Let’s see . . .

I’m having no luck getting the yarn for my Union Square Market Pullover. None of the three sweaters’ worth of yarn has worked out–either the gauge or the color or the texture . . . So frustrating!

Here’s the latest contender. Nice yarn–Dale of Norway’s Baby Ull. The problem is the color. The green–which photographed too dark, here–is really a light, lime green. A nice enough color, but lighter than I really want for this sweater. And the aqua for accent?? Way too bright. It would be adorable for a baby boy’s sweater, but does not go with this. So, while the yarn itself is soft and long-wearing and the right weight, the colors I have here in my house won’t do at all.

Sigh.

And, to add insult to injury? I’d ordered Addi Natura bamboo needles to try as an alternative to my loved Addi Turbos–to hopefully help me get the gauge. Except . . . Herschnerr’s sent me a Turbo pair. So now I have to send it back and wait for them to replace it . . . and who knows how long that’s going to take.

You know, all I really want to do is start this sweater, yet the gods are insisting I wait. Is that fair, I ask you? Especially considering I’m the host for the knit-along? It just doesn’t seem right (grin).

I’ve made very little progress with my socks these last couple of days. I tried, mind you, but I accidentally picked up the wrong yarn and knitted a full row on one sock with the yarn that belonged to the other one . . . by the time I’d tinked that row out tonight, I’d kind of lost interest in the socks for the night!

I did not get to do the final blocking for my NbaT, though. I thought Chappy still felt warm at lunchtime, and so took him to the vet this afternoon. (Of course, when I got home to pick him up to take TO the vet, I thought he felt cooler–naturally. It’s like demonstrating a specific noise at the mechanic; the car’s never going to cooperate.) I wasn’t really that concerned, but we were almost due for his annual checkup, anyway, and I didn’t want to risk him actually getting sick for tomorrow, because who wants to go to the doctor on their birthday? He’s fine, though. The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong and, at least, we’ve got a clean bill of health for another year. Well, there’s the little pimple above his eye that she sent ointment home for, but as long as nothing goes wrong, he should be just fine.

In other news–the silk pillowcase that shattered on me the other day? I ordered a new pair from Tenderheaded.com, and let me just recommend these folks. Since the one that tore came from them, they took $2 off my order. I know, it’s not a huge amount, but it’s a nice gesture, don’t you think?

They’re also the site where I got my favorite hair comb, too. I only comb my hair out in the shower, when it’s full of conditioner, and never brush it otherwise. Well, once in a blue moon. There are times I miss my Widu. A wooden-bristle brush, my absolute favorite hair brush, ever. Great for tangles, gentle, easy to clean. (sob) I still get emotional.

Why do I not brush my hair, you ask? This is something only a person with curly hair can really appreciate. I don’t have the curliest hair–about a 3a on the hair curl scale, that’s to say–curly, not wavy (a 2) or kinky (a 4), but with looser curls (a) rather than tighter ones (c). Curls–to be curls and not frizz–need to be clumped together, and brushing just breaks the clumps up, so each hair curls off on its own, rather than joining with its neighbors. So the first rule of curly hair–if you don’t want frizz–is to never, ever brush it.

If you’re interested–if your hair has any natural wave or curl at all–please, let me direct you to Naturally Curly.com. Not only is the site chock full of valuable curl-care information, there is a great Message Board where you can ask and answer lots of questions, but there is also an online store where some really great products are available. I have learned more about hair-care in the last 15 months since I discovered this site! Like, how harsh most shampoos are, and what ingredients to avoid, the concept of using conditioner-only to clean your hair, what styling products are good or bad for which hair types . . . A wealth of hair information–much of which is not restricted to curly hair. (Like the importance of deep treatments, one of which I gave my hair tonight, and it’s already softer.)

Why am I telling you all this? I really don’t know. I suppose because my pillowcase story segued so nicely, and it’s something I’ve wanted to mention for a while now. It’s a really helpful place–to hair care what Knitters’ Review is to knitting, and darn it, it deserves the recognition!

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Hair Today…. //