Darn it, I'm going to have to practice what I preach.

I once again tried swatching for the Fiber Trends Felted Clog pattern, and I once again completely failed to make gauge. My unfelted gauge on the suggested needles are right where the felted gauge is supposed to be. This is positively bewildering to me, because I usually knit more loosely than patterns call for. It's also very annoying, because there's not a lot of larger needles sizes for me to try.

I'm starting at a 13. I own a pair of 19s, and I have absolutely no idea why. Probably for this pattern, because otherwise I do NOT do 'big needle' knits. But, I flat out refuse to use those things. They're evil, and the points are stupidly long, and I won't do it, no I wont. You can't make me, you can't make me.

The next biggest size I own are 15s, which are only 1mm larger than the 13s (because US sizes are stupid); that is not going to get me what I need. My odds of finding 17s are not good. Clover doesn't make them that size, so it's unlikely any of the big-box brands do, either. Unless they're in plastic, and I am not buying plastic needles that I will never use again. Actually, the 'will never use again' is why I won't order 17s, either; that and the $29 the two pairs (24" and 16") would set me back.

So what I will be doing, nonnegotiably, is using the 15s from my interchangeable set for this. Which means to match the sizing I can either try it with three strands, or follow my own advice for figuring out what size to actually knit when your gauge is off. Although of COURSE this pattern has to NOT give finished sizes. :P
I should have enough yarn to use three strands if I need to, though. (At least in theory; I bought an extra ball of each.)

I suppose I'll go ahead and do swatches with both of those options, throw everything into the washer to felt it, and see which fabric I like better. But not tonight. I'm tired of dealing with the evil pattern tonight. (And I haven't even started knitting on the clogs themselves!)