I doubt I'll get it done yet today; you have to be alert to do the picking-up-stitches evenly and I'm starting to get tired.
I did also swatch for what I am pretty sure is going to be my next project.
This is the swatch of the Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush for the Whisk Cardigan out of the most recent KnitScene. You can't really tell in the photo but I changed needle sizes about midway in the swatch. The pattern called for a 10 1/2, the yarn called for a 9, so I tried a 10. It was too big; I was getting 4 sts to the inch rather than the 3.5 the pattern calls for (and that is great enough to make the difference between a decently-fitting sweater and one that's too big and sloppy. Even with blocking). So I dropped down to a 9 (which is 1/2 mm smaller in diameter, you wouldn't think it would make a difference) and got gauge.
Now I have to contemplate, as I work to finish Honeycomb: do I do what would be the "typical" size I think of for me (44 1/2 inches finished bustline), or do I drop back a size (to 40"), seeing as the fabric is fluffy and kind of stretchy, and after all, it's a cardigan designed to be worn open? (And I generally only wear cardigans over cotton blouses or t-shirts or thin turtlenecks).
I didn't bind off the swatch - in fact, I'm not doing what you're "supposed" to, which is wash and block the swatch, as I'm close enough (880 yards vs. 853 yards) to what's listed as the required amount that I want to be sure to have all the yarn available to knit with - I will probably be raveling the swatch back. (As it is, I'm sure I will wind up sewing this up with embroidery floss or perle cotton or matching-color sockyarn instead of the fat, fluffy alpaca, because sewing-up is less of a pain with thinner smoother yarn)
This will be very different from Honeycomb: bulky weight, and all stockinette. (I can even knit while I read for much of it; there's very little shaping to it - which is another reason why I'm wondering if the 40" size might not be better; I find on bigger people more fitted clothes look better, if you try to "hide" in loose clothes they often look a bit sloppy and make you look even larger)
Actually, scrutinizing the schematic, with all the measurements: the 40" size should work fine. There's enough overlap worked into the front (well, the fronts are supposed to "roll" a bit) and the sleeves will be large enough and I think it will be long enough (or, heck, I can knit it to the slightly longer length anyway). And since the 40" size is just a bit smaller, I can be more secure in that I will have enough yarn (always a concern when I'm using yarn not bought specifically for a pattern).
1 comment:
I'm confused! How can using a smaller needle give you fewer stitches per inch? It seems to me that if you were getting 4 stitches to the inch on the size 10 needle, then the size 9 would give you 4.25 or 4.5 stitches, not the 3.5 you say your gauge should be. I'd try the 10.5 needle and measure very carefully. If you do use the 9, how does this affect your row gauge? My thoughts are that you're going to need more rows per inch than the pattern states and this could have an adverse effect on the amount of yarn you have available.
I just finished my February Lady Sweater from some stash yarn. I was very close on the amount required and ended up with elbow length sleeves (it's knit from the top down) instead of the three-quarter length as written. The body is shorter than the pattern too because of the amount of yarn I had. The sweater fits nicely (I used a sweater I already had as a guide) and I'm happy with it. But based on my experience with it, I'd recommend you check your gauge again.
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