When you make an ASS out of U and ME

One thing that I have learned about knitting is that it is never a good idea to assume anything. Like when I assumed that because I was using the recommended needles and recommended yarn, I had the required gauge - WRONG. Like when I assumed what increase method my pattern called for when I didn't have the reference book with me because I was stuck on a plane and ended up getting huge holes nicely and evenly spaced around my sleeves - WRONG. (Hmmm, I wonder if that's why I never wear that sweater?)

When I picked up my orange Big Wool during the sale at Knitting in La Jolla, I happen to notice the fun orange and gray Biggy Print also on sale. I thought it would be cute to make my Gwen collar out of the Biggy Print, but couldn't decide if it really went with the orange Big Wool since the tones were similar but not the same in the Biggy Print. I was on my lunch break which meant I had all of 10 minutes to make my buying decision. Because I was on a yarn diet - I mean, I AM on a yarn diet - I decided to wait and just get the Biggy Wool. Then by the time I got back to the office, I remembered Biggy Print being on sale at WEBS, so I looked and there it was - for $4 less that at the LYS. After 10 more minutes of deliberating and a phone call to Nonnahs to confirm that I would in fact be violating my yarn diet, I put the order in.

I wish I could have captured the look on my face as I pulled my Biggy Print out of the postage bag that it came in. Red? Was there red in the one I saw before? Florescent orange? I don't remember the orange being florescent. This must be a case of a very different dye lot because surely Rowan doesn't have two orange and gray Biggy Prints to pick from right? WRONG!

Althought I have to admit, in this picture the brighter version (247) looks like it would be more fun than the lighter version (243) - it isn't. It's just WRONG. The tones are wrong, the highlights are wrong, everthing about 247 is wrong - at least not with my orange Big Wool Gwen. So, lucky for me Knitting in La Jolla still had some of that original 243 that had peaked my curiosity, only this time it was 1/2 off as well. So, once again I picked up a couple accent balls of Biggy Print and I am much happier with the purchase. 247 is destined to become a scarf or other fun accent piece, but it will never be Gwen's collar.

And speaking of Gwen, she's all knit! I can hardly believe it myself. I'm actually a little embarrassed. But, it is big yarn on big needles, at least, that is what I keep telling myself. It has nothing to do with the fact that I didn't shower until 3:00 pm yesterday or spent my whole morning listening to pod casts - I swear!