I finished off a pair of fingerless mitts the other day – the second of this pattern that I’ve knit this month. Made a pair in ivory and gifted them to Deborah for Christmas (seems to be a tradition now). I just HAD to have a pair for myself since they fit SO well and are quick off the needles. So I picked up another ball of Berroco in a wine colour (which is somewhat questionable. Why do I do that?? Now I need to have some type of scarf with that hue in it).

The pattern is by Blue Sky Fibres called One Cable Mitts (not the most original, granted) … I got it with my ball of Berroco Peruvia 9100 Quick Blanco at Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield. Love that little store. (Note: if you’re going to make this pattern with the Quick Blanco, I recommend 4.5 mm needles rather than 5.5 as listed in the pattern.)

After I wrote in my journal about the mitts (I try to record the projects that I’ve done / am doing as a bit of a motivator, but mostly as a record since my memory appears to be crap), I  reached for the wool closest to me at the time.. a lovely Zauberball that was in my Christmas stocking! OMG I just love knitting with this stuff – although it sometimes has trouble feeding out at the beginning (which irritates me to no end).

My “go to” sock recipe is from the Yarn Harlot‘s classic Knitting Rules!, which has saved my life on more than one occasion. She’s not only hilarious but brilliant, and a knitting phenom … so in my mind she is Godly. If you don’t have this book, you need to buy it. If not for yourself, but for a young / new knitter who you care about deeply. And you need to read her blog. Just do it.

Buy it.

I’m at the point now that I have a war-torn copy of pages 4 and 5 “Step-by-step Cheat Sheet for Socks” in my knitting sack with scribbles all around it (e.g., “64 st 2.25 mm Alex” and “striped socks for Janice 56 st”). I even copied the rules for turning the heel in my iPhone just in case I forget to pack the pattern. Why use any other recipe?? It would be stupid.

When I write in my journal I USUALLY record the needle sizes, number of stitches and the type of wool that I’ve used … (it’s just a given that they are all knit with the Harlot’s pattern). Trouble with all of my ‘mad’ notes is that they are not actually all that organized.

When I started knitting these ones the other day, I just glanced at the scribbles on the copied page “64 st 2.25 mm Alex” and “striped socks for Janice 56 st”, merged these notes together because I’M AN IDIOT, and cast on 56 stitches with 2.25mm needles and went for it. I thought as I went, “geez, these seem small, but whatever, must be right, since it wrote it on there”. Well DUH, that was for striped socks … and they were knit with a fucking massive yarn compared to the Zauberball, you dough head, and who knows what the hell yarn I was using for Alex!!

So NOW, I decide I should go back into my journal. You know, see if I could POSSIBLY be right. I made a pair of socks for Deborah for Christmas last year – using a Zauberball, no less, but do you think I wrote down what sized needles I used for that? How many stitches? NO. Why? Because I’m a dumbass. Kept looking. Went back to another entry WITH A ZAUBERBALL, and sure enough, 2.5mm needles, cast on 64 stitches. Great.

So now I’m frogging it out and starting over. No, I am NOT asking Liam if he wants a pair of socks. NOPE. I will frog and start again. It’s punishment for not listening to myself…