Dividing by Zero

Ever seen one of those demotivational posters about dividing by zero?

Yeah, that's what my knitting world is like right now. Like I said in the last blog post, I am knitting the Hitchiker. Don't get me wrong, I am still enjoying this scarf, even if it is 400yds of garter stitch on 3mm needles (Wait! Maybe THAT'S why it's called the hitchiker scarf, it's like the trilogy that never ends...). I was merrily knitting along thinking that I must be past halfway through this lovely ball of knitting when I committed a major knitting faux pas. I pulled out the scale, weighed the yarn and just about flipped my lid when I saw I had 62 grams left. Which meant I was nowhere near the halfway point. Now, I think weighing yarn is a useful tool. It's great when you are knitting a project that requires 2 of something and you are trying to figure out if you have enough-like socks, mittens, or sweater (weighing the yarn to make sure you have enough for 2 sleeves...). But weighing the yarn just because you can't handle not knowing how much more knitting you have? That is a horrible abyss that no knitter should fall into.

That's not even the worst part. I continued knitting my little project for a while-it's hard to tell how long because people come into the store and I have to stop knitting sometimes, but I figured I had maybe another hour of knitting.

I weighed the ball again.


Seriously, either I am in a time paradox or I have the yarn ball of infinity matter.

Do you know where your towel is?

Christmas is a comin' and the egg nog is in the nog!

Right now (along with a thousand other projects) I am knitting Hitchhiker.


The name of this pattern is referencing the fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy (in Five parts). This alone is enough to make me want to knit that pattern-the fact that I really like it is a small bonus.
This fantastic little shawl is so simple! I love how hand dyed variegated yarns translate so beautifully into the garter stitch construction. The silly little nubs on the edge of the shawl keep me going-I am a fickle knitter so if there is a mini-goal (like one more nub) than I find I am a much more successful knitter (which is why I like self striping yarns).
I am knitting this in Malabrigo Sock which is a lovely 100% Merino yarn. All the colours in Malabrigo are incredible. I am extremely happy with how the colour is turning out, I noticed on the Rav page that some of the variegated yarn pooled or flashed in a way that I didn't like, I wanted something that knit up the way the sample in orange/red/yellow turned out-so far that is what is happening and I am ecstatic!

See? See how pretty it's turning out! It took me two tiny little repeats to memorize the pattern! The great thing is that if I lose count of where I am, it doesn't really matter if a few of the nubs are farther apart or closer together because it's such an organic looking design!

As usual I am knitting this for myself. I am a selfish knitter. I knit for myself all the time, I love wearing handknits. I do knit for others occasionally, but I find many people don't really have a n appreciation for hand knit items or don't want to take the time to care for them. I often get funny looks from people when they ask me who I am knitting for and I usually say "Me". Apparently the expectation from the general non-knitting public (or muggles as the Yarn Harlot calls them), is that all knitters should be knitting gifts, at all times. Who do you usually knit for?

I'd also like to take a moment to introduce you to Audrey II


Audrey II is the store's amaryllis. He is only 4 weeks old. Crazy, non? 4 weeks old and already has EIGHT flowers! That's why I called him Audrey II, because I would leave work in the evening and come back and he would have grown a centimetre and a half overnight! (Audrey II is the giant plant in Little Shop of Horrors) I really hope he divides and takes over the world!