Gauge?

Gauge is such an interesting issue. I do not like knitting swatches. I have never liked knitting swatches. 9 times out of 10, once I achieve gauge (if I have determined it matters), I frog the swatch and use it to start the project.

To compound this issue, I learned to knit 20 odd years ago English style. A little less then a year ago, I took a class on continental knitting and now I knit Continental. When I knit English, I have to go up needle sizes. Continental, I'm usually (75%) the needle size recommended.

Why gauge? Well, this came up last night at prayer shawl. Once a month, we get together and work on prayer shawls at church. One of the ladies, a new knitter/crocheter, was changing the size of a crocheted blanket from crib size to lap size. She was asking how many stitches to chain and what size hook. This developed into a whole conversation about gauge and what it was and that it wasn't really an issue for a blanket. So, she chained the number of stitches she was considering and then measured.

I think that my gauge is off for my shawl project. This of course may be hampered by the fact that I am not sure what the yarn weight is and what weight I considered it to be when I started in October. Oh well.

I was right on gauge for my Nubby Cardigan -- buttons have been procured and may be sewn on tonight, depending on how long it takes me to sort cookies and how long choir practice runs.

Technology?

Does anyone actually understand technology?

I went to Target yesturday and printed some pictures off of my digital camera. I then went to take a picture and discovered that my memory card is locked. I did nothing I had not done before. Does the little booklet that came with the camera say anything? No. I have to use the disc that came with it.
I would think that if this is something that the camera does itself, that the instructions for unlocking would be available.

There is a big workshop this week. We were checking the room to make sure everything worked. Only one of the projectors was working. We tried some buttons. The other projector then decided to work, but the first one didn't. They had both been working an hour ago.

On the other hand, I think the furry fiends have finally figured out that the alarm clock going off means nothing!

Pattern for a simple hat

I made a hat under duress the other week. It turned out well. The colors (purple and orange) were not me. Anyhoo, here is the pattern.

I used a 16" size six circular needle with worsted weight yarn (Caron simply soft if you care)

Cast on 120 stitches.
K2, P2 in the round until desired length. (I went with length of my hand plus the width of my hand)

Decreasing for the top:
Round 1: K2, p2tog around
Rounds 2 & 3: K2, p1
Round 4: K2tog, p1
Round 5: K1, p1
Round 6: (k1, p1, k1, k2tog, p1, k1, p1, ssk) repeat
Round 7: (k1, pa, k1, k2tog, k1, p1, k2tog)
Round 8: k2tog @ remaining purl stitches. Knit remainder.

Finishing:
Knit as a 6 point star till 12 stitches remain.

So much string, so little time

I don't know about you, but I think my available time is directly related to the amount of pending or in process projects. The more projects I have, the less available time to work on them.

My project list is a little shorter right now because I have removed my mother from the list. Not because I don't love her (I do) or because she called me at 6:30am on a Sunday morning. She is currently off the list until she finishes the quilt that was to have been a high school graduation gift. However, the 2 kilt hose (1 black, 1 white) for this Christmas are looming large.

I have the yarn for the white, but not the pattern. I have the pattern for the black, but not the white. Ain't life grand!