I should heed this advice. For some reason, I always think I will remember the critical bit of information. I don’t. Here is a swatch that is the perfect gauge for a sweater I am considering. (The color is much more a rich plum.)
The yarn is Thirteen Mile Sport. I used it for my Goddale, and I love it. The pattern I am considering is Highlander, from Anne over at Knitspot. I would like to make one of her sweaters, I’ve heard such good things about how well done the patterns are. However, I will have to make another swatch. I made this one some months ago, washed it and blocked it and then set it aside. What needles did I use? Five? Four? I can guess, but sweaters have to fit, so I’ll have to start over. Maybe next time, I’ll pin a little tag to it, or make knots in the tail for the needle size. It takes me a while to learn. Like a lifetime. Perhaps there is a treatment for failure to label, since I don’t appear to learn from my mistakes.
Today, I was reminded of this failing because I just finished boiling a cup of sesame seeds instead of quinoa. Both were in jars in the back of the fridge, unlabeled. The seeds only resemble quinoa if you don’t look closely. I kept boiling them, and they would not turn into quinoa. I even tasted them and says to myself I says, “I don’t remember quinoa tasting so much like sesame seeds.” And kept cooking them.
Only when I googled something like “why won’t my quinoa cook” did I look at the image on the screen and realize what I had done. Any suggestions for a cup of well-cooked sesame seeds? They won’t work in the tabbouleh for sure. Or do you have any tips on how to be more self-disciplined and label things that require me to know what they are?
-MLE
Yarnerinas 
Ok, I can SO see myself doing the sesame seed thing. LOL!
I have no useful suggestions, I’m afraid, but I thought you should know that that sesame-quinoa story made me actually laugh.
I really needed this giggle.
I’m sorry, but I laughed out loud!
Another LOL here…
You are not alone. My daughter pointed out that we have two bags of wheat germ, which I keep in the freezer because I don’t use it very often. The bag on the top shelf and the bag on the bottom shelf…
Oh M-L – that’s me too! We were at knitting, and I noticed how many of the other knitters had extensive notes on their sock patterns to ensure symmetry, and I vowed to take notes. I made a note on the pattern (10″) – but when I got to the second sock I had no idea what it meant! Once the second sock was completed, I realised that it was the length of my husband’s foot. I’ve done many gauge swatches, and not recorded the needle size (especially easy to do with EZ patterns!).
I recognize that: “always think I’ll remember…”. Like when the kids say something really funny or interesting, and you know you should write it down, and then you don’t, thinking it was so funny you’ll never forget. But you do… almost every time. So notebooks are good – if you remember where you put them.
Have a nice day!
We were talking about this lack of labeling thing last night. My husband used to be notorious (with me) for never labeling things. Then he got himself a little Brother labeling thingie. Now he labels EVERYTHING. So my suggestion is for you to get yourself a cool labeling thingie: http://www.brother-usa.com/LabelingSystems/
Very lol! Good entry, as always.
Laughing about the quinoa/sesame send comment ! The needle/swatch situation, not so amusing.
Oh dear. The corners of my mouth might have risen just a liiitle bit. I’m sure the squirrels and birds wouldn’t care how long you cooked the seasame, they’d eat it all the same.
Didn’t you use the same needles for the sweater as for the swatch? Did you note the needles for the sweater on Rav maybe? I can totally feel for you. I’m still working on my St. Brigid. I knit the swatch in March, did the math, cast on and now I can’t remember if the measurements changed post swatch wash or not. I’m hoping it gets a bit bigger, otherwise I’m going to have to go on a diet. I should have just written it down. After all, what’s Rav for?
Yes! I am *certain* I will remember the details!!! In spite of frequent vows to label and journal … I usually feel too rushed to stop and take notes, and then I don’t remember after all. Darn! As for the boiled sesame seeds?! How ’bout stirring them into some oatmeal, with honey and cinnamon? Thanks for the chuckles.
I love Highlander! It’s a beautiful pattern.
I’m not the one to ask – I label, file & categorize at work (mostly) but my knitting? I lose ballbands.
LOL about the sesame/quinoa mix up! I wonder if toasting would bring back the flavor.
I usually make large gauge swatches on one row I will purl stitches on the knit side so I have the same number of purl bumps as the needle size. 6 purl bumps=size 6 needles
I can so understand thinking, I don’t remember quinoa tasting so like sesame seeds – Failure to Label Disorder may be so universal that it’s within norms. All I can offer is an irritating little habit I have of saying, Well, if I don’t do it when I remember, I certainy won’t do it when I forget. That raises my blood pressure just enough to make me do it, sometimes.
Tell us, what did you do with all the cooked sesame seeds in the end? I tried to look on a few websites for you, but to no avail. Maybe you could make some kind of halva….just a crazy idea.
I have never seen quinoa live. It is hidden in the cookies I buy for my grandchildren. But I would definitely wear my glasses. The stuff is so tiny.
I have to admit that I laughed at comment that no matter how you cooked them, the sesame seeds wouldn’t turn into quinoa. True, alas, and exactly the kind of thing I would have done! (Usually this is a sign that I’m more than usually stressed and/or tired.) With swatched, I try to remember in one row to purl a number of stitches that matches my needle size, so that the needle size is always on the swatch (I do this in different sections if I change needle sizes while swatching, too). (Also? Love Anne’s patterns, as I think you know – I always find them very clearly written.)
Believe me, I understand the feeling…Thanksgiving before last, I tried a new recipe for pumpkin pie that included maple syrup, which we buy in bulk in a clear plastic container and keep in the refrigerator. I let the kids help make the pie filling. After it had baked almost long enough, I checked to see if it was done. Not even close. After ten more minutes, ten more, and ten more again, it still wasn’t setting up. The third time I licked the knife, and could not imagine why it would be so…yucky. Baked for another ten minutes, tested again, still not set up……and very slowly, the light dawned. My daughter had left a container of soy sauce in the refrigerator, and we had used it by mistake. Every one of the kids had to try the pie of course, to verify that it was in fact yucky beyond saving.