Hooray, it's done!! Thank goodness

Hooray, it's done!!

Thank goodness that's over! That pic was taken before it was quite finished, it now has feather tufts in alternating pink and blue on the end of each of those rows of beads at the back.
Now please don't look at that costume and think I'm one of those freaky stage mothers who dresses her daughter up to look like a small adult who is ridiculously overdressed and has no childhood. Em knows that what is okay for stage is not okay for everyday. As soon as a performance is over, the makeup and sequins comes off and the little girl comes out to play with her Barbies. She is very much a normal (possibly even a little immature) eleven year old who just this week asked for a new Cabbage Patch doll for christmas. (already!) I can't stand many of the clothes that are available for preteens these days, and refuse to dress my daughter in a skirt that qualifies (in my opinion) as a belt.
The dance that costume is for will be performed for 3 or 4 years, so she'll still be wearing it when she's 15 - that's why it's a little sophisticated. Lets hope she doesn't grow faster than the lycra can stretch! ;)

In knitting news, I was so happy to have the costume done that I cast on my Making Waves sock for the six sox knitalong. I'm not much past the ribbing yet, but Yay! for knitting :)
The lovely Jill sent me another parcel, this time with the new Interweave Knits, a lovely new fat circular and a cute notepad shaped like an "E" for Em.
The circular is a US17. It is 12.75mm. Last week, Jill sent me a pair of US17 straights. They are 12mm.
Is it any wonder I can't get gauge??? How do I know that I'm using a 4mm needle? How do I know that the designer used a 4mm needle? Perhaps the needle was a 4.2mm needle and that's why I can never get gauge?
That sounds like a good excuse, doesn't it? ;)