My queue

I have a confession. I've purchased a ridiculous amount of yarn for the past year. "No more!" I said, at the beginning of this year. That didn't really happen. Now I have the urge to knit EVERYTHING. Too bad I'm so slow. 

Right now I'm trying to finish my Dessine-Moi Un Mouton by La Maison Rililie. I'm knitting it in Coast by Holst Garn, which is very soft. And very thin. I'm hoping it will be the perfect summer sweater. I'm in the middle of knitting the second stripe in the last CC. You can just about see the last three stripes knitted in the low contrast color in the sample photo. I can do about one stripe in an evening if I don't have anything else to do. I could probably finish the hem during the weekend if I don't need to go anywhere. And after that I have to knit the sleeves, which should be quicker than the body since there's no purling. Anyways, I'm trying to stay committed to this sweater before I start new ones, but there are so many things I'd like to start and so much stashed yarn that I'm quite anxious to get it done. Which still doesn't translate into knitting because I'm too busy with work at the moment.

These are some of the items in my Ravelry queue in almost no particular order:

1. Old Romance by Joji Locatelli

Yarn idea: Hopeasäie Sukka (100% Superwash BFL)

This is probably a true #1 in my queue. Since I have the yarn already. 

2. Breathing Space by Veera Välimäki

Yarn idea: Nothing particular yet! 

At first glance I loved it and immediately queued the pattern. After looking more carefully, I think the sizing needs to be spot on, especially positioning of the "seam" at the bust. The hem I'd want with less positive ease and since I haven't had the courage to purchase the pattern yet, I don't know how easy it would be to adjust. So I'm not 100% sure. I didn't know how a gradient yarn would work, so  I was waiting for more projects to show that. I know now that it will work like I envisioned, so maybe a rainbow Breathing space?

4. Mtoto Overalls by Sanni Koivumäki

Yarn idea: Drops Baby Merino (100% Superwash Merino)  Cherry & Plum

My sister's having a baby so I might knit these as a present. 

3. Color Affection by Veera Välimäki

5. Happy Street by Veera Välimäki

Not sure if I want to knit both of these shawls or pick just one, but I want and need shawls that I can use as a scarf. I don't really like to wear shawls like shawls are traditionally worn. I need functional pieces of clothing, i.e. shawls that can be wrapped around so that my neck and chin are comfortably protected against cold & windy air (for autumn). Forget shawl pins and "this will look pretty for about a second if I stay completely still". These designs look like they might work like that, and I like how simple yet effective color-blocking is. 

Yarn ideas: 

Drops Baby Merino (100% Superwash Merino) 

Drops Lace (70% alpaca, 30% silk; would hold double)

Yummy skeins*

6. Prisma by Ute Nawratil

I keep searching for this by "Spectrum" or "Spectra" and then always resort to going to my shawl bundle in my favorites and going "ah" when I see that it's "Prisma". Now it's in my queue so even easier to find. I'm still not sure about this, because I don't know how that shape works for me in reality. 

Yarn idea: Opal Happy (with silver bling) + something in dark grey (because I want a clown scarf!)

Or maybe something else entirely. I also have Aade Lõng Artistic 8/2 that needs to be a shawl. 

7. Waiting for Rain by Sylvia Bo Bilvia - a two color version probably.

Yarn idea: I don't have any particular yarn assigned for this yet, but something light and airy.

Re: shawl shape. I really have no idea if this is wearable for me, but the design intrigues me and it's so pretty that I just want to make it. 

8. Stripes Gone Crazy by Atelier Alfa

Yarn idea: Drops Baby Merino (100% Superwash Merino)

I think you can tell based on the samples above, that all the designs I am drawn to have something different and unique in their construction. I'm sure I would improve faster at knitting if I would first pick more basic designs and then use that knowledge as a base for something more complicated. But I like to learn new things and get bored with just simple knitting. 

9. Watson by Amy Miller.

Apparently nine pictures were too many for a collage, so I almost forgot about this. I actually bought 10 skeins of royal blue Baby Alpaca Silk for this quite a while ago. Two years now? I love lace details at the back of any cardigan. I've been loving this forever, but then I get distracted by other shiny things and this remains in the queue. Also, I would modify it to not include the pleat in the back.
Yarn idea: Drops Baby Alpaca Silk (or maybe what's stopping me is that I'm not completely loving the color I ordered?)

*I have two three different skeins of hand-dyed yarn aka "yummy skeins" that I'm still searching the perfect projects for. A scarf or a shawl most likely, or as a detail in a sweater. They are by Hedgehog Fibres, Lai-la-lai Yarnz and Lanitium Ex Machina. 

