Victoria Day debrief

Most of yesterday was spent at my parents' place. DH and I left DD there for a few hours while we went out to watch Star Wars III, then we came back and hung out, had dinner, and enjoyed the company. During this stretch of time, my mom brought out the blanket which she's crocheting for my brother. My daughter proudly pointed and exclaimed, "Knitting!"

I tried my best to explain that it was crocheting. I acknowledged that knitting and crocheting look a lot the same and it was tough for her to tell the difference, but that Grandma was doing something different from what Mummy does, and it was called crocheting.

She didn't buy it. ("No, knitting!")

I'm going to have to work on this. :)

Also at my parents' place, while my DH wasn't looking, I accessed this blog and showed off his socks to my mom. She thinks he'll like them. Aven also complimented me on the socks in the comments, and she shed a huge amount of light on my confusion over why I found the heels so easy when all the rumours about heels had convinced me they'd be a big horror story. Her theory makes a great deal of sense and I totally buy it. I don't know if I'm willing to get on side and help perpetuate the myth, ;) but the theory is very sound.

Striped socks for DH

I have a few dilemmas here. First of all, the pattern I've got calls for 2.5mm DPNs, which it refers to as US size 1. The problem there is that US size 1 isn't 2.5mm, it's 2.25mm, or so I am led to believe by various needle conversion sources as well as my own needle gauges. So...do I need a set of 2.5mms, or a set of 2.25mms? (Neither of which I own, by the way.) Dilemma number two: the pattern out-and-out states that my gauge should be 28 stitches per 4" in stocking stitch. Hello? In my universe, to get that gauge with fingerweight or sock yarn, you use 3.25mm needles. So which needle size is it?!? 2.25mm? 2.5mm? 3.25mm? Heaven only knows. Even if I do a swatch with 3.25mms and get my expected 28 stitches, who's to say - what with all the screwiness seen in the pattern so far - that the gauge listed in the pattern isn't wrong? That my husband's poor feet won't end up drowning in way-too-big socks? Geez. I know, I know, the solution is obvious - just use another pattern. But the only other pattern I was able to find for man-size socks using sock yarn asks for 2.25mm needles...which, if you've been following story, I don't have (and which, I'm willing to wager, Lewiscraft doesn't carry). I would far rather be able to use 3.25mms - I've got tons of those. Le sigh. Stay tuned. The drama will no doubt continue.

Mountain Laurel Counterpane blanket for baby Gelman

It occurred to me after my last blog entry to count the hexagons in the most recent picture. There were only 7. I got really confused, because I thought I'd made 8. I went back to the project, and sure enough, I had neglected to include hexagon #8 in the layout shot. Damn. Oh, well. I'll include it in the next picture. Anyway...I finished half-hexagon #2 and am now well into full hexagon #9.

Hooded jacket for baby Sperling

Susan was quite reassuring in the comments that a 19.5" chest would do just fine for a six month old. I still have my doubts, since I am a) paranoid and b) the parent of a two year old (which means that all baby size clothes now look ridiculously tiny to my eyes). Perhaps I should get out some of the tops that fit my daughter when she was 6-9 months old and compare. However, I am scared to do this, because if the size I'm making is too small, pulling out the old clothes will prove it, and I have gone way too far into this project (which looks really great) to be able to frog it without making the lives of those around me miserable with my swearing and complaining. The back is finished and I'm a few inches into the left front.