Gauge

Sometimes swatches lie

Posted in Blocking, Cascade 220 , Gauge, Plaited Tam, Problems, Swatching, Twist Collective, Yarn, on 31 January 2010 - 8:37am

I decided to knit myself a Plaited Tam, but I want

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My own Leaf Yoke Top

Posted in Design Process, Filatura di Crosa Brillante, Gauge, Knit.1, Leaf Yoke Top, Personal, Photo Shoot, Stash, Swatching, Yarn, on 20 October 2009 - 3:13pm

I really hated to give up the sample I knitted in Tahki Nova for my

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Leaf Yoke Top

Posted in Gauge, Inspiration, Leaf Yoke Top, Swatching, Yarn, on 3 May 2009 - 3:01am

One of my patterns is in the new Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Knit.1!&

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Hat craze

Posted in Design Process, Gauge, Inspiration, Italian, Stitch Dictionary, Swatching, on 26 September 2008 - 9:32am

I've never been a sock knitter; my small projects of preference are hats and baby knits. And fall, of course, is a fine time to think about hat knitting (and thus for designers, a fine time to think about creating some hat patterns). I had noted the stitch pattern at left (from the Japanese book Knitting Patterns Book 250) back in the spring, and it struck me as something that could be adapted into an interesting hat. I went so far as to work on adapting the leaf motif to fit within the limited number of rows possible on a hat (deciding on a sport weight yarn to get a few more rows in) and charting the crown decreases, and then shelved that project over the summer to work on other things. Non sono stata mai una maglierista dei calzini; i miei progetti piccoli preferiti sono i cappelli e le maglie dei bambini. Certo che l'autunno e un bel periodo per pensare di lavorare a maglia dei cappelli! Ho visto quello disegno (dal libro giapponese Knitting Patterns Book 250) nella primavera, e pensavo di usarlo per un cappello. I went back to that hat project last week, but after a bit of swatching, I wasn't happy with the result, and returned to my Japanese stitch pattern books for more inspiration. I found the second stitch pattern in the same book as the first, and the final one in the book Knitting Patterns Book 300. I imagined using the second one in a top-down design, so I then started figuring out a series of crown increases that would segue nicely into the main stitch pattern. Sono ritornata la settimana scorsa a quello progetto del cappello; pero', dopo un po' di swatching, non ero contenta, e sono tornata ai miei libri di modelli giapponesi per l'inspirazione. Ho trovato il disegno secondo nello stesso libro come il primo, e l'ultimo nel libro Knitting Patterns Book 300. Ho immaginato di usare il secondo in un modello top-down, quindi ho cominciato di calcolare gli aumenti, i quali progredirebbero nel disegno proprio. This turned out to be a several-days-long process! More on that later.Diventava un processo di parecchi giorni! Piu a piu tardi.

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Yarn substitutions for Aran Wrap

Posted in Gauge, Sideways Aran Wrap, Vogue Knitting, Yarn, on 4 August 2008 - 5:36pm

I've had several questions on this topic, so I've decided to list a number of yarn substitutions for the Trendsetter Journey yarn which was used for my Aran Wrap in Vogue Knitting Fall 2008.   This is a lovely, 100%

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Seaside Gloves

Posted in Alchemy Yarns Synchronicity, Beads, Gauge, Magknits, Original Pattern, Seaside fingerless gloves, on 18 April 2008 - 7:39am

