Just One More Row

Yesterday I took the bus to my friend’s house for our monthly Spectrum Study Group meeting. I was happy that it decided to hold off on the rain both ways. We had our usual delightful time chatting and sharing, munching and playing. There’s a lot to be said for having a group of dear friends with whom you can get together on a regular basis. I’m somewhat of a hermit these days but these times are special fun.

All I brought was my paper knitting because I was trying to travel light. I had my sock in my pocket for knitting while waiting for the bus and while riding on it. I was lucky to find a seat among the university students who frequent this new bus route. If you read The Panopticon, Franklin would be happy to know that in my neck of the woods a handsome young man can read “Out” magazine openly on public transit and nobody even blinks an eye. However my knitting a sock prompted one young Asian man to ask what I was making and who was it for. In broken English he complimented me on my “talent”! Cute. Though I think he was disappointed that it wasn’t for him.

So I got one and a half repeats of my pattern done on Papyrine. That means I need to finish the second repeat today to be up to date with my self-imposed schedule. Instead I carried on with my illicit Selbu Damselfly tam. It’s illicit because I shouldn’t really start anything new and because I also shouldn’t be so vulnerable to peer pressure from my Ravelry knitting buddies. (You know who you are!) However it’s really cute so far:

I had to go up a size to 3mm needles to get closer to gauge. Still not sure if I’ve got it right but we’ll see. Apparently I knit tighter than usual on old 16” aluminum Aero circulars in stranded colourwork with the MC in my right (not usual) hand and the CC in my left. I had to remember how to knit with the yarn in my right hand and also remembered why I don’t like to knit that way. It’s awkward and uses much more movement. I never learned how to do a little “flick” with my forefinger to throw the yarn like my mommy did. I have to let go of things and wrap the yarn. I much prefer to knit with the yarn in my left hand. Also the Koigu (MC, charcoal) is slightly thinner and tighter spun than the Louet Gems (CC, orange). They definitely feel different in my hands. I originally thought they were much more similar.

Another problem I’ve been having is the persimmon-orange colour that I dyed the Louet Gems yarn is coming off on my hands. It won’t be a problem after I get a chance to rinse the finished tam but I certainly thought I had done so with the yarn in the skein! Sometimes, even with all the dyeing experience I’ve had, the dye decides to be naughty and not set or rinse properly. It usually doesn’t make much of a difference in the final colour but it’s annoying while I’m knitting with it. Maybe it’s the same dye that gave me a problem with The Ninja’s Rusty Socks from a year ago? It’s a similar colour anyway. I still have orangey bamboo needles from that project!