Swatching, boo I know, but...

I know the swatch is not fun and so many of us skip it. I however learned a valuable lesson this last week. Swatching is important, possibly even if it is just a shawl or a blanket.

Last week I shared with you that I was having problems with the bubble stitch from the Stephen West Bubble Shawl. It was because my gauge wasn't correct. I had to go down two needle sizes before my gauge was right and the bubbles were actually bubbling.

A couple of weeks ago I swatched for the test knit from Gina Baglia. My yarn was on order and I wanted to be able to cast on when it arrived, so I swatched using the same yarn, but in a different color way. Here are the THREE swatches I made.

I started with the needles called for in the pattern, it was too tight and I didn't like the drape of the fabric. So I went up one size, still too tight but the drape is better. The third swatch was it. The stitch gauge is almost perfect and blocking will help that and the row gauge is close enough. So for this design I had to go UP two needle sizes.

This experience made me think back to when I first started crocheting and my line of thinking about choosing a hook. I thought that all the patterns were written and crocheted to the same standards and that I will always need to go up one hook size to get gauge, which was often true, but... This experience shows how naïve I was.

Just from the info above swatching is a good idea to make sure the finished piece will fit. That texture stitches will show and behave as they are supposed to. So you know if you like the drape of the fabric. Is this the right yarn and needle/hook combination?

I mentioned my stitch gauge and my row gauge. So which one is more important? That depends on what you are making. I was swatching for a sweater who's directions indicate to knit until the piece is such and such inches long, not to a specific number of rows. The stitch count however is not fluid, so for this piece my stitch gauge is more important. If it were a color work piece both would be important and I would have to play with needle size and possibly my knitting method to make the gauge be what it needs to be.

To make a proper swatch, it should be 4" x 4", at least. It should be cast on and bound off in the method you will be using in the actual piece. It should then be blocked as the piece will be. This will tell you how this yarn is going to hold up to being a sweater, sock, shawl, piece of lace, if it blooms too much, too little or won't stretch the way you want it to. This can save a lot of heart ache and time down the road.

Swatching also shows the drape or lack thereof of the fabric. If it is too stiff go up a needle/hook size or two. To floppy, go down a couple. This will help you to decide if this is the right yarn for the project. It can also show you how the colors are going to play if you make a swatch using the stitch pattern. Many patterns include a gauge swatch to be worked in pattern. If not it is simple to figure one out. I have put an example on this PAGE.

Honestly I did not wash any of these swatches. As you can see I didn't even bind them off. I worked them with a frame and a couple of rows around the area I was interested in measuring. I didn't wash these swatches as I am familiar with the yarn and how it behaves. I know it will bloom a little when I block it the first time and will fill in any space between the stitches.

That's another advantage of swatches, they can tell you the story for a different project. Keep all the swatches you make or at least notes and pictures in case you decide to use the yarn in a different project, part of the work is already done.

Notes to keep with a swatch

Yarn weight

Fiber content

How much of it do you have

Needle/hook size

Number of stitches cast on

Number of rows worked

Pattern swatch is worked in

I keep my swatches in a baggy with left over yarn from the finished project in case of repairs. My swatch notes are kept in a note book. I keep the swatches of unfinished projects in a baggy until the project is either finished or ripped. I currently don't have any swatches other than these three because all the yarns I have been working with are familiar for the projects I have been making. My swatch for the Bubble Shawl was ripped out because I will need almost every bit of my yarn for the shawl. I always swatch for a sweater, no matter the yarn or the designer. Which is another thing, I have worked other Stephen West designs and gotten gauge no problem with the needles called for. So don't think that just because you were fine last time with this designer that you will be again, you might not...

Mom's shawl is finished but not blocked.  I lost the yarn chicken battle.  I have decided to use a different color to finish the top.  It will take almost 3 weeks to order and dye more yarn.  It is a light pink to go with the peach. I think it is nice.  It would have made a nice border but I'm about a year too late for that...

I can't wait to see if it is too big for the blocking table, which is 6' x 6'.  If it is I think I will figure out how to fold it into quarters and block it.  I am planning to give it to her on the 16th when we go out for Mother's Day.

I have decided that I am NOT a Portuguese knitter.  It is great for dishcloths for me to keep in practice but not for these mittens I want to make so they have been completely ripped out.

I will begin them again later this week.  I will practice the Annetarsia method of using 3 colors in the round so that I am ready when I get there.  For those wondering the yarn is Knit Picks Palette in Mist, French Lavender and Cosmopolitan.  The pattern is Calaveras Mittens by Jenny Penny.

I am learning not to settle when I don't have to.  For example I want a knitted, cabled hoodie.  I have a pattern for one, I just can't find it...  While looking for it I found a pattern for a cabled cardigan.  I took it down and thought "this'll do".  I looked it over and decided no, I want the other and I need to find the pattern and not settle for this.  Just like with the mittens, I want to do what is needed to get the desired end product.  I'm looking to apply that to others areas of life as well.  I'll let you know how that goes.

I tried casting on the Bubble shawl again and for some reason that just wasn't the day to do it.  I'll try again tomorrow.

I did finished another couple pairs of baby socks.

These are made using Hedgehog Fibres yarn in the Piggy Bank color way.

It was some that mom had left over after making a pair of adult socks.  She gave me all of her left over sock bits so that I can make these baby socks.  I have about 5 months worth of yarn now.

These are made from Leadingmen Fiber Arts Love You To Pieces color way on their mcn base.

I did start a new pair of socks this week.  They are idiot socks that I put together to work on during Avengers: End Game.  I made it 30 minutes into the 3 hour and 2 minute movie before I messed up enough that I couldn't fix it in the dark.

The yarn is Rockshelter Sock from Yarn Rehab in the Blacksmithing color way.  I really like the way they are coming out.  I nearly finished the leg yesterday during a large game of Magic the Gathering.  There were 7 of us at the table.

The test knits are moving right along.  I have cast on the third one and bound off the first one.  The 2nd is just about half way done.

The second on is being worked from 2 balls at the same time as you can see in the picture.  This is because while the skeins were dyed together, the color strike was very different on them.  Switching yarns every 2 rows makes the colors blend well together, where as working one skein through and then adding the other would make a lighter side and darker side.

I noticed this past week that I have really slacked on food pictures.  I think trying to get back in the swing of it all after surgery I just forgot.  I am cooking again and even canning.

Here is some salmon that I baked this past Friday.  It was just black pepper, crushed red peppers and some lime olive oil.  The black pepper is the Bourbon Barrel Black Pepper from Savory Spice Shop.

We made it into salmon tacos.

Here is some BBQ sauce I did last week as well.

I hope that Spring is good for you and that if you garden it grows well.

Happy stitching everyone!