In a mental queue I have Stephen West's Exploration Station, but picking the colors is overwhelming. It also overlaps with the Prisma. As in, same size & shape. Exploration Station might be much more interesting to knit because of the different sections.

I didn't include sock patterns because there are just a million of those. 

Sewing pattern review: Sweetpea Pods by Lazy Girl Designs

As I think I mentioned in my previous zipper tutorial post, I ordered the physical Sweetpea Pod (LGD135) pattern from Etsy before it was available online at Craftsy. I had already made project bags like the Becca Bags are, and the only thing that would've been new was the zipper technique. So at least the Sweetpea Pod pattern had a different design to use. I haven't really searched free tutorials for a pouch shaped this way, so I don't know if they exist and how unique this design is. 

But this is my honest review (as a beginner in sewing) of the Sweetpea Pods by Lazy Girl Designs: 

The pattern arrived from the US in a week, as a letter. The day it arrived was the day I noticed that the pattern was now available as a PDF pattern download at Craftsy. I don't know how many days it had been there, but after I had ordered anyways. I could've saved a couple of dollars on shipping costs, but that's life. The physical pattern is printed 2-sided on a larger sheet of paper that is folded to get 3 pages of instructions + the back & front.

The pattern is only for the instructions ("rotary cut project"), there is no actual pattern included. The whole pattern is about the instructions. I know a basic square might seem a bit silly to include as a pattern, but I don't have the equipment to easily make accurate rectangles/squares that are larger than the A4 paper size, so it would've been nice to have. And simplicity goes both ways - doesn't seem impossible to add a 10" square at the backdrop of the instructions, considering the instructions are printed on a bigger folded sheet.

Here are the Sweetpea Pod pouches I made (it's convenient to make two at a time). My pods are slightly smaller than the pattern instructs, since I used a smaller template. The zipper I had was also shorter than in the pattern, so it was better to make a smaller pouch anyways. And I think that in this case smaller is cuter!

For the top stitching to create a look of "faux piping" (though you can't really see it in my pouches). I used a grey thread for the top to match the exterior fabric and a green thread in the bobbin to match the lining.

It's not in-your-face obvious from the cleverly staged promotional pictures that the "raw" (though zig-zagged) edges of the seams are visible inside the pouch, i.e. not hidden between the liner & exterior fabric. I can see them from one of the promo pictures now that I know to look for them. Granted, they only really show if you fully open the zipper and the pouch is relatively empty. But that's another disappointing aspect of this pattern - I sort of expected a more professional finishing. No, I don't know how feasible it is to make this shape so that all the seams are invisible, but as a paying customer that's not my job either. If I could figure it out on my own, I wouldn't be using a pattern.

Raw edges don't really look fancy. The seams in my other bag are much more visible because I didn't change the sewing thread from grey to green after doing the topstitching, but that's entirely my own mistake!

Positives:

• The pouch is cute!
• The pattern is quite clear with photos and written instructions
• The pouch is easy to make
• Now also available online

Neutrals: 

• Using only one side of the zipper tape gives a nice look, but the "trick" that is described to apply the puller, isn't that exciting.

Negatives: 

• Raw seams/edges inside the pouch. Since the pattern is not free, I simply expected more finesse in the details.
• In my books, quite expensive, but seems to be in line with other purchasable patterns. 
• Rotary cut project means no ready-measured pattern.
• The promotional pictures are somewhat misleading, or, showing you only one side of the truth. Instagram photos of finished objects also only aim to look the best, so no one is going to post a picture showing that part of the pouch. 

Honestly, I was ultimately more interested in the Becca Bags because I wanted to make knitting project bags that looked like that (I just started sewing them so I want to try to make different kinds to see what I like the best). I'm glad that I purchased the Sweetpea Pods design rather than the Becca bag for a couple of reasons: 

1. There are plenty of free tutorials for zipper pouches, and you can easily adapt a Becca Bag style zipper (using only one tape) to use with those instructions. 
2. None of the photos of the Becca bag show the inside / bottom of the bag. It had bothered me before (like any collection of photos that only truly show the same one side of any item on sale), but with the hands-on experience with the Pod pattern, it got me even more suspicious. 
3. This post confirms my suspicions, there are similar raw edges in the Becca Bags as well: "I don't like raw edges that are zig zagged on the inside of my bags if I can help it. The Becca pattern called for that type of seam for the bottom and side." 

I have actually already made a "Becca" bag. But I automatically made the improved version because I used the free tutorials (linked in my zipper tutorial) to create bags without visible raw edges. It requires some mental gymnastics at first, but then it gets easier after you've done one. I don't think a paid pattern should cut corners like that, but that's just my opinion. I have now seen some instagram photos that show the raw edges at the bottom of the Becca bag. It doesn't look that terrible I suppose, at least if you do the finishing stitch with a serger / overlock machine. But raw edges are still vulnerable to fraying and small pieces of fabric lint/thread coming out of the seams, or for example key rings getting stuck and snagging a thread. 

