Today I was tempted again by malabrigo. Since I finished my dad's scarf, another skein waiting in front of the line in my stash has been calling out to me. "Pick me, pick me", it pleaded. What was I to do? I missed that buttery fiber running through my fingers.

So, as part of my knitting group's Feel Like a Floozy KAL, I decided to cast-on Gretel. It did not go well. I swatched three times before getting gauge. By then I just wanted to cast-on already. But no. I had to watch the tutorial on the tubular cast-on. Seems pretty straight forward. But then she suggested casting on with a straight needle before transferring the stitches to circulars. I had already pulled out a plethora of circulars and dpns, I didn't want to go digging through my straights.



Plus, I realized I would have to use the Magic Loop method since my dpns aren't long enough for the amount of stitches required. This meant I would have to watch another tutorial because I've never done the Magic Loop before. Forget it. I just wanted to knit. Gretel will have to be for another day. At least I know what size needles to use to get gauge. Maybe a short pair of circulars will work in lieu of the magic loop. I'll have to go needle diving again (another day).

Instead, I cast on Toasty in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.


These look so cozy. We've been having some chilly weather here in SoCal and it seem my hands and arms are always cold when I'm out and about. These should help.

I want to share a great yarn resource with you. Many of you probably already know about it, but for those of you who don't, meet Yarndex. It's an index of yarn information. You can look up a particular yarn and it will give you its weight, fiber content and shades that it comes in. I use it when I want to see if a yarn will work for a specific pattern, get ideas for other yarns I can use, or when I want to see the shade cards. It's a very useful site.

Stay tuned! Will Gretel make it into the Floozy KAL or will she be tossed aside for other enticing knits?