About knitting!

Here's something on knitting! (Feels like I haven't posted about knitting in ages. Sorry about that.)

Blocking of Laminaria didn't happen last weekend. I woke up Saturday morning with a semi-stiff neck and when getting back from my adventurous day with a friend, I wasn't in any shape to crawl on the floor for hours. Sunday my neck was the same. It hurt when I moved my head in certain ways and I was careful as not to "lock" my neck in a painful position. So, no blocking attempt. Might give it a shot this weekend!

(My neck is just fine today. Thanks for asking.)

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I know it's silly as I have projects already on the needle, but sometimes I just can't resist to cast on with a newly aqquired yarn. Such as Kauni Effektgarn... Last night I casted on for a vest-like thing. I really wanted to knit something top-down, but couldn't think of clever ways to make the parts work without the risk of colour interruptions. Unless I used steekes. And I didn't really want to do that as the purpose for me to knit top-down would be to be able to try it on as I went...

So, I'm sort of improvising a vest-like thing knit from bottom up. It took me 2½ hours to work out a tubular cast on and join it for circular knitting and work two more rows. It took me five minutes to frog this morning.

It was way too big. I have this thing for sizing garments that will go over my hips... I'm at my widest at my hips, and I really don't want my clothes to squeeze in to much in that area. I hate the "stuffed sausage"-feeling. So, I overestimate. And make all the garments too large...

Now, I've casted on fewer stitches (220 instead of 240) and I dropped from a 3.75mm/US5 to a 3.5mm/US4 needle. I hope this works out better. I don't want it to be too hugging, but I'd hate having the ribbing look all sloppy. Wish me luck! :)

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Interesting note(?): I know I knit tight. I always go up in needle size to obtain gauge. But I almost never hit gauge anyways. I usually end up knitting at a tighter gauge than the ball band recommends. I like the look of "dense fabric", I guess. With the Kauni, I actually managed to get gauge after three attampts! And I like the look! But... I had to go up from a 3mm/US2.5 to a 3.75mm/US5 to get at 23st/10cm(4in).

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Suddenly I have a lot of yarn for different scarves and shawls in my stash. That's why I got yarn and casted on for somehting vest-like. Do you see the logic in that?