A thought I had was that the lazy in "Lazy Girl Designs" refers to the design itself. It doesn't mean that the pattern provides the customer the laziest route to creating awesomeness.

My final opinion as a customer is that you should buy the Sweetpea Pods pattern if you like the cute design, not for the specific technique used to attach the pull.

Photo tutorial: Adding/attaching a zipper pull to zipper tape

I've been sewing some project bags for myself lately. I've come across many good tutorials that I've tried to mix and match to find what works for me the best. I'm starting to have an idea of what I like and don't like.

I came across the Becca Bags by Lazy Girl Designs. It's now available at Craftsy. What's curious about it is that it only uses one side of the zipper tape, and it looks nice because there's only one side seam. I ordered the physical Sweetpea Pods pattern from Etsy before it was available online at Craftsy. I figured that at least it's slightly different than just the basic bag shape for which there are multiple free tutorials (some linked at the end of this post). I'll do a separate review post of that.

I had ordered a zipper by the meter and I'm so smart that I had to google how to separate the zipper tapes from each other (spoiler: you just pull them apart!). I found this video on Youtube by The Zipper Lady: 

There are two methods shown in the video. The first method works without tools, and is very similar to the "trick" in the Lazy Girl Design's Sweetpea Pod pattern. The second method in the video is what I really took liking to, and you either need an extra set of hands or a fork. Because the video is blurry, I had difficulties seeing what exactly was being done with the fork. So I decided to make a photo tutorial!

What you need: 

1) Zipper tape
2) A zipper pull that works with the zipper (obviously)
3) A third hand* or a fork you can bend approx. 90 degrees
4) Something that keeps your fork upright. (In my case: the bed frame & mattress - not pictured above).

* A third hand usually comes with a fourth one, but is not required. In my case, my hubby kindly provided the service but I also wanted to see how to do this alone. I think that using the first method in the video OR a third hand are the most robust methods, since you're not relying on the size of the fork's prongs and the hole in the zipper pull to match. But this is about the fork.

Instructions:

1. separate the zipper tapes by simply pulling them apart. Also, if you don't have a bent fork, bend a fork at a nice ~90 degree angle. (I sacrificed a cheap Ikea fork). I don't have pictures of these processes.

2. Slide the zipper pull on one of the prongs/tines of the fork. There's a hole in the pull of the zipper pull that can accommodate a tine. Note that the zipper pull is upside down.

3. Prop the fork up so that it's quite steady and doesn't slide downwards or to the sides. As I mentioned, the first working thing I could find was the space between our bed frame and quite a firm mattress. 

Alternatively, you can just use a hand and skip the fork thing. Ask your person providing the extra arm to hold the zipper pull upside down, nice and steady. (It's easier to hold it steady when it's upside down since you can grab the pull of the zipper pull).

4. Feed the zipper tape evenly into the puller. Use your both hands so you get them in as evenly as possible. Note that you need to feed the tape teeth facing down since the puller is upside down!

5. Now just pull the tape some more and watch the miracle of zippering happen. Once your zipper pull is properly on the zipper tape, you can remove the zipper from the fork.

6. Now you're DONE! You have successfully attached the zipper pull to your zipper tape to make a functioning zipper.

7. Notes and thoughts: 

• Obviously, usually your zipper is attached to a piece of fabric. 
• Knowing how to add a pull back to your zipper enables you to switch the colors around or use just one tape of your zipper (like in the Lazy Girls Design). I suppose this is the main idea behind this.
• With this method, you also can cut away the stoppers of your regular zipper to remove the pull, attach the zipper tapes to your fabric without the pull - attaching the zipper tape is as simple as sewing any two fabrics together (though, if your zipper has enough extra length, you can just have the pull outside the project and it won't bother you there either)
• Then just add the zipper pull before you sew the seams that close the zipper.
• Because, or, if you add the zipper pull after attaching the tapes to your fabric, you want the ends of the tape to align as evenly as possible. That's why it's important to apply the zipper as evenly as possible (see step 4). In other words, directly using the first method in the video will result in your pieces being in about 1/4" misalignment if you cut 1/4" off the other tape. The "trick" in the paid pattern addresses this particular issue, or you can use the fork / 3rd hand method.
• If you only need to make a zipper from a by-the-meter zipper, alignment doesn't matter as much and your main objective is just to get the zipper pull on the zipper. You can do that by misaligning the zippers as much as you want, though less is more economical of course. 
• Using only one tape of the zipper is only really practical with by-the-meter zippers & pulls since you need two pulls for each long length of zipper. In the pouch below I used a 35 cm / 14" that I had purchased not with this project in mind, and naturally didn't have an extra pull. So I took the puller of a similar purple zipper because the separate pulls I had weren't the same brand and didn't work. And now I have a purple zipper completely without a puller. I need to purchase some very short (i.e. the cheapest) zippers to be able to use that.

