Fetching

No, I’m not trying to teach my cat to fetch. That would be like, well, like herding cats. This is another of my convalescence projects. I decided to make the “Fetching” fingerless gloves by Cheryl Niamath, from the pattern on Knitty. I was a bit concerned that I’d run out of yarn, because I’m a loose knitter (no comments necessary). But I had some additional Cashmerino in my stash that I could use as a contrasting yarn if necessary, so I thought I’d try it anyway. I did my swatch with the recommended US6 needles, and decided that I should probably go down a needle size. But, I guess I was still feeling the effects from my pain killers (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it, even if it was just ibuprofen), and instead of using US5, I used US7. Duh. So, of course, I did run out of yarn. But since I had a contingency plan, I did the last row and cast-off with the contrasting yarn, and also used it for the thumb gusset. I don’t think they look as nice as they would with all one yarn, but I wasn’t about to redo them. And they fit okay, they’re just a little looser than I would normally make them. I think if I’d made them on the US5’s, as planned, they would still have fit, and I would have had enough yarn.

They’re very cozy and soft. Just right for a cool, rainy day like today. This was also an oatmeal day. Yes, I love oatmeal. None of that instant stuff, either. Nice old-fashioned, long-cooking, thick, chewy oats. I normally prefer steel-cut oats (“Irish oats”) rather than rolled oats, but last year my sister was raving about the “Silver Palate Thick & Rough” oatmeal she’d had at a friend’s house. I looked but didn’t find it at my usual stores – but then a few months ago, there it was in all its glory at Big Lots! I bought a box, tried it, and went back the next day to buy all the rest of the boxes on the shelf. Best rolled oats I’ve ever had. They’re thick-cut so they’re nice and chewy, but that’s not what makes it so good. According to the box, it has a “Richer, darker, fuller flavor… makes other oatmeals pale by comparison”. And so it does. Old-fashioned oatmeal. Brown sugar. Cream. Ahhhhh….