Do you Swatch?

6:24 PM BigMiss , knitting , My Designs 0 Comments

I don't.  Never have done.

I find it a complete waste of time to knit a square (that will be undone to not waste yarn) only to measure it.  And, anyway, it depends on how you stretch the square as to whether you get guage*.

I always get guage.


I had to do some swatching for my next design idea.  Normally, I just calculate my numbers based on the recommended needle and stitch per inch given on the yarn label (my knitting tension is usually exactly that).  But the yarn I plan to use has a recommended range instead of one exact number.  So, I had to find out how many stitches per inch to base my calculations on by swatching.

For this design, I'm also doing some lacework and had to swatch that too.  But I didn't mind that as much because I did have to decide on how exactly I wanted the lace design to look.

So now to crunch some numbers so I can start knitting!

This is (hopefully) going to be a summer top for BigMiss.  I'll be on the lookout for test knitters when I've done the calculations and knit the prototype.




*For those non-knitters, guage is how many stitches per inch you knit at - sometimes called tension. It differs depending on the combination of thickness of the yarn and the size of the needles used. All knitting patterns give the guage that it was calculated at and you need to knit at that same guage or a garment won't end up the size it should be. You can change needle size to get guage if you're a tight or loose knitter. A swatch is the name given to the practise square you knit.