Here are some good, free tutorials for zippered pouches I've come across:

• Open wide zippered pouch: DIY tutorial by noodlehead - I like this method for the zipper end, specifically the "tail". Functionally the best, and no bulky corner seams at the zipper. I did notice that I really should mark the distances where to turn the zipper away from the seam etc, to have them line up nicely. But I was lazy. There's also a link to a size chart kindly provided for small, medium and large pouches!

• Full access zipper pouch tutorial by Jedi Craft Girl - This is very similar to the "open wide zippered pouch". I actually can't remember which one I used, but I think it was the open wide one. They do create the boxed corners differently. It's always good to have options.

• Zippered handbag - cosmetic bag tutorial - This one has the instructions to make the pouch from two pieces of fabric (one and one interior), so no bottom seam. I had difficulties with the somewhat sparse "photos only" instructions, and on the other hand there are way too many similar pictures of the finished bag, but it's a nice reference to combine with other ideas.

• Zippered purse with a flat bottom by Sew Together - This is a bit different, I haven't tried this yet. I think I prefer the project bags to have a wider opening with the boxed corners that this one avoids (click on the link to see what I'm talking about). Also, I think I prefer cutting out basic can't-really-mess-them-up-rectangles. But the tutorial's good anyways!

• How to sew a zipper pouch tutorial by Melly Sews - I really struggled with how many, if not all, tutorials skipped the details on how to sew the seam where the closed end of the zipper is. I think this had the best answer I could find. The image tutorial is good and adds additional support to the video tutorial.

I apologize if the tutorials I linked are on websites that are full of ads, I use an adblocker so I don't see them. And note: I haven't sewn in years. It tells a lot that I spent many hours trying to figure out why my sewing machine was not working properly, only to realize that I had threaded incorrectly. Oops.

Ponderings about magic loop and interchangeable circular needles, and Sock Madness!

Long time since last post. Right now I'm in a race to knit socks called Sock Madness. It's my first time and I'm surprised I've qualified through 2 rounds, though the first round was only the qualifying round so everyone got two weeks to knit a pair of socks. Luckily I'm placed in the slowest team, that's certainly where I belong.

I had an idea about a blog post so here I am. It's somewhat a collection of thoughts about the pros and cons of using magic loop, knitting socks / other items two at a time and (interchangeable) circular needles. It's also somewhat difficult to differentiate what advantage is truly in which category, which I think might be the reason for "excess enthusiasm".

Since I started knitting, I've read a lot about different techniques and which needles are best. I don't know how new or old the idea of knitting basically everything with circular needles is, but it's certainly something that is an "advanced" thing here. Even if we are/were taught to knit at school, the basic tools were double pointed needles (dpns) for socks and mittens and the like, and straight needles for knitting bigger items like sweaters (seamed of course). I never used a circular needle when I was taught to knit at school. I think the consensus then was that circular needles were supposed to be the correct size to work, and thus limited in their usefulness. 

That was of course before magic loop. I don't know how long the history of magic loop is, but it feels like it is becoming THE method of knitting. There are knitters who don't like magic loop and those who love it and won't knit any other way. 

But first the advantages of using circular needle in general, because you can't do magic loop without a circular needle. I'm using knitting socks as the general example because that's always the first thing that comes into my mind.

• Carefreeness. You can knit items large and small in the round without having to worry as much about needles sliding off, especially if you don't knit tightly. I think this is also why I personally can knit a bit more loosely compared to dpns, because I don't have to worry about the needle that's in a vertical position falling down to the floor. Putting down your work or carrying it with you in a bag is also quite easy since just pulling the stitches to lie on the cable part of the circular is usually enough for the stitches stay on and you don't have to pick up stitches before you continue.
• Ergonomy. If you knit larger (wider) pieces with lots of stitches, first of all you might not be able to find a straight needle long enough to accommodate all your stitches, but more importantly, using a circular needle means that a majority of the knitting project will be resting on the cable (on your lap) rather than weighing down the ends of the needle, so it's less muscle work. This advantage is largely dependent on the way you knit, I would imagine. If you hardly lift or move your (straight) needle to create stitches, then it of course you wouldn't necessarily feel the weight either. I don't know. I don't own straight needles. 
• Versatility. A circular needle long enough can do the job of dpns and straight needles, while obviously also working as a circular needle. You can knit flat or in the round. It's like a 3-in-1 thing, so it also saves you money. 
• You can easily knit several separate things at the same time. Like sleeves, or front + back pieces of a sweater. I suppose you could even do every piece of a sweater at the same time, but it might be difficult to keep track of rows. for each piece.
• With a long circular you can do magic loop.

