The Ultimate Swatch: step two

If I had just gone by my bust measurements I would be ending up knitting a larger size garment. Here, you see a pink cardi that I think is similar to the one I am going to make. It is 19" across the back. So I did the following math.



My swatch was 20 stitches and 4.75 inches wide. I divided 20 by 4.75 and got my stitches per inch (4.21). I then looked at the pattern and found the number of stitches across the back of the size I think will work for my garment and divided that number by 4.21...that will give me the number of inches the back of my garment should be.

BUT, the ultimate swatch is the first few inches of the actual garment. If I were to discover that my project isn't giving me the size I want - ripping out the back and starting over when it is only 4 or 5 inches is not a disaster.







Here, Sterling is trying to help hold down the tape measure for me.


BTW: did you know that you can click on the pictures to see them bigger?

I just read a recent post by the uber knitter- The Yarn Harlot...read her post about swatches. She writes about it beautifully, with humor and adds much more wisdom.

The swatch: step one

Here is my swatch. I dunked it in water and walked away. Once fully soaked in water, I rolled it in a towel to absorb as much as possible. Now I am patiently waiting for it to dry. Then I will measure it for my stitches per inch. (SPI)
Then I have to figure out which size in the pattern to use to get the size I want.
Since my pattern calls for a heavier yarn, I have to do some mathematics.

I'll guess that one size larger than I usually wear might work since I am using lighter yarn and smaller needles.

I'll take the number of stitches cast-on for the pattern back and divide it by my number of SPI. that should tell me how wide the back will be with my yarn.

Knitting is a process

I don't have a pretty picture for this post.

I am swatching for a new project. It's malabrigo worsted weight in a cobalt blue. I am trying to figure out how I can fit it into a pattern that calls for a heavier yarn. I am also going to take my own advise and will wash and block my swatch!
There will be picures soon.

Matching Hat

Added the buttons and a cute little hat to make the Baby Surprise complete.

Another Baby Surprise

I have been busy knitting this Baby Surprise Jacket. I love how it turned out. I used Cascade Superwash Paints [2 skeins: color#9862] and a solid Cascade 220 Superwash [1 skein: color #851]. This time I added an i-cord bind off, a collar to match the trim, also with i-cord. I picked up stitches on the edges of the sleeves to add more green trim...with i-cord. I have yarn left over that I am going to use to make a matching hat. oh- I guess I need to get some buttons for it too!
I am teaching a class on this jacket this month and I hope ladies will see this and wanna make one too!

Valentine Happy

I'm eating a heart shaped chocolate chip cookie that my one true love baked me. I could dig out and scan the snap shot that goes with this story, but, I think I'll just get straight to the words.


February 13, 1986 while I was watching "Cheers" a tiny pop occurred. It was the pool of water my son had been swimming in for the last 8 and three quarter months deciding to burst forth. I knew then that I would be having my baby on Valentines Day... you can't go more than 24 hours with your "water broke".

It was raining Cats and Dogs all night long. So much so that my Mom thought that she might not be able to drive to the hospital to visit, the streets were flooded.

20 long hours later I pushed out Evan and completed our family.

The rain we have had this week has brought back memories of that night and the following days.

Valentines Day has never been quite the same since.


I've been knitting a new BSJ. pictures soon.

a couch kid thank-you knitting story

One of my long term (we don't like to say "old") knitting students is Dyan. She is a teacher in a community school. It's the kind of school that kids go to when they have committed a crime or otherwise gotten themselves kicked out of regular school. When they come to Dyan she confronts them (and their parents) with their transgressions and usually makes them cry. The other thing she makes them do is knit. All of them have to knit, even the boys who seem to like knitting better than the girls.

The classroom has a lounge area with a couple of couches. You can imagine that those couches get a lot of abuse.

I replaced my living room couch recently and donated it to Dyan's class. The reverse side of the drawing had a "thank-you" from each of Dyan's kids and as you can see one of them has mad drawing skillz too!

oh BTW, that floral couch you see in the drawing was replaced with two leather chairs...much different.