Harlot Scarlet and Other Odd Things

The scarf I'm working on has two rows.  One is knit.  The other is simple lace pattern of decreases, yarn-overs and knit stitches in-between. Both sides of the work look amazingly alike.  This can be a problem if I can't remember where I left off when I set the work down the night before.

I'm sure that you can always tell where you are in the pattern when you pick up knitting you set aside.  You're either looking at the purl side of the work or you're not.  You're in the middle of the second repetition of a lace pattern, or you're not.  I'm lucky if I remember what row I'm on while I'm on it.  Yesterday, I got tired of dealing with a Miss Marple Mystery every single time I picked up my needles.   So I did something about it.


I've never had a manicure I haven't been able to trash in less than an hour. I type for a living and I type for pleasure.  I've worn the little letters off more than one keyboard.  But every once in a while I NEED orange and chartreuse fingernails.  This means that I have a wonderful collection of brightly colored enamel that will wear FOREVER on anything other than my nails.

Last night I decided that one of the needles would be the passive needle and that would be the one I use to knit the plain row.  It would be the plain needle.  The other needle would be the one I use to complete the pattern row.  The the active needle got a good glop of scarlet nail enamel.

Now, even if I find myself in the middle of a heated discussion, or the middle of a volcanic explosion on Nova, or a stirring paragraph in the book I'm reading, I'll never lose my place in the knitting. All I have to do is look at the butt end of my needles.

I don't know that you'll find this little tip useful, but go ahead, paint your needles.  You don't have to explain why to anyone on the bus.  It can be our secret.