April 06, 2004
Swatching
When I first got my Calmer, I started looking at the Audrey instructions for the tension information.
21 stitches and 30 rows over 4" on 5.0 mm (US 8) needles.
Cool, I thought, big needles, reasonable gauge. I'll whip out this swatch and be on my way to a sweater. So I got out my trusty 5.0 mm AddiTurbos (definitely the work horses of my needle collection), cast on and got going. It was a little slow going, but tolerable. And my tension?
20 stitches and 30 rows over 4"
First I thought this would be just fine. Then I realized that that would add an extra stitch every four inches... which meant adding almost an inch more width to my sexy little sweater. I really do want this sweater to emphasize my curves (I'm a little minimalist on top), so extra fabric didn't seem like a good idea. Okay. Out came the 4.5 mm Addis.
20 stitches and 32 rows over 4"
Hmmm... this was not an improvement at all. Now both my stitch and row gauge were off. So I looked at the pattern and decided that I would go with the 5.0 mm needles and just cast on the number of stitches for the extra small and use the length of the small size. This wouldn't disrupt the armholes, but would keep the sweater the width I wanted it to be. I'm woman enough to remodel a pattern to suit my needs.
And then I started playing around with the decreases. And because my 5.0 mm Addis were finishing up something else, I cast on to my 5.0 mm Denise needle. After all, I was just going to mess around so the gauge didn't matter all that much.
This actually turned out to be a very fortuitous bit of messing around. My Calmer really liked these needles a lot better. There was a lot less resistance and my stitches seemed to be a lot neater. So, I figured what the heck. I hadn't started Audrey yet. Could it hurt to make a third swatch on the 5.0 mm Denise needles?
21 stitchees and 30 rows over 4"
I guess the third time's the charm.
The Difference Needle Composition Can Make
Not only did I get gauge, but I think the fabric of the third swatch is much nicer than my original two attempts on my Addis. Notice how well behaved the stitches look in the swatch on the bottom, as compared to the two on the top that look like they have a little bit of gapping between the V's?
One thing it took me a little while to figure out in my knitting life is that not all needles are created equal for every fiber experience. While I will always reach for my AddiTurbos before I reach for almost any other needle, there are some cases where they aren't the best surface for the job. I've found this to be particularly true of yarn that contains some acrylic or microfibre. It has a lot of resistance (at least for me) over metal surfaces (I'm sure there's some lesson in electrostatic physics here, but I'm a biologist and avoided physics whenever possible). And if I am fighting my yarn and my needles, I don't really love the knitting process, and often I don't like the finished garment when I am done. I guess the addage is right: plastic does love plastic. Because when I switch it onto my plastic needles, the Calmer practically knits itself.
And I think that's the way this lovely little sweater should knit. Who wants to fight with their knitting needles on the road to creating the perfect summer top?
So the next little assignment, for those playing along, is to show off your swatch. Getting gauge is most definitely glam.
P.S. to those who don't have your yarn yet... you can do this whenever you want -- we'll wait, and we'll enjoy the rainbow of colors that show up.
Posted by Theresa at April 6, 2004 12:00 AMNeedles do make a difference, as I learned with the eternal swatching of Kid Silk Haze. I was happy with, but a smidge too tight, with Amour and 5mm Addi Naturas. I"ll give my Denise set a whirl today. Lovely color Theresa.
Posted by: Cyndy at April 6, 2004 05:26 AMFunny you should discuss needles...yesterday as I was looking through my past notes re Calmer (I did various swatches for it last year so I could knit "Soul"), I saw that I had obtained 21 sts and 30 rows using Addi Turbo metal 4.5mm needles AND 21 sts and 30 rows using Inox bamboo 4mm circs! The exact same gauge on needles of different sizes and different material. I ended up going with the Inox bamboo because the points were finer and made knitting easier for this particular yarn, which clings to the needles. (I'd like to do the same with Audrey, but I'm occupying those Inox needles for another project.)
Posted by: Becky at April 6, 2004 06:34 AMOhhhh, you see what I mean? We Who Are Waiting For Our Yarn are going to benefit immensely from all youse guys' expertise! I have experienced what you're talking about with different needles, so much so that I was going to throw out the plastic needles I do have because of nasty experiences with wool, but now reading your post I think I shan't be so hasty. However, DENISE needles? That's a new one on me.... I don't think I've seen those in my local yarn stores. Any advice where to get them, should I wish to try? I do think I'll try bamboo, too. Thanks for the wonderful post.
Posted by: Norma at April 6, 2004 07:40 AMTheresa, don't DISREGARD my last post, but you don't need to answer it, per se, because doing a quick Google, I found plenty of Denise needles and now know what you're talking about. I also found the name of a somewhat local shop that is supposed to carry them. Gee, it's a little out of my way, but it's a place several people have recommended to me, so I can now thank Audrey for sending me that way, eh? Thanks again.
Posted by: Norma at April 6, 2004 07:51 AMTheresa, I was also very interested in your post. I thought it was just me who had to swatch three times in order to get proper tension, and that ended up being on 4.0 mm bamboos (just as Becky experienced)! It makes for a very light project though.
Posted by: Karen at April 6, 2004 08:03 AMI've had to swatch more for this project than for others I have done. But I figure it's better to spend the time up front than to get a sweater I don't love from a yarn that defintely is too expensive not to become something I love. When I think about how much time I will spend on a sweater, it makes me more willing to invest time swatching and testing.
Posted by: Theresa at April 6, 2004 09:51 AMNot fair Theresa, even your swatches look terrific!
What is the little border thing around your swatch?
Also, did I hear (somewhere in knitting blogland) that we are supposed to add selvage stiches to this design?
This is not only fun, but so informative. Thanks so much to you and the other hostesses!!
Posted by: Cruz at April 6, 2004 02:54 PMTerrific swatches are easily within anyone's grasp. What do I do when I swatch?
1) Cast on 4 more stitches than what is supposed to make up 4" (in this case, 25 stitches). You can cast on more extra stitches if you like.
2) Knit 2 rows in seed stitch -- K1, P1 on the first row, then on the second row, purl all the knit stitches and knit all the purl stitches.
3) For the body of the swatch, I maintain the seed stitch on the first two stitches and the last two stitches. Knit until you have the number of rows that you should have in 4"
4) Finish the swatch by doing two more rows of seed stitch -- as set up by the border stiches and cast off in seed stitch.
A lot of people do bigger swatches than this. But this works for me. In the case of yarns that don't have nice stitch definition, I can just measure between the seed stitch borders and see if I am getting 4"
And the needles matter! The first two swatches that I did on the Addis don't look as neat b/c I was fighting to move the stitches down the needle and that was causing unwanted elongating and stretching of the stitches.
Posted by: Theresa at April 6, 2004 03:13 PM