Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Creativity or Total Confusion

If you have not posted a blog comment, don't forget!! I'm giving away your choice of knitting needles up to a $30 maximum value. I'll pull a name the last weekend of this month which is only a few days away. Comment on the blog your experiences of US and MM sizing and how you store your needles, and I'll put your name into the hat! http://www.yarn-store.com/circular-knitting-needles.html

Sunday I impulsively set up my SK280. I wanted to see if I could reproduce this top I have purchased from Cabi that I really like. I'm using Cascade Heritage Sock in Jade, and the bands are Chocolate. I'm into a real "brown" stage. Have been for quite a while now! So my wardrobe is really building up a nice selection of this natural shade. I say impulsively because I have no business starting ANOTHER project. To really test my limits, my band test was a 1x1 and a full needle rib test. I'm a born Brother knitter, and I was concerned that everything would go wrong doing this test on my Silver Reed machine. The machine knitting guardian angel was looking over my shoulder. I found my ribber manual, cast on and the original test was a success.
The thing about machine knitting is that once you know your machine, you can easily pump out one piece per day in less than 1 hour and, if nothing goes hay-wire, you can have a new sweater by the end of the week. One thing that I've learned is that to not expect more than 1 piece per day if your day is a busy one. If you happen to have an easy day, then consider it a bonus that you might be able to knit up another piece. Sunday was my back. Monday was my rib test, and one of the fronts. But if you are pressed for time, everything will go wrong. Machine knitting takes time, concentration and as few interruptions as possible. Mondays are always super busy. Monday's shipments out consist of orders from late Saturday, Sunday and 1/2 of Monday. Not a big pile of orders as compared to some of the more well known on-line stores. But for a 1-woman show, this took me a long time to process. Many duties to do in a single day, but it keeps me from getting bored!
On my "list-to-do" I decided to get my head out of the clouds and get back to getting information up to date. My Figheadh Patternworks Hat Page is now UP TO DATE! I get to cross that small item off my list!
Stay tuned! Lorna's Laces Newest colors are due to arrive in a few days!!


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

how i store my needles? ha ha ha. usually they all have works in progress on them, so they're all in one big basket poking out in all directions! :)

carol

msbones said...

I bought a fishing fly keeper at a sporting goods store. It has ziper pockets that I can label with the size and length of the circulars. Now if I'd just put them away!

Anonymous said...

That is a good number of orders for a little store in Lakeside. :) It amazes me how well known your store is. You are good at what you do.

Angelika said...

Thanks Tiffany! I was just looking at the baby!! Cutie! Glad you found time to visit.

Yes with the internet and no-quit attitude any business is possible.

jenbrook96 said...

I try to keep my needles in their original bags/cases since I haven't figured out a better way to store them. They have their own drawer in my dresser. It's not the most effective or tidy storage system, so I'll probably need to figure something else out. Now that I realize the US sizing is very subjective, I have tried to pay attention to the mm size of the needles when deciding which to use. When I started knitting I never realized I would have/need so many different needles. Magic Loop is next. Wish me luck!

Sally said...

I prefer the mm vs US sizes as it seems more precise to me.

How I store them? I have a binder with plastic sleeves (3 ring with holes in the plastic sleeves. Each sleeve is labeled with a size and all my circs and dpns in that size go into the sleeve. In each sleeve I also have an index card listing all the needles I have in that size so if I am looking for something (and the needles are being used on another project) I can find them.

Nana Sadie said...

I store my odd needles in a plastic shoe box/tub, my dpns in an Oressa case, my straights in a Rose case, my interchangeables in a Glady case - All from Nana Sadie Rose!
(there's another case on the drawing board)
(((hugs)))