Hooks and needles

The blanket (aka Penelope's wrap) is in good progress. I have sewn together all pieces (using a crochet single chain stitching method I kind of read about and kind of made up. I hope it works), and only the border remains to be done. No pictures yet, I 'll wait til it's all done, washed and blocked, as seams look bumpy now anyway.

Last night, however, I had a revelation. Since I saw the Beachcomber Tunic, I looked through my needles and realised I didn 't have a size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle. Or so I thought at the time. I had already swatched the yarn (Rowan wool cotton), and knew that I would have exactly the right gauge if I used this size needle. So, I was trying to find time to go buy a pair and lamenting the time lost after inspiration stroke.

Then I remembered that I have a bunch of straight needles, that I didn't even look at. The pattern does not specify a circular needle, it's just that I prefer using them - to the point of not even thinking of straights. I looked through, and here 's what I saw...

LOTS of size 4 straight, bamboo needles!

I had bought two sets of 4 dpn's, in case I needed 5, or lost one, or whatever. Note the holes on the third from the right - Sunny likes to steal them, run away and chew on them. Although it is annoying, and sometimes the yarn snags on the holes, she 's so cute when she runs away! This needle has a whole row of bite marks! Thanks Sunny!

So, next thing I did was to cast on and knit for 2 hours, while watching Lara Croft (I 'd watch this movie any time, just for that scene with the ceiling gliding thing..). At the end of the film, I had about 1.5 inch - about 1/4 of step one. Yippee!

I still need the right size crochet hook, but I have some time until I need to use one. Unlike most other projects, I am kind of in a hurry with this one. I think it would be perfect for evil air conditioned rooms. And as temperatures have soared recently, I anticipate being subjected to evil air conditioned rooms all the time for the next four months.

Air condition opposers, Unite!