The Right Tools for the Job

I remember my dad saying that to do a task that required tools, and if the endeavor was to be enjoyable, you need to have the right tools for the job.

As you may recall, I started knitting the cap shawl from Victorian Lace Today. This is the cap shawl.

Currently I am on round 85. This shawl began with 9 stitches. It now has 387. By the time I get to the part where I add the border, I will have knit 172 rounds and have 738 stitches on the needle!

Why did I begin my post about tools?

Currently the needles I am using are "Blunti Stumpos" which was coined by Grumperina.

This is NOT the right tool for this project. The needles do not look that blunt in the photo but these are driving me crazy. I'm knitting with Misti Alpaca Lace. You can kind of see the center swirl of the shawl in the bottom right corner where the whole pattern began.

Why are these the wrong tool for the job? I decided today that since I don't have the time I want, or need, to get the projects done that I want to complete (along with fitting in exercise into my day as well as working 9 hours ) that I'll have to KNIT FASTER.

Lately I knit more in the English/Throw/American method. I can knit fairly more quickly in the Continental/German/Pic method but these damn needles are too blunt. I have ordered a pair from Knit Picks because their points are, uh, more pointy. So I'm putting this project aside until the new needles arrive.

According to their website, my order shipped on the 8th so I'm hoping I get them soon because I'm abandoning this project until then. I'm at a point in the pattern that it is a good break point. I'm done with the first chart(which was very easy to memorize). I'm excited to start a new phase of this baby but without the right tools, I would just get frustrated. Like Dad said, in order for the task to be enjoyable, you need the right tools!