Cotton Issues
I'm making myself a pair of bloomers1 for wearing under skirts once the weather starts getting warmer, seeing as it's fairly impossible to find what I want (100% cotton or linen, or cotton with just a bit of wool blend) in the store. I'm using Knit Picks's Main Line in place of the pattern's recommended Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, because, while I realize that the price of the yarn includes the entertainment of the knitting, this is a pair of plain stockinette tubes that joins to become one plain stockinette tube, and the only entertainment is the lace ruffle at the bottom; hence, $70+ is a bit much for one pair of bloomers.
I'm thinking, though, that if these are a success and I do further similar pairs, I may use CotLin instead, because the Main Line is killing my hands. It's very stiff and I can't do more than a few rounds at a time before my wrists start to hurt--and this was the case even when I only had a few rounds on the needle, so it's not purely a weight problem. I don't know if Cotton Fleece is stiff like this as well, or if it's something about the way they spun the Main Line. (Either way, I'm declaring now that there is no way on God's earth I'm knitting a Liam-sized tunic2 out of this stuff. If he wants it, he can shell out for the Cotton Fleece. Or possibly Cotton Fine, because I think worsted weight might be a bit much for summer wear.)
Anyway, it's really too bad because the yarn itself is a great color (Butter Pecan, in case the bottoms of the ruffles show past the skirt) and beautifully soft, not to mention having a very nice drape. But as much as I like the finished fabric, working with it is making me unhappy. Fortunately I have a pair of socks to punt to when I need a break.
1: Women's underwear does not deal with thigh chafing well, and men's underwear really doesn't fit. Plus, the only cotton boxers made seem to be in flannel.
2: I do not understand why he wants a plain, two-rectangles-sewn-together tunic (for Pennsic) knitted, but ours is not to reason why, at least when we're discussing Liam's clothing preferences.