Got gauge? Or I hear voices in my head

When a pattern tells you to get gauge. I only wish it were that simple. Practically every fitting problem can be due to gauge. Go to you LYS and ask them for help with a pattern fitting problem and what are they going to ask you? Got gauge?

I started a sweater recently, and knitted my gauge swatch at work during my lunch break. Big mistake, evidently I’m a uptight knitter at work (you think?).

I dutifully knitted, washed and measured my swatch, calculated my gauge and started off. Have you ever been blindly knitting along thinking, “this looks a little big”, but you keep knitting? (Because you know you have gauge). Listen to that little voice in your head, that’s your knitter’s intuition speaking to you. Get your ruler out and measure, your gauge is a fluid number, a force of nature, ever changing, like the wind. (especially during stressful times)

Here is a great in depth article from Knitty and Jenna Wilson about gauge and yarn substitutions.

Watch out when you substitute, a slightly heavier yarn, will produce different drape and flow of your item. For example the Knitty pattern above called for cotton yarn at 150 yd at 100 gms, I switched it to wool that is 440 yd at 220 gms, Dividing the gms by yds we can get the weight. Cotton yarn 0.66, Wool yarn 0.5, this looks pretty close but tells me the yarn I’m knitting with is 0.16 lighter. This will affect my bulk (underarms) weight and drape. Think about this when you are substituting yarns. This is an especially helpful tool when deciding on yarn for lace knitting, in which a little change in drape may alter your desired look.

I found an excellent article from the Knitting Curmudgeon about swatching and gauge.

Fuzzy Galore explains it this way

Read Knitty’s Knitting patterns 102, it will help you avert knitting disappointments, by Jessica Fenlon who blogs here at JessieKnits

If you are feeling adventurous, and who isn’t because we all love to create. Here is a Excel gauge adjustment calculator from Con-fusion in glass and string, thanks Helena!

May you knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies..

Technorati Tags: Knit,knitting,knitting gauge,Knitty Imagine sweater,Knitting Curmudgeon,swatching and gauge,FuzzyGalore,Excel gauge adjustment calculatorar,Con-fusion in glass and string,subtitution of yarns,weight and drape of a shawl,Knitting patterns 102,Jessie Knits,Jesica Fenlon

Review of a Kick Spindles Or Mother Marion to spin

When I made the decision to buy a Kick spindle I could find very little info on it, anywhere. Below is what I gathered, bought and my experience with mine. I could only find two being marketed, since I purchased mine I have found a third. Below is my views on the Kick spindle I purchased (Little Meggie from Heavenly Handspinning), and some info on all of the other Kick Spindles that I could locate. Links and costs are included. Review: Things I like about my Kick Spindle. 1. Long spin time, I like the addition of the ball bearing. 2. Leaves both hands free to draft 3. It's my "wheel" 4. I like using my foot, I am moving around and don't get stiff from one position. It's a very "active" type, rhythmic motion. 5. You can actually stand and use it also. 6. Great price point. 7. I have never spun on a wheel and when I sat down at one the first time, I could actually spin (some) I think this action of foot/hand coordination helped. 8.

Fibonacci and Knitting

Some time ago I learned that Fibonacci can be applied to knitting. If you are not familiar with Fibonacci, he was a mathematician from the middle ages. He figured out the relationship of proportions, now known as the golden ratio (or number), Fibonacci sequence or 1.618 or Phi. This sequence is seen in practically everything. I’ll link to several articles if you wish to learn more. From reproducing animals, to sea shells and galaxies, the human form and sunflowers. (Mona Lisa, Parthenon, and the pyramids of Egypt, just to name a few). This ratio is present in many, many more surprising things. The first time I used this was in my felted bag. I loved the random look of it. This pattern is The Big Bag Pattern (free on Ravelry) by Maia Discoe (link ) Below are a couple of links if you wish to learn more.. Fibonacci Numbers and Nature The Wiki and Fibonacci Mona Lisa -- Da Vinci's Use of Sacred Geometry (you tube link) In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers or Fibonacci

Knitted Flat Slouchy Hat Pattern

I’m still tweaking my flat slouchy hat pattern. Here is the next in the series. This is a slouchy hat pattern, knitted flat. It is easy for a beginning knitter! Super slouchy hat, pattern below…. I originally started making this pattern when I didn’t have access to my circular needles. It was fast and fun. With cuff turned up (below) Super Slouchy Knitted Flat Hat Pattern (bulky yarn) Pattern: Flat Slouchy Hat (SuperBulky Yarn) Slouchy hat knitted flat and sewn together, suitable for beginning knitter Yarn Used: Super Bulky Lion Brand Hometown USA, I used 1 and a third skeins which is about 110-120 yds of super bulky yarn Gauge: 13 stitches x 9 rows, 4x4 inches Needles: US 13 or size to get gauge Cast On: 42 Stitches Ribbing: Row 1: K1, P1, repeat to end Row 2: Repeat row 1 until, your ribbing is as long as you desire, mine is approx. 5 inches long. Body: Row1: (Knit 3, Inc 1)* repeat until end of row (total 55 stitches) (see link here, for all types of increase ex

Knitting Dragonflies

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