Like a robot dolphin through a flaming hoop, so are the Days of Our Lives
(A quick note up front- the title of this entry has nothing to do with what is to follow. I have used it because a) I read it here and could not stop laughing for ten minutes, and b) I want to screw around with the 'recent blog posts' function in Ravelry. If anyone has been tempted over by it- hi!)
A couple of days ago, I decided to knit a hat.
I'd had yarn put aside for Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Unoriginal Hat for a little while, so I dug it out, riffled through my bag of Knitpicks dpns for the appropriate needles, and cast on. It was great. The yarn was wonderful, the pattern simple yet intriguing... but it seemed to be a just a tad small. I was a little worried, but decided it was just an illusion, that the design was very stretchy, and everything would turn out fine in the end.
Yeah. Right.
What I ended up with was a teeny-tiny hat that would only fit a small child. I despaired. How could this have happened? I used appropriate yarn. I was diligent with the pattern. Okay, I'm a bit of a tight knitter, but this was ridiculous.
I decided to give it up as a bad job, and tuck the hat away for gift giving purposes later. It was only when I was stowing my dpns away that I came to the horrible, horrible realisation:
I had not been knitting on 7mm dpns.
I had, in fact, been knitting on 5mm dpns, a fact which I spectacularly failed to notice despite the really, really big difference between the two sizes. (When you've spent a lot of time knitting on 2.5mm sock needles, everything else seems huge).
The next day, I tried again with the proper needles.
Much, much better.
I'd like to take this opportunity to point out how freakin' hard it is to take a picture of your own head that doesn't make you look lopsided...
...or completely deranged.
Here are the two hats side by side. Look closely, people. This is what gauge can do to you, should you be a complete and utter dumbass like me make the same mistake I did. Carelessness in knitting may not cost lives, but it can make for some highly amusing screw-ups.
A couple of days ago, I decided to knit a hat.
I'd had yarn put aside for Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Unoriginal Hat for a little while, so I dug it out, riffled through my bag of Knitpicks dpns for the appropriate needles, and cast on. It was great. The yarn was wonderful, the pattern simple yet intriguing... but it seemed to be a just a tad small. I was a little worried, but decided it was just an illusion, that the design was very stretchy, and everything would turn out fine in the end.
Yeah. Right.
What I ended up with was a teeny-tiny hat that would only fit a small child. I despaired. How could this have happened? I used appropriate yarn. I was diligent with the pattern. Okay, I'm a bit of a tight knitter, but this was ridiculous.I decided to give it up as a bad job, and tuck the hat away for gift giving purposes later. It was only when I was stowing my dpns away that I came to the horrible, horrible realisation:
I had not been knitting on 7mm dpns.
I had, in fact, been knitting on 5mm dpns, a fact which I spectacularly failed to notice despite the really, really big difference between the two sizes. (When you've spent a lot of time knitting on 2.5mm sock needles, everything else seems huge).
The next day, I tried again with the proper needles.
Much, much better.I'd like to take this opportunity to point out how freakin' hard it is to take a picture of your own head that doesn't make you look lopsided...
...or completely deranged.
Here are the two hats side by side. Look closely, people. This is what gauge can do to you, should you 
posted by Michelle at 10:40 AM
6 Comments:
But, but, the second one has pooled something awful! :)
Yes, I noticed that too, but I find I don't mind it so much. The blotches of colour actually look okay when you wear it, though it would have been nice if the colours had distributed themselves nice and evenly.
Wow, that really shows what a difference needle size makes!! I too find any needle larger than 2.5mm feels like a telegraph pole. I didn't even realise they were the same wool they looked so diffeent. I reckon it looks pretty good on too!!
It's so true about the needles. After years of socks, whenever I knit with a needle larger than 2.5mm, I feel like I'm knitting with massive needles. However, your pictures look great, and so does your hat!
Your Unoriginals are great, esp the cute tiny one. I knitted mine huge and absolutely love it; it's my go-to hat. I pull the brim down low to my eyes and feel so incognito.
I love, love, love the teeny one. i think I may have to make this hat and make the same "mistake" lol. what size head do you think it will fit? I have a few children so it would be sure to fit 1 of them, but nice to know so I can knit in apprpriate gender colours- the boys are a bit pink shy-lol.
Really cute and I love the blog heading for today, certainly got me here-lol
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