On the left, needles of a size I normally use: 2.75 mm. Clearly within my happy range of 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm.
On the right, a change of pace: 8 mm. Great, big, honkin’ needles, if you ask me.*
The 8 mm needles were called into action for a felting project. (Shoot, I can’t imagine using them for anything else.) Gwen Bortner’s new entrelac book is going to be launched at Stitches Midwest, and to celebrate the release, several teachers are knitting Harlequin Slipper Socks before the PJ party on Friday night. It’ll be a hoot to see what we’ve all created.
So far, the slippers have been fun to knit, even if I feel all fumble-fingered using the 8 mm needles. I just have a bit to go on the second slipper before they can both go into the washing machine and get felted. I can’t wait to see how they turn out. A large part of the fun (for me, anyway) of felting projects is knowing that your stitches don’t have to be perfect, that you can just zoom along with your knitting because any inconsistencies are likely to disappear in the wash, and that you can adjust sizing as you felt.
Good thing, too. The size of these slippers definitely needs adjusting.
*Okay, my Jumbotron needles are way bigger. But I don’t actually knit anything with them. Not outside class demos, anyway.
Tagged: WIP.
The felted slippers are intriguing and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished project. I find that I have a hard time switching between needle sizes. The yarn doesn't flow in the same way through my fingers and I have to adjust how much I tug on the yarn as I knit.
» Mona
Mona, I hear what you’re saying. That bulky yarn refused to slide through my fingers smoothly, instead choosing to slip out of control.
» JC