To me, these are the possible advantages of magic loop 

• To pick up from the previous bullet point: You can use a long circular needle for knitting small items in the round and you don't have to experience the porcupine thing with dpns. There are now tiny 8"-9" circular needles for knitting small items, but based on many reviews I've come to the conclusion that 1) the jury's still out there since the technique is a bit different as the needles are much much shorter than regular tips, 2) they're quite limited in usefulness since it's difficult to do things beyond basic knitting in the round, and for example for heels you have to switch to something else unless it's an afterthought heel. 
• Ladders. There are only two possible positions to get ladders where as with dpns you have 3 or 4. (Caveat: see the next list of disadvantages).
• Less fiddly? I personally feel it's much easier to deal with a small amount of stitches (e.g. when finishing toe decreases in a cuff-down sock) using a magic loop then with dpns, because you have more room to work one half of the stitches when the other half is resting on the thin cable. 
• Multitasking. You can knit multiple things in the round at the same time. The most common approach is to knit paired items at the same time, like socks and mittens. Some people even do multiple pairs at the same time.

The possible disadvantages of magic loop: 

• Speed. Can be slower to work with than dpns, especially if you're very comfortable with dpns. If you're doing just one sock, then using magic loop can feel like you're spending half of your time just pulling the cable back and forth as you switch sides. And you probably are.
• Ladders. According to this blog post by TECHknitter it's actually easier to get ladders with magic loop. I've noticed that some people do have a problem with huge ladders when using magic loop. Personally I don't have this problem. I have to admit that I also don't really have a problem with ladders when using dpns either (I always rotate the "ladder positions" naturally since I forget to switch to the free dpn and keep knitting with the same dpn). It's also basic science that the more corners you have, the less torsion (not sure if that's a correct term) is occurring at each corner. 
• Quality of needle. You don't want to do magic loop with a circular that has an obvious join between the cable and the needle. As you constantly need to push the other half of the stitches back on top of the needle, a snagging join will be annoying. I don't necessarily mean that expensive needles = good needles, as I've had many bad joins in the more expensive needles they sell around here. Magic loop also isn't a very delicate method, so the join will need to be able to handle some pulling. I again have had at least one cable come off the tip because the glued join just couldn't take it. It must have been a faulty piece since that happened with the first pair of socks knit with that needle.
• Type of cable. The type of suitable cable is actually quite specific, or at least if you want THE perfect cable for this job. You really need a good flexible and thin cable for magic looping. I think the ladder issue can be at least much worse if you have a very stiff cable that wants to "open up" constantly. You don't want a cable that will take offense at being folded in two (causing a permanent fold/crease), but I don't think that's a common problem. It can be annoying if your cable has a memory and wants to curl while doing magic loop, but dipping the cable in hot water usually straightens the cable. But I do think that most good quality knitting needles have cables that are well suited for magic loop.
• What's the point? I think the main advantage of magic loop is the many-at-a-time aspect. If you are a proficient dpn knitter, I don't think there's much advantage to using magic loop, speed-wise, to knit one sock at a time. Comfort-wise maybe. I personally don't have anything against dpns, I've been taught to knit in the round with dpns so I can do it. I've just found circulars much more comfortable and relaxing.

Advantages of doing things two (or more) at a time: 

• No second sock syndrome. I'm very guilty of this if I do one at a time. The thought of repeating something you just finished is just... tiresome.
• Identical pieces. You remember what you just did with your right sock so you can repeat that with the left sock. Also your tension will be more or less the same for both socks, so no more "this week was so stressful that my left sock doesn't fit" syndrome. I think it's also easier to hibernate a project and then come back to it and find the socks at the same stage, rather than having one sock at point X and then trying to finish that + figure out how to replicate the other sock (not that I'd know anything about that... *glances at the UFO box*). Even if you don't remember what you did, you can figure out how to continue.
• Speed. For me personally it always feels faster to do two things at a time because when I'm finished I'm finished. And also repetition means I remember better what I just did. For example if there's a chart that I'm repeating, then I don't necessarily have to look at the chart when I'm doing the same thing for the 3rd or 4th time in a row. If I only did one repeat at a time, I would look at the chart constantly because I don't have a super good memory with things like this.
• Not a synonym for magic loop. The common approach to do two things at a time is to use a circular needle (or straights for knitting flat), and many times magic loop. But another approach is to have two sets of dpns and do one section of one sock and then repeat that section with the other sock. I actually like the two at a time separately approach and feel like maybe I should try it more.

