Do you pick, or throw

Sung to the tune Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Do you pick or throw when you're finishing a row Is your yarn tied in a knot, is it tied in a bow Do you throw your yarn over (un) like a continental soldier Do you pick or throw?

For the past couple of months I've been trying to come to some peace with continental knitting. I do admire its virtures of being quick and minimal movement (and I have gotten quicker!) but the purl stitches are not as good as the knit stitches in continental. So, I tend to get lines in my knitting and really odd tension. I guess this is why most continental knitters knit in the round - they avoid the purl stitch.

Alas, I need a perfect purl stitch, because I'm doing the sweater (catalogue no. n 460-T6-275) from Phildar, autumn 06. So, I'm doing the old English throw. I think I may do the body in the round, so I can keep an eye on the fitting.

So, because life isn't simple, it seems that my tension for this pattern is wackadoo. It's supposed to be 19sts x 27rows, and I'm at 22sts x 27 rows. So, I'm doing the large size (instead of medium) so that I can get to the medium. I didn't want to go up 4.5mm needles because I like the snug fabric on the 4mm needles. I did a sleeve today and the tension worked out, so yayy.
I do think that my choice of needles (knitpicks options) tends to make my tension tighter, because the needles are slick and metal. I do intend to get the wooden knitpicks needle as soon as I can.

I do like the mods on the sweater that I've just highlighted - the longer body for instance. I'll definately do the 5cm for the waist instead of the 1.5 inch. I'm keeping the orignial neckline though (ravelery link, soz). I love that wide scooped neckline, and will wear a camisole underneath to keep my modesty.

The yarn used is Lana Grossa cool wool. It's a 50 gram ball, 120 metres, worsted (slightly heavier than the English double knit) and goes for £3.95 a ball. Lan Grossa yarn is what I'd call expensive (on par with Debbie Bliss, Louisa Harding, et al) but it's a nice yarn. The colourways are rich, the yarn is sprongy and tactile. In terms of pilling, I've had it bouncing around my knit bag for a couple days and not a fluff.

Wish us luck. This the the most tentative I've been with my knitting.