On the color of needles
As I was working on the kilt hose for the Knitting Olympics, I fell in love with the Colonial rosewood needles I was using. They were springy and warm and had just the right degree of friction. The yarn slid smoothly over them but they were never in any danger of falling out of the work. Working with them felt soft somehow, if that makes any sense.
So naturally when I went to cast on the companion to the first sock I made, I thought I’d keep using the rosewoods. I mean, why mess with a good thing? But as soon as I had the needles in one hand and the yarn in another, I realized that it would be unnecessarily difficult to use them and that I’d be better of using my babmboo needles instead. The rosewoods are dark to the point of appearing black in a dim room. The yarn is pitch black. I would not be able to see any stitch definition at all on the needles if I used them.
I’m about three-quarters done with the top of the sock now. This one feels like it’s going much faster. Gee, at this rate I’m going to have to have another project picked out by the end of the week.
March 6th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
good plan there….I’d be up a creek if I was working dark yarn on dark needles.
March 6th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
For your next project, if you’re not completely burned-out by socks, what about the “traveler” socks here: http://d-made.com/knitting/patterns/patterns.html
They use a different technique than the socks you’ve done; one that I’ve found to be easier and nicer-looking than top-down flap-heel socks.
Kudos for working with wood needles that small. I have to work with metal at anything under US#5 because my grip will snap anything else.