Disadvantages of doing two (or more) at a time: 

• Uncertainty and higher risk. I'm not an expert sock knitter. I don't have in my mind the perfect toe or heel and I never really know for sure when to start them. The pattern might say one thing but then you need to take into account your own gauge and things like that. So if you start doing like toe decreases at the same time, and then find out that the sock is a bit too short, you would also need to fix two socks instead of just one. If you knit one sock first you only have one sock to fix and you can knit the other one without adjustments.
  
• [If you do 2-at-a-time magic loop] Mistakes vol. 1: If you make a mistake, it it's quite likely that you've repeated that error on the other sock. For example you knit the wrong row of a chart. That means twice as many stitches to tink/unravel and reknit.
• [If you do 2-at-a-time magic loop] Mistakes vol. 2: Noticing an error in just one sock after you've finished the round on both socks means that you either A) have to figure out how to fix the mistake on the next round (which isn't that bad and usually it's doable) or B) have to tink the just finished round on both socks even if the other ones' fine, or C) you have to move the other sock on spare needles, fix the mistake and then add the other sock back again and it always requires some thought to have them oriented correctly, or D) just live with the mistake if you can. Personally I always feel like tinking or moving the other sock to spare needles is way too much work and too time consuming, so I either try to fix the mistake by dropping stitches or I just ignore the mistake. It's not just a "two-at-a-time" thing, I do generally avoid any unraveling of my knitting. If the mistake happened several rows ago, I will just live with it.
• Simple things get complicated. Patterns often tell you to transfer stitches from one needle to the other. When knitting socks two at a time you can only easily transfer certain stitches, but stitches in certain locations can't be transferred because the other sock is in the way. The solution is to put those stitches on a stitch holder/locking stitch marker/dpn/cable needle, work the other sock and then reposition the stitches once you arrive at the other side of the first sock. It's not difficult, but it's obviously very complicated if you have to do that just to be able to do a k2tog.
• Speed. Obviously it's faster to knit just one sock rather than two socks, but the question is of the time to finish the whole pair. Some feel that it's faster to finish a pair by knitting one at a time, because with the other sock you already know what you're doing and what works so you don't need to look at the instructions all the time. 
• [If you do 2-at-a-time separately] Equipment. I don't own two sets of dpns so that's why I rarely use this approach. And also because I don't like dpns as much. It's actually not that time consuming to switch the just worked sock to smaller dpns and start working the other sock with the correct size. You can always start knitting from the smaller dpns to transition to larger correct size, so you would only need to transfer one sock completely. 

And finally, all of the above can be done either fixed or interchangeable circular needles. So what's the advantage of using interchangeable circular needles? The key part is of course the "interchangeability", which I think contains a lot of aspects, and many are as much about the detachable cable versus the tip itself.

• Many-in-one: You can buy tips and then different lengths of cables to have the right length for your current project. You can even combine several cables to get an extra long cable.
• Switching projects is easy. You can use the same tips simultaneously in multiple projects. Just unscrew the tips off the cables, screw the caps on and when you feel like working on that project again, you can attach the tips back and continue knitting. No need to transfer the whole project to waste yarn. You just need extra cables. 
• Cable = waste yarn. Similar to previous point. You can pick up stitches (for example for the sleeve) on a cable and then when you're ready to work the picked up stitches, you can just attach the tip and start knitting.
• Mixed sizes. In the round only one needle tip will be the working needle that determines the size of the stitches. Having the other needle a size or two smaller will mean that the stitches are easier to get and move on that needle and also working decreases and such should be slightly easier. Some people also get more even result when they use a smaller tip to purl back when they're working flat. 
• Nice and compact to store and organize. I made myself an interchangeable needle case where the tips are in one neat row and each "pocket" is labeled for the size. I can quickly find the size I'm looking for and it doesn't require opening plastic packages. The case can be rolled and I don't feel like the tips will easily break in the case. I also have a cd case for storing the cables, with labels to see the correct size, but storing fixed circular needles isn't nearly as nice and neat. The tips don't stay well in the soft plastic cd case pockets because the cable wants to uncoil. I'm afraid the tips will break because they're sitting diagonally in the pockets.

