Petunia rambles on and on….

They arrived!!

I’ve resisted buying KnitPicks Options needles for a long time now. I’ve always had knitting needles around. I got many of my mother’s when she could no longer see well enough to knit – and many she gave away to a knitter’s group that met in the senior citizens complex where she lived. And I had my own. And when I got back into knitting again, after forays into quilting, cross-stitching, I starting using circulars over straight needles. As I read more and heard more, I tried Addi needles and loved their slippery surface.  When I heard that they were so fast, I figured people were full of shit. It’s just a knitting needle; how could it be so damn different? But once again, I was wrong. Over time, I bought many Addi needles in all the bigger sizes and lengths. For the smaller sized needles, though, I bought KnitPicks circulars. They are great but only come in the smaller sizes, the ones more commonly used for socks. The solid circs were not available from KnitPicks in the larger sizes. Grrrr! If they were, I would have bought them long ago.

My fear of needles that come apart is that they will come apart, in the middle of a long involved project, probably a lace shawl with a hell of a lot of yarn overs. Suicide will be the only option. I’d heard many stories that they, well, came apart. Saw posts all over Ravelry about how great KnitPicks’ Customer Service was when knitters had to return their needles after they came apart. Well, good customer service is nice, but I’d rather have good needles that stay together. And so, I didn’t buy them. For YEARS, I didn’t go near them.

Today, their pointy goodness arrived, a whole set of them, and I’m happy. And one of those round rubber thingies sold in the grocery store to help you grip and open jar lids will help get them tight. (Read that on Rav, too!)

Here’s what I’m working on this week. It’s the “Summer Flies” shawl by Holly and Ella Knits. I saw it made up in a yarn store in Prince Frederick, MD last month when I went down to see daughter.  I love the patternwork in it, simple to do, always changing so it holds your interest. The yarn that I chose while shopping in the back bedroom again is perfect and I love the colors.

I guess the only issue I have with it is that it’s small! I like a bigger, longer shawl and this wonderful pattern, wonderful design simply ends too soon.  I’m adding more rows here and there.

I was a bit nervous about doing this lacework with my usual wonderful Addi needles. I have the standard ones, not the Addi Lace and the tips are more rounded. My friend around the corner brought over one of her Harmony circulars for me to try out. I was SOLD on them by about Row 15, and as she was planning on placing an order with KnitPicks anyway, I asked her to add a set of Harmony needles for me (Ha, by batching together, we avoided the shipping charges!) I’m anxiously waiting for them to arrive. What a difference those pointy tips make when you’re trying to p2tog – and for every other lace maneuver.

The yarn here is Cascade 220 Superwash Paints, and it’s great to work with, and no problem with splitting.

I think I’ll go work on it some more.

Delaware Bay – on a day when you couldn’t tell where the water ended and the sky began. Was just in the right place at the right time. I go to the water to think, or to de-stress, or to play, or to just be alone. It eases me.