New things......

I have been stepping out of my comfort zone on many levels lately. Testing myself so to speak. Even my favourite pastime of knitting has not been left alone as I try new things I have not tried before.

Considering I have been knitting for a very long time, there is still so much to learn. In fact I was never taught more than the basic knit and pearl stitches when I was little. Then I taught myself to follow patterns, this was of course in the days before the internet when one had to first decipher the instructions and then learn by trial and error.  It was not long before I was churning out all sorts of lacy patterns. No problems.

So what I have I done this week that I have never tried before. Well..... this for one....

knitting in the round on round needles. Do you know that in all the years I have knitted on these I have NEVER knitted in the round. I always assumed they were for those projects that did not fit on the standard two needles and used them for such things. It did make things so much easier.

After my fun with the plain tunic last week, (which due to the size and double thickness of yarn, kept falling of the DPN's) I finally decided I must give this a try. After all, you never know unless you try right? And all those with experience, they make it look so easy!

I was not so happy I must say. The main problem being that the yarn kept stretching and the join for some reason was not neatly forming. I decided to persevere for a little while and continued with the pattern only to find that although it got easier with more stretch I was going to have to decrease on the way up and it just was not going to work. I would much rather have a neat seam than a messy so called seamless item.

Of course the stubborn one in me was saying, awww, give it a chance, go and buy a shorter needles, that might work. Meanwhile the fussy one in me was screaming no way... this is not looking good enough, rip it back.

Two things had me almost decided, one being the whole decrease situation, the other, that I was browsing on facebook and a friend had posted the neatest looking circle that she is knitting with not one, but three of these needles. Hmmm why did I not think of that? Absolutely Brilliant.

And then I realised I had done something wrong. I had elongated the side instead of the back so my iffy seam was going to sit right in the front if I left it. Ewww And then there was the little holes that formed on the turning rows, probably as I am using larger needles than I should be.

So, I of course ripped it back and am going to go and buy another set of needles this size. I will probably stick to two. And although the needles are bigger than they should be, the sizing is perfect for the intended little almost two year old and  I like the soft feel of it so am going to use it. I will post more about the yarn (which is most loverly) when I re-start.

Have a wonderful weekend all. xoxoxo