Knitting Frustrations

Is everything I plan to knit for my baby doomed to failure before I even start it? I tried swatching for a little orange cabled baby sweater. I’m using the suggested yarn, despite the fact that it’s hand wash/dry flat (yes, I’m nuts). It’s supposed to need size 11 needles. On size 7s, I get just under stitch gauge, and way under row gauge. On size 8s, I get just over stitch gauge, and still way under row gauge. OK, admittedly, I’m a loose knitter (in the best possible sense, of course) but what’s wrong with this picture?

Moving on, I figure, who wants to knit with thick wool right now anyway? So I decided to move on to Anouk. This time, I’m not planning to use the recommended yarn, because I really don’t need a lot of hand wash/dry flat baby clothes. I decide, based on washing instructions and lack of time to go to a “real” yarn store, that I’ll try using Lion Brand Cotton-Ease…which, apparently, the local Michael’s are not carrying anymore. At least, the two I went to didn’t have it, and only had a couple of bins marked “LB Cotton-Ease: clearance – $2.00” where it should have been. The ever-so-helpful employees had no idea what it was in the first place, let alone whether they were discontinuing it, or just clearing out old stock.

So, tomorrow, I’m going to go to my nice friendly LYS, where they know everything about every yarn in the place, and most yarns that they don’t carry, and look for Anouk yarn. Or maybe just buy more patterns and yarn for those instead…