So I'm using Rowan Calmer (yay, stash yarn!!) rather than the Cascade Sierra the pattern calls for. Yay me for realising I could use stash yarn rather than buying a bamboo/cotton blend I was thinking about when I saw it in Spotlight (also yay Spotlight for not having enough of the yarn in any colour thus preventing me from buying it, and yay Ravelry pattern search so I could see what others used!)
I even swatched. Twice. Using 4.5 mm and then 5mm sticks (new Knitpicks Harmony options, for those interested! Love them!).
The 4.5mm is on the bottom, 5mm on top (I know, they look the same size, they aren't!). So , over 10cm/4" with the 4.5mm sticks, I get 18 stitches and 28/30 rows (stretched) and with the 5mm sticks I get 18 stitches and 24 rows (weird hey - same stitch gauge). The pattern gauge is 16 stitches and 24 rows. I don't really want to go up another stick size so I think I'll use 5mm sticks. But that means upsizing in the pattern, which is fine as the pattern goes up to a 56" chest (which is, yay, bigger than I need, for a change!). This brings me to the second difficulty.Ease. It's meant to be a relatively snug garment. But I don't want it too snug, nor too loose, which on my limited understanding of ease means I need to use a little bit of negative ease. So doing the maths on my gauge of 18 st/4" and the schematics, if I do one size up I get 0.5" smaller than the correct size for me, and if I do two sizes up I get 1.5" larger. Now I stretched out the swatches, and they could stretch a teeny bit more, so I think I'm probably best to go with the next size up - otherwise, I'm going to end up with an extra 3" around and I think that will be bad, right? If only the pattern indicated whether the gauge was achieved by stretching out the garment or by it just sitting flat. Sigh.
If anyone has followed any of this and has any advice or opinions, feel free to advise!!
12 comments:
Looking at it on Ravelry, I'd say go for the negative ease. It looks like a garment that would look terrible loose. When you say .5" smaller than the correct size, is that the correct size that already includes ease? Or do you mean .5" smaller than your actual measurement? Because that definitely sounds like the way to go, if that's the case.
Of course, I've never made this. So take my opinion with a grain of salt. ;)
ha ha how funny. We have both posted on similar topics today!
My understanding is limited too but having handled one of your swatches, I think the fabric would have a nice drape which, if you ended up making it looser, might be somewhat exaggerated.
I might be entirely wrong though.
I followed but have no advice: I'd probably swatch again one size bigger!! Then again, maybe not - I so infrequently knit for myself there's no need for swatches - knitting for charity means that it will surely fit someone!
Thanks for dropping by my blog to wish me a happy blogiversary.
I won't tell you that Lincraft also has bamboo/cotton blends - it's better that you knit from your stash and feel the joy of de-stashing at the beginning of a new year! LOL
http://2hot2knit.blogspot.com/
rit reaw!
(that's a word, right? One of those noise ones. I don't believe I have a communications degree either...)
I had 'right needle' issues too. I didn't want to use size A Bazillion needles so I just did Fudging!!!!!! Good luck with yours!!! I just have the sleeves to go. I could be wearing it. :-(
I don't know. Ease puzzles me!
Eek - I actually had a moment where all your words blurred into one and I could hear my maths teacher!!!
Good luck with the stash busting project it promises to be lovely and I promise more helpful comments when numbers aren't involved!
Um... yeah.... It's possible I've mentioned this, but I'm an English major, and have really never made gauge except by luck. So I'll leave this to the pros... You have my sympathies, though.
I am so not the person to ask when math is involved, sorry! And you tried Sudoku without coffee???
Uh yeah... this is always so tricky... The one size up sounds good... half an inch difference is not much, it's pretty much the correct size for you! If you're not sure, I'd say err on being too snug than too loose, as you can stretch it when you block (especially since it's got lace). It's harder doing it the other way around!
Maybe they made a mistake with the puzzle and it wasn't you at all...
agree with claudine. and blocking hard usually saves the day. gosh the swatches look so pretty. this is going to be