So this week is going to be packed. I have to refinish two dressers, paint a bedroom, get a pattern test knit, finish up another pattern, and then bake a ham. Not in that particular order.

This is the pattern that needs to be test knit:

It’s a vest pattern called Tin Roof. Knit in an aran weight yarn, it’s available in sizes from 30 – 60 inch busts, in both tall and average length torsos. If you’re interested in test-knitting it, drop me a line on Ravelry.

Here’s a couple of photos to leave you with from our trip to Kona, Hawaii in November..

The Kona Market

A Hibiscus outside of Huggos in Kona.

I don’t usually do this, and I’m not being asked or persuaded in any way, other than the fact that I don’t like to keep awesome things secret when they can help others.

I love working with lace weight mohair/silk yarns, but it’s hard to find needles that are really pointy enough for lace work, and still slick enough to knit at my usual speed. For years now I’ve been using Knit Picks’ Options needles, both the Nickel plated needle tips and the Harmony wood ones. But the wood ones are never slick enough, and sadly, when turning my work stitches sometimes slip off the nickel ones because the surface of the needle is too slippery. Thus being tired of the conundrum that I found myself in, I went to the yarn shop. I looked at the Crystal Palace needles, and the Addi Lace needles, the former being too dull in the tips, and the latter being far to grippy in the needle. When the kind and knowledgeable yarn shop mistress said sweet magical words “These brand new needles arrived yesterday, and we’re almost sold out, since lace knitters keep coming in.” What were those mythical needles? ChiaoGoo Red Lace: Premium Stainless Steel Needles. Let me tell you about them.

The ChiaGoo’s have a flexible, multi-strand, nylon-coated, steel cable that pops out of the bag without any coil memory, so you don’t have to put them into a bath of hot water for them to hang straight.

This photo shows the differences in lengths of both needles in the hand area (before it tapers down to the cord) and the length of the needle tips themselves.

The tips are truly spectacular, and pointy enough to take k3tog’s at speed no need to slow down. They also have very smooth joins so that your stitches don’t get stuck on the cable, they just glide easily onto your needle. The needles themselves are lightweight in your hand, and have just enough surface grip for slick lace yarns to move easily without accidentally falling off.

I’ve only been using them for two days, but I’m ready to buy a full set of them. I can’t recommend them enough.