Vital Statistics

And, oh yeah, here's the essential data on the Icarus:

Pattern: Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits, Summer '06

Yarn: "Baby Fleece" Alpaca, made in Peru, distributed by Orlis, in Moscow (where I bought it, at the cute little store near the Kitai-Gorod metro stop. The shop is called "Orlis" [or something like "OPLUC" in cyrillic] and it's next to the 36.6 apothecary store, on the main square when you get out of the subway. To the right if you're facing the statue. That's the best I can do from memory). It's 100% baby alpaca "pukh" or down. 25 gram balls, 100 meters, recommended needle size metric 2.5-3. I bought it for, if memory serves, 67 rubles each. That's about $2.30. It feels like butter.

Needles: US#3 Addi turbos. Too slippery, tips too dull, but the joins are of course nice and smooth. I have no choice - I'd love to buy some bamboo circs for this, but I just can't justify the expense...

Stitch markers: coil-less mini safety pins. I hate them. I want something small, round, thin, without breaks or joins. My compadres on the Icarus KAL have suggested plastic drapery rings (interesting) and warned against the breaks in metal rings made for jewelry (duly noted). Will have to do some shopping, at least before I get to the vital edging sections...

Lifelines: This is the first time I've deigned to use them, but I'm so glad. First, the added security seems to make me, paradoxically, more careful, as I haven't screwed up yet. Second, I put them in at every chart repeat, so it allows me to stop and savor the accomplishment while hunting for another piece of thread and laboriously weaving it through the stitches. Third, I can tell at a glance how many repeats I've done, and since I seem to often be stopping for a while after finishing one, then I can see how much I've done when I start again...

Knitting conditions: So far, on the easy part of the pattern, I find I can work without the chart, and even watch TV (as long as it's something I can mostly just listen to, rather than watch avidly). But I have to be sitting, in a comfortable spot with good light, and not be particularly tense about anything!