A lengthy discourse
Monday October 13th 2008, 1:59 pm
Filed under: "Wrapped in Comfort",Knit

Kathy yoke Nina main body

Hmm. My usual take on shawl lengths is that the heavier the yarn, the longer it ought to be knitted to come off feeling like the proportions are right.  This is a fingering weight baby alpaca (what else?)  It seems to be about 20″, maybe 21″ long; I’ll know after it’s blocked.  Each repeat is 3 1/2″, and I’m thinking one more repeat.  If I left it as is, it would come out like how the pink Julia shawl looks on the model in “Wrapped in Comfort.”

I’m thinking yes, one more repeat. I would put it onto two circular needles to hold the stitches over a greater length, dampen it down and let it dry to get a more precise measurement before stopping, but I have lost my other pair of size 9 Holz and Steins.  Let me repeat that.  I lost my Holz and Steins.  The rosewood 32″ circs I knit every size-9-needle shawl in my book on.  The not-sold-in-the-US-anymore, best-tipped, best needles on the (not on the) market, made from leftover wood from making musical instruments, irreplaceable Holz and Steins. The last time I definitely remember seeing them, I packed them in my knitting bag along with an extra ball of yarn to go hear Stephanie, just in case I should run out of my Sea Silk project.  (Fat chance, especially with my then-sore hand, but knitters understand.  That extra ball of yarn happened to weigh a pound.  Of baby alpaca.  Of course.)

I am writing about my acute sense of loss in the hopes that Murphy will smack me upside the head and instantly taunt me by finding them.

Meantime, I thank you all for the respectful discourse on my Why Vote post.  I photo’d our holly bush and captioned it “prickly subject,” and I’m pleased and relieved at the reception the post has gotten, even from those who quite disagree with me.  I think I’m going to keep it to that one entry and just let the comments continue, should anyone feel so inclined.


11 Comments so far
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I really hope those special needles show up.

Comment by sonya 10.13.08 @ 3:02 pm

Oh, man. I hope someone found those needles, or that they show up in the couch cushions, or something — and soon!

Comment by Jocelyn 10.13.08 @ 3:53 pm

Oh no – I hope someone found them and will return them to you. Boo…

Comment by rho1640 10.13.08 @ 5:44 pm

OK, now I understand why the H&S needles are so expensive. Why couldn’t it have been a plastic Susan Bates circ that you lost? Murphy must not be a knitter!

Comment by Lynn 10.14.08 @ 4:06 am

Uh-oh… I hope your needles turn up! I’ve lost one #4 straight… (Sissy?)

Comment by Channon 10.14.08 @ 6:15 am

Have you called the Copperfield’s in Santa Rosa and seen if anyone turned them in?

Also did you check the car you came up in?

Jenn

Comment by Tiny Tyrant 10.14.08 @ 9:58 am

I called Copperfield’s, and they went and checked their lost and found, but they moved locations two days after Stephanie’s talk; I’m sure it wouldn’t have been a top priority to some moving guy if they’d found it in the chaos of that day. Jasmin’s been checking her car.

Grafton Fibers in Vermont makes by far the closest thing to my H&S’s, so at least I have the option of finding something that feels just the same in the hands and is pretty to look at.

Comment by AlisonH 10.14.08 @ 10:07 am

Have you tried the Susanne’s needles of ebony or rosewood? They are not quite the same but are also made from musical instrument leftovers:
http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/product_page_sn.php

Nothing is like those Holz and Stein’s but this is close, I think. Good luck! The moment you purchase a new one, you’ll find the old one, I bet. 🙂

Comment by Joanne 10.14.08 @ 11:19 am

I hope they find their way back to you asap!!!

Comment by Diana Troldahl 10.14.08 @ 12:40 pm

I love, love, love that pattern. I noticed one of the comments mentions Grafton Fibers in Vermont. Where have I been? I’ve never heard of them and I’m hoping maybe there is a treasure “in my back yard”…lol.

Comment by Joansie 10.15.08 @ 6:57 am

You might be able to get some replacement Holz & Stein circulars at Catherine Knits in Broolyn, New York
http://www.catherineknits.com/. Sure hope yours come home, wagging their tails behind them.

Comment by wunx~ 10.18.08 @ 1:19 am



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