ordered some yarny goodies to knit up a fancy, mistake-free version of them, all going well. I won’t spoil the surprise of what I’m making them in just yet… Teehee! Aileen – you will be the first person to receive the pattern when I’ve fixed some chart issues (Excel, Word, and a last minute rush of typing up the pattern before the late shift at work doesn’t make a good piece of display material). I still have to post the parcel to you, so I might sneak a pretty version in there for you if it is ready 🙂
I’m feeling kind of antsy with the knitting at the moment. I feel the need to use some yarn, something that hasn’t been touched for a while, or at all. Something from the stash that I haven’t really discovered the advantages of yet. Or maybe I need a new technique, and that’s why the lace is calling – I’ve knit lace patterns before, but the concept of knitting lace for the love of lace and the glory of it being the main construction feature of the pattern is still quite new. I need to find a direction tonight, and enjoy the yarn for what it is. Which will be quite nice after the nasty weekend rubbish.
Lastly, I got my email this morning about who I’m going to spoil for the One Skein SP. I hope she isn’t as nosy as P was ;D