Category Archives: yarn

Yarn isn’t working

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I spent $$$ at my LYS on Friday on this gorgeous Cascade Ultra Pima in Heathered Pansy (3705) to knit the Eileen Shell featured in No Sheep for You.  It’s a substitute for the Louret Sales Euroflax Geneva (which is no longer available and would have been way above my price range).

The pattern calls for a worsted weight and I was advised by the salesperson that I could substitute the Cascade Ultra Pima for the Euroflax.  Gauge is 20 st x 24 rows on Size 2 (2.75mm) needles.  I’ve swatched this starting on Size 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and finally got the correct gauge on a size 7 needle.  This is supposed to be a very tight knit but it’s not happening.  The DK weight just isn’t a proper substitute.  I should have known but I just wasn’t thinking.  In the meantime I ordered some Comfy Worsted in Peony from Knit Picks just in case I need to change the yarn.

Questions abound.  Well, maybe only three questions…

  1. Do I use the size 7 needles since that is what gauge was?
  2. Do I figure out what size to knit using a smaller needle so I get the intended denseness?
  3. Do I go with the above mentioned yarn from Knit Picks and save the Cascade Ultra Pima for something else?

I’m not good at substituting.  But then I don’t think this was completely my fault.  The advice I received from the salesperson wasn’t exactly right IMHO.

Please help!

Periwinkle, Sky Blue, Aqua, Lime

 

In addition to the Heathered Pansy color I also bought  (from l to r) Periwinkle (3726), Sky Blue (3727), Aqua (3732), and Lime (3739).  Not sure what I’m going to knit with these but I loved the colors and the feel of the yarn.  With so much swatching I’ve done over then weekend I do not think will not get tired of this buttery softness.

Yarn lover’s delight

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My LYS is having a sale starting today.  Check it out here.  I stopped in the store yesterday thinking the sale started then but I was wrong.  I did look around and picked out something yummy (Cascade Ultra Pima) to make a shell (Eileen) featured in No Sheep for You by Amy Singer.  This shell is knit with worsted weight linen (I’m using cotton) on size 0 2 and 1 needles!  That’s right size 0 2 and 1.  I don’t have size 0 but I will pick some up when I buy the yarn.  <edit I didn’t need the size 0 but bought some anyway thinking that’s what I needed.  Will return.>  The Bacardi cardigan from the same book is also on my list but I have a hard time spending that much money for yarn…even on myself!  The sales girl said she would kindly (though reluctantly) hold the Cascade yarn for me today so I want to take an early lunch and pick it up.   I will post pictures of my purchases.

In other news…I wimped out and drove my car to work.  I have a 19 mile drive to work instead of the motorcycle.  Since I have to run into town to pick up the above mentioned yarn, I didn’t want to put the extra miles on my car or use more gas.  Car = 25 mpg.  Motorcycle = 52 mpg.  The thermometer was what made me decide on four-wheels.  48 freaking degrees is just below my threshold for riding.  Plus traffic will be horrible when I go home.  Granted it’s not LA traffic but when you are not used to a lot of crazy people from DC and Baltimore rushing to get to the lake, or locals rushing to the shore, it can be pretty scary.  At least it can be for me.  I am so small town.

Be safe and have fun this weekend.  Happy (Early) Birthday America!