Most of the time, when I’m making a quick project, I expect it to be QUICK.
Like, grab the D*&%#! needles,
cast-on with given yarn and
WAIL!
Sometimes this happens and a few hours later, VOILA! Painless project (spelled S-C-A-R-F) wraps neck in almost instant GLORY!
Today was not that day.
I’ve spent the morning casting on and knitting the same few rows over and over.
My luscious gifted Baby Alpaca Grande was misbehaving. It’s ball band says the gauge is 3 sts per inch using #10.5 needles.
Not for me, it isn’t! So I went up to #11 needles and got about 3″ done and just hated the slightly loose way it was working up. This yarn is SOOO soft and drapey that it needs a little stitch discipline to, I believe, enhance it’s durability.
FLASH!
I suddenly rememebered I had, of all things, lurking in the forest of Circular Needles that live in the studio, a #10.75 – 24″ circular bamboo. WHOOT! Now, if you look at a regular USA distributed Bates needle gauge, there is not a 10.75 size. I accidently acquired it when I thought I was purchasing a #10.5 needle at my LYS.
from left to right:
#10.5 = 6.5 mm
#10.75 = 7 mm
#11 = 8 mm
WOW! The 10.5 is a whole 1.5 mm less than the #11. It appears as needles sizes enter the HUMuNGO range that the needle diameters jump larger too. But the 10.75 is a smooth 1 mm different than the #11. And, that TINY .5 millimeter makes a BIG difference! Now my scarf is going to do what it’s told! Who’s the BOSS!~
