Wednesday, May 7, 2014

{Yarn Along} 30,360

Sidenote: We live in a weird place, in the mountains, but just to the west of a very steep increase in elevation, that somehow produces peculiar weather. Neither of us recall living in a place with sunrise thunderstorms, and it was quite odd when we experienced our first once. Its not a ferocious cracking thunder caused by the hot summer sun. No, it's gentle rumbling thunder like a bowling ball going down a very long alley across the sky. We had one of those storms this morning, the first of the season.  Let me tell you - nothing is better for snuggling deep in bed than bowling ball thunder and the 'blop' of giant raindrops. It was lovely. 


I've reached that point in this project - I do it with most projects - where I become obsessed with the statistics: how many hours, how many yards, how many STITCHES?!? That lovely cherry needlepoint in the background? It took me two years to complete. It was an on-again/off-again pursuit, and is comprised of over 18,000 stitches.

I started this Hitchhiker shawl unsure of my knitting capabilites and wanting a simple project. Me, oh my! I can garter stitch like a champ now and I think I'm going to lose my mind if the end of my yarn doesn't come quickly!

Here's a little math for you: 3MM needles = a needle circumference of 9MM. If I count each stitch as being the circumference of the needle + some wiggle room (circumference + 1/2 circumference - I'm a tight knitter), each stitch is about 14MM of yarn. That means there are roughly 66 stitches per yard of yarn. My skein is 460 yards = 30,360 stitches in this shawl. Wowser! Now I feel so accomplished, so up-to-the-task of finishing!

Changing from mathematics to reading - see here for the follow up on reading My Life in France by Julia Child. Also know that I DID punt on doing the Potato Peel Pie book on audio, too tricky, and got in in hard copy from the library. Now, I am listening to The Penderwicks and enjoying it muchly.

You?

Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams.

4 comments:

  1. I can't wait to see your hitchhiker finished...totally thrilled! I know you will love it. I adore garter stitch and for it's squishiness and ease of knitting.

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    1. And really, Karen, I love garter stitch for those same reasons... but I'm ready to see the end product too!

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  2. I remember those kinds of storms during summers at my grandparents. Nothing like a mountain thunderstorm. The "Guernsey" book- loved it. And my kids really enjoyed "The Penderwicks"- we listened to that on one of our car trips last summer. Fun stuff!

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  3. I love the yarn in your hitchhiker. I really have to get on the bandwagon and make one of those shawls.

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