Disadvantages or caveats of interchangeable needles: 

• Limited size range. Until now interchangeables haven't really been available below 3 mm. Chiaogoo's ICs have started from 2.75 mm and they have just released mini sizes that go bleow that. But that's only if you like the brand. To my knowledge there aren't wooden interchangeables that would go below 3 mm, even though they can be found as fixed circulars. 
• One size does not fit all. Shortest cables require shorter needles (regular needle tip length is usually around 5" and shorter ones are around 4"). Also some brands like Chiaogoo have separate cables for smaller and larger needles, and they've just released a mini set that has cables you can't use with the small or large needles. The cable itself is the same in different sizes I think, but the connector piece is different size. So you either need different set of cables or an adapter (also recently released). Most interchangeable cables are brand specific and won't work with tips from other brands, but there are some brands that can be switched around (such as KnitPro and Drops). 
• Fixed and interchangeable cables aren't identical. In case of my needles (KnitPro), I've noticed that the interchangeable cable is a bit thicker and stiffer than the fixed cable, so the fixed cable is actually slightly nicer for magic loop. Since KnitPro doesn't have IC needles below 3.00 mm, I have 2.5 mm fixed circulars, and I can feel the difference. I'm not sure if this holds true for the fixed circular needles that are in the same size range as ICs.
• Problems with joins. The cable is attached to the tip connector and the tip connector attaches to the tip. That's two extra joins in one circular. Sometimes the join between the cable and the tip isn't completely seamless. There is always an error margin on the threads in manufacturing and not all tips will screw nicely to all cables. Sometimes the tips start to unscrew from the cable and the yarn starts getting caught in the gap (can be difficult to get a stitch off the gap if your knitting is tight), and it can be tricky to screw the tip back on while the needle is in the project. Be sure to use the tightening tools that come with your circulars (unless it's some kind of click system). I have rarely had a tip come loose if I've tightened it properly, but if you do it only by hand, it will start to untwist.
• Is there really a benefit? Different lengths in most cases only add a little bit of convenience. You can do most of the (basic) stuff with a long enough fixed circular. To be able to use the exact correct length to knit in the round without magic looping has been in my case so rare that I end up using magic loop anyways, and then it doesn't really matter if there's an extra 4" of cable since it needs to be long enough to comfortably do magic loop. 

These are just my opinions and what relates to my limited experience in knitting. I haven't knit huge shawls or tablecloths to need loooooong cables. Maybe what I attempted to say is that though some things are associated to certain techniques, they are actually separate things. Such as, if you take away all the advantages of using circular needles, what's the advantage of using interchangeable needles? And is it really worth it to get ICs if you already have fixed? Maybe not. Since I didn't have any needles when I started knitting, I bought ICs because I wasn't sure what sizes I would need. And usually there's no disadvantage to actually using them, besides availability in sizes (though I just noticed the difference in stiffness between IC and fixed KnitPro cable). Also knitting socks cuff down or toe up isn't linked to whether you use magic loop or not, or how many socks you are knitting at the same time. Of course that's obvious, but at the same time I often associate "toe up = magic loop". Or "magic loop = toe up". Also the way a sock is constructed (which heel/toe) isn't linked to what needles you're using. In the end you're still only using the tip of a needle to create a stitch and everything between/around the two tips is your choice.

It's a long post no one will ever read but just felt like writing about this. :)

Another new year, eh, imageless posts continue

I checked my last post which was from a year ago. Funny, how I'm just recovering from a cold (got a lovely itchy cough) and the post begins with how my niece gave us a cold for Christmas present. This year I caught the cold a bit later it seems, no one to blame except the red-nosed office lady at work... oh nevermind!

I also checked the project list I had. I did finish Leitmotif made from Nepal. It's really warm and the winter wasn't that cold last year (and I finished it in February or March), so I didn't get to wear it much. It's also a bit itchy, which was bothersome a year ago, but now that I wore it again this winter, I noticed that either I didn't mind as much or it had gotten slightly softer so I could wear it with just a t-shirt or maybe even a tank top under it. 

I also started Burning Stripes but not in the color scheme that I intended. Purely because Drops Delight in that color was a nightmare with bulky bits changing to narrow threads. Much too often. I started them in a green colorway of Drops Delight but I suppose I got bored doing one at a time and they're now hibernating. I also finished Kalajoki socks, but didn't like the finished result. They're not a perfect size and I don't like the print of the yarn (Fabel Print) so I'm using them mostly for sleep socks. 

Then a job offer happened and you really can't say no to a job no matter what the progress with your thesis is... But anyways, not much knitting has transpired since last April. This autumn / winter I did start stripey socks in a heavy yarn (Novita's 7 Veljestä which is aran weight I think) but since I was doing knee-length and had to start with a guess for stitch numbers and decreases, I did one sock up until the toes. Then I got stuck because I didn't know what sort of a toe box would fit best and how fast the decreases should happen, so that sort of hibernated itself. 

We have quite a few knitters in our work place, or used to have at least, so we had a couple of knitting sessions where I started knitting mitts since the AC at work and the drafty windows at home means typing with frost fingers. I started those with Drops Fabel, but the first mitt felt too small and constricting, so I didn't finish the second one. I'm so terribly bad at finishing things, aren't I? I think the major problem is that I can never get gauge and I'm never a standard size and things like socks & mitts are too often sized as just "women's" or "women's small". And one-size fits none etc. I don't feel that big (I mean, I'm not tall and I'm normal weight although not skinny), but apparently all my extremities are large while my torso is small or extra small. 

I had some health issues last year which meant I missed a crafts fair I had a ticket to, bummer. My mother bought me two skeins Knitlob's Lair's Tuulen tytär. Two different colros. During winter holidays I was on a rather long sick leave and couldn't really do anything except knit or watch tv. So before Christmas I also knit and finished Åsa Tricosa's Semele. In hindsight I could've made it exactly one repeat longer but I was a chicken and didn't want to take my chances in the yarn chicken game. So the shawlette I was able to make is a bit short and I'm not sure how to wear it really. It can't be used as a scarf and it's difficult to wear with shawl pin (why do people make it seem so easy? I'd need two shawl pins to keep both ends where they should be). I did wear it at work one day, as a some sort of accessory. 

But then came the -30 C winter temperatures and I just had to get mitts. So I gave myself a break and knit with a Hot Socks Spectra yarn held together with a black Fabel. Which meant larger needles and faster results! Also, two-at-a-time because I'm not doing anything one-at-a-time again. Not if I ever want to get anything finished. They were made short so they were finished in one evening. Yay! And because I had learned that they can't feel tight around the fingers, I deliberately made them loose and not "perfectly fitting". It's important that the little finger can extend without restriction when typing, or the hand gets tired. Since I had plenty of Spectra left (well, the black yarn too), I decided to make longer ones paired with a light beige yarn as the background. And I was able to use the first pair as a gauge swatch to figure out how many stitches to cast on, when to decrease etc. The first pair was a bit too loose in the wrist / beginning of palm area - not bothersome, so not "too" loose, but there's no need for extra ease there, so more fitted might look a bit nicer - so I decided to increase to the final stitch count after knitting the thumb gusset. I also did the ribbings with just the light beige yarn. Now of course I still haven't knitted the thumbs yet... Because I hate picking up stitches, it's never pretty and I need to pick 3x the amount instructed to avoid holes. I suppose I could just make them thumbless? Right now the stitches are held by two locking stitch markers, they don't really bother me either so who knows when I'll actually finish these. But I have to admit that maybe I should've increased to the final stitch count before, or maybe the ribbing is a bit too long, because they feel a bit restricting. I know they will loosen up and I can block them looser also. It doesn't feel as bad if I fold the ribbing so the mitts end at my knuckles. But the mitts I have at work are a bit longer than that and feel fine so it might be a mix of ribbing length / tightness. They're quite nice anyways.

I also started a scarf out of a bulky acrylic / wool blend in seed stitch, because I appear to be drawn to colors in acrylic yarns. I don't think it will make a very good scarf unless I continue it with another colorway. Which might not be so bad. So now it's stalled because I don't know whether I should just knit a panel with button holes and make it a neck warmer, or if I should continue, use all bulky yarn I got and make a long scarf in a mess of colors. If I make a neck warmer I could knit a matching toque. WITH A POMPOM! I heard they're super fashionable this year... (and by the time I finish that it will be another year and pompoms totally out but I'm not much of a fashion icon anyways, I wear what I think looks cute and funny :)). I'd have to line the hat though, which reminds me that I did also knit a hat after Christmas. It turned out a bit too tight, so it's a bit uncomfortable to wear. -_- But anyways, I don't like knitted hats because in the past they've a) been too loose, b) not wind proof. I hate the feeling of having a hat that covers but doesn't protect my ears from the cold wind. Toasty head + aching ears = nightmare I don't even to think about! So I think the only solution is lining. Either fleece or I'm thinking that just a stretchy fabric would do, so it wouldn't be too warm. There's something I need to learn. 

I have too much yarn stashed already, I need to start knitting with them. I don't know why, but thinking about knitting and what I'd like to do, inevitably leads me to feel anxious because I'm going to be old and dead soon and I haven't had time to knit anything nice while I was still young. No joke, unfortunately. I'm too old already. The fact that I can't finish my master's thesis and that I should probably study another profession entirely (because there's no work in sight after graduation) doesn't really help with the feeling. So I like knitting very much, but I have extreme difficulties casting anything on because the yarn I'd like to do something with is never the correct weight, my gauge never matches and then there are some bizarre sizing without any real measurements. And then I'm the wrong size for that only size available and I hate life. And start to think of all the wasted time in my life. And how I'm going to die soon. 

I should really link every project / pattern / yarn I've mentioned but there's no energy in me to do that.