If you’re like many knitters, during the height of summer you may find yourself impatient for the brisk days of fall and even winter, when you can pull out those woollen items created with long hours of pleasant labor.  And yet-- human nature being what it is-- during those wintry periods, even knitters may find themselves remembering with longing those lazy hours on the beach in July or August:  the penetrating heat of the sand, the glints of light off the water, the cooling salt spray flying off the crests of the waves.  That’s why these gloves are a perfect anytime project:  during the warmer months, they’ll augur frosty days to come, and once those days arrive, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal and crystal bead droplets will remind you of those carefree seaside afternoons. SizesWomen’s S-M (M-L)Circumference (unstretched):  7”/18 cm (8”/20.5 cm); to fit hand circumference of 7-8”/18-20.5 cm (8-9”/20.5-23 cm)Length:  10”/25.5 cm (11”/28 cm)DifficultyIntermediate knitter/beginning beader; skills required include reading chart and working in the round. MaterialsAlchemy Yarns Synchronicity (50% silk, 50% wool; 118 yds/108 m per 50 g skein); 30W: Spruce; 2 (2) skeins.Size S-M:  1 set US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gaugeSize M-L:  1 set US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gaugetapestry needle; waste yarn or stitch holdersbead needle for threading beads (I used The Big “Eye”) Clear glass beads, size 6/0 (4 mm), 52Suggested Yarn SubstitutesBrown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Superwash or Karabella Aurora 8 GaugeSize S-M:  24 sts/ 32 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch (st st)Size M-L:  21 sts/ 28 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in st st Pattern NotesSee attached charts.  The original stitch pattern (“Seaweed” from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns) is used for the left glove only, while the pattern for the right glove is its mirror image. Both left and right gloves are fully charted to show the position of beads and construction of thumb gusset and fingers.  Directions are the same for S-M and M-L; altering gauge by using different size needles results in two finished sizes.  Follow written directions as well as charts!  Picked up and knit on stitches for upper hand and fingers are not shown on charts, but are worked following chart for stitches adjacent to each part.    Thread beads onto yarn before casting on, pushing beads down along yarn until they are needed.  Beads actually sit between 2 purl stitches; to place bead, purl first stitch, push bead into place, and purl second stitch.Click here to purchase pattern pdf ($3.50)!  Includes written directions, photos and full charts for both hands.  By the way, if your fingertips prefer to be covered, instead of binding off each glove finger, just continue the stitch pattern as established until each finger is slightly longer than your own, and then do not bind off:  instead break the yarn, thread it through all stitches, pull to close, and then fasten on the inside of the finger. 

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The Invasion of the Tomas Swatches

Posted in Design Process, Etrusca Top, Film, Gauge, Karabella Empire Silk, Personal, Random, Swatching, Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer, Vogue Knitting, Yarn, on 16 April 2008 - 7:59am

16_apr_002_web With each of my last few projects, the number of swatches I have done has steadily increased (I hope this trend doesn't continue!).  I've done multiple swatches for different reasons; for my project for an upcoming issue of Vogue Knitting,

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Etrusca Sleeveless Top

Posted in Etrusca Top, Gauge, Karabella Empire Silk, Original Pattern, Swatching, Yarn, on 7 April 2008 - 8:00am

13_mar_004_web_2 The intricate ornamentation of ancient Etruscan jewelry was the inspiration for this top, in which a lustrous gold-colored yarn and the varied surfaces of garter stitch, a simple lace border, and slipped stitches combine to create a richly textured fab

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Garter go!

Posted in Design Process, Gauge, Swatching, Yarn, on 10 March 2008 - 9:51am

3_mar_001_web Garter stitch isn't normally my favorite, its intriguing characteristics* notwithstanding.  But I also prefer knitting to purling, so I started to think about designing a tank top using garter stitch, worked in pieces to take advantage of that

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Selva Skirt Backstory Part III

Posted in Design Process, Gauge, Interweave Knits, Knitting Needles, Pattern Writing, Selva Skirt, Swatching, Yarn, on 12 February 2008 - 11:42am

To be quite honest, the Hearts of Oak pattern is not the speediest knit around, especially when worked on US #3 needles.  The unblocked fabric is fun to look at in different lights, and its almost crunchy texture invites you to grasp a handful and squeeze-- but even so, it seemed to me that I knitted endlessly on Selva before finally reaching the point where it was time to start the waist decreases. I had swatched the "ribbon" stitch pattern I used for the top of the skirt, and measured the swatch stretched to determine whether a zipper was necessary:  I decided no.  As I progressed toward the waistband, decreasing steadily in the plain purl sections at the sides, I instead started to worry that the waistband would stretch out of shape:  the "ribbons" weren't quite as firm as I had hoped, and of course the reverse stockinette wasn't firm at all.  That's why I decided to add the elastic to the waistband. In the case of this pattern, the sizing was dictated by the stitch pattern:  the difference between sizes is two repeats or 20 stitches (or 2 1/2 inches) at the hips.  Having said that, it is easy to change the frequency and number of waist decreases to customize the fit for a larger or smaller waist in relation to hips. Filatura di Crosa "Zara" is a great choice of yarn for this skirt; it has tight twist, lots of resilience, and seems to be fairly durable (standing up well to frogging).  It also comes in an extensive palette of colors.  If another yarn is substituted, I would encourage using something with similar characteristics.  A quick glance at yarndex suggested these as possibilities (note that I have no personal experience with any of them):  Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK or Extrafine Merino DK; Dale of Norway Falk; Classic Elite Classic 150; Debbie Bliss Rialto DK; Louet Gems Opal; or Knit Picks Merino Style.  Note that for most of these (as for Zara), the suggested needle size is larger than US #3, and the gauge thus looser than the 6 sts to the inch I got in stockinette stitch with #3s.  SWATCH!

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