It Figures!

After I lost one of the sock needles from the Earl Grey Socks, I finally broke down and made a new one with a bamboo skewer. Later T-Man came upstairs with the missing needle! Apparently it was in the middle of the dining room floor where I should have tripped over it. Of course it’s been as dark as the inside of your eyeballs around here lately with all the rain. But I looked everywhere and couldn’t find it for several days before I broke down and made a substitute. I knew that would bring it out of the woodwork and it did. So now I have a spare.

It also figures that when I swatched with the correct size circular needle (3.75 mm) for the Hepburn Cardi, I got…the right gauge. I still can’t remember why I thought the smaller one was going to work. The larger needle doesn’t add much to the width but definitely increases the row gauge to something resembling the pattern requirements. Why is that? It’s also significantly easier to knit all the cables and lace. I’m not sure I like the resulting fabric quite as much though. It doesn’t have the same heft and bounce. It’s more drapey and limp. But chances of me finishing the thing sometime this winter are greatly improved. I’m also working on re-charting the pattern in Knit Visualizer because frankly the one in the book sucks. I like a good clear chart to follow for something this complex. It is possible to memorise it eventually but it still helps to have a visual check. Besides I like charting.

Yesterday’s monsoon prevented me from going out but luckily we did miss the tail end of Typhoon LingLing when she petered out before she got here. Yes, I am sugar-spun and afraid of melting. Why do you ask? Anyway, we need some groceries and the free weekly newspapers so I plan to pester T with a ride so we can stock up. As far as I can see the weather plans to monsoon on and off for the next few days anyhow. Why go out walking when I can be warm and dry in the MINI Cooper? And she carries lots more groceries than I can.

Oh glorious sounds! I can hear the garbage truck for the first time in 3 months! Yay! Looks like he’s having trouble compacting all the garbage he’s had to pick up though. Some is dropping out in the alley. Now he’s up on top jumping on it! Yikes! Whew. He climbed down safely. Glad I’m not his mama. Or his wife. Pee-ew! Hope he had a nice summer vacation on the picket line and got a great tan. Now he’s making up for lost time. Neener-neener! The garbage is still stuck. Hope he picked up mine first. I can’t tell from here.

I should be vacuuming but it’s too dark to see the dirt. So back to charting Hepburn instead.