The Vine: November 8, 2024
Hey. I don’t know what we do now either. I DO know that we’ll need each other going forward, as we always have, for support, mutual aid, and information on where to get high-quality wide-calf boots now that yours have gotten discontinued or tariffed out of existence.
Also cat pictures. Here’s one now!
This is Frankie, the current foster cat. As of this writing, he still needs a forever home, so head to @bookstorecats on Instagram to apply if you’re that home.
Also, I need short circular needles — by “short,” I mean both the loop and the points. I’d like to make some socks but I haaaaate DPNs and magic loop isn’t my favorite either. Agnostic on point material; wood or metal, both fine.
And if you want me to bring back Ask The Readers, at least for a while, send me YOUR questions about lost books, expediting a passport renewal, comfort TV, whether you should leave X (I can do that one right now: yep, do it today), you name it. bunting at tomatonation dot com for Qs; scroll down to the comments to A (and they’re moderated, so be cool).
Tags: Ask The Readers hobbies
I find socks on two 9″ circulars easier to deal with than short circulars. I like metal with sharp points, and while I personally use KnitPicks because that’s what I have, I have heard good things about ChiaoGoo.
I think knowing the 9″ part is going to make my search easier. I usually go KP too so I’ll see what’s in stock. ty!
I second using 2 circular needles. I don’t think length matters so much other than for convenience.
I found a YouTube video that explained how it works when I was trying to learn magic loop. It took a second, but it’s so much easier than either dpns or magic loop!
Good to see you!! Thank You for this.
I also hate DPNs. I’ve left a sweater 90% finished for a year because I couldn’t handle the sleeves. Until I got these: ChiaoGoo Twist Shorties Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set. Amazing. Available on Amazon in at least two different size sets. A real game changer for me.
Ask the Readers is great, wish I had some circular needle advice to add. I can ask my mother-in-law, who has goats and sheep and is constantly knitting, next time we talk.
Thanks, everyone, for being here and being you. Tomato Nation helped me get through the Bush years. I know we can get through this.
I don’t have a question except maybe how did everyone else survive raising middle schoolers. But I would love to have the Vine back!
Good to see you! Crochet is my jam so I’m in the wings of it comes to that.
I left Xitter today. I feel liberated!
Congrats on the Xitter departure! It’s been almost a year and a half for me, and it took a while to feel kind of the same, but it really has picked up steam since this past summer. (I’m sarahdbunting there.) Give it a few weeks and let yourself feel grief/rage that YOU had to change because someone else was a butthole. ;)
Seconding that the ChaioGoo Interchangeables specifically for socks are a game changer – I knit socks so much faster now (also no dropped stitches from sliding off the DPN while in the project bag). Not the cheapest and they take a little practice (you don’t really hold them quite like other needles because they’re so short) but worth it.
Oh yes, I would love to see any more of your writing. It’s lovely to hear from you. Sadly, no circular needle advice is coming from me tho.
And now I need to learn to knit. Maybe it’ll work better for me than crochet…
I tried the chiagoo shorties but the tips being so short made my hands ache in a way I wasn’t anticipating – turns out I use a lot of the heel of my hand in my knitting grip. Have you tried flexiflips yet? THey’re like DPNS BUT they have a short cable in the middle (like an inch or two) so they’re much more flexible. Magic Loop is my jam, personally, but I like them for socks.
Oh, yes please! Bring back anything, everything, something. I’ve missed your writing, and I really need a distraction and something to look forward to. The mental health and emotional health of a (tomato) nation may depend on you! No pressure ;-)