Getting Knitting

I often get lovely yarn in the mail that I am eager to start working with, but I actually don't go straight from package right to knitting very often. Sometimes I don't know what pattern I want to use, sometimes I'm trying to finish up a project or projects, various reasons.

However, when the order of Kitten came in, right after I had finished a project, and I had already been thinking about what project I might want to bring as travel knitting on my trip next month... well, let's say that the stars aligned.

Reminder: the yarn.

I put a skein on the swift, then hand-wound it instead of using the ball-winder, as I wanted to be extra gentle with it.

Winding it over fingers to keep things loose.

One of my friends can hand-wind a ball that you would swear wasn't hand-wound, as it looks incredibly uniform. Mine aren't like that, but it's tidy enough.

After that, I did a process I call Half-Assed Swatching. Since I often don't even bother to swatch, I give myself credit for doing it at all, even if I'm not doing it "right" (which I know makes some people crazy--sorry if you're one of them!).

I cast on some stitches on a size US 10 needle, which is what the Circle of Friends pattern calls for, and knit in stockinette for a bit. Then a garter row and switched to a US 9.

Honestly? Not much difference to my eye.

So I chose 9 and cast on. Doesn't look like much yet!

But it feels divine, and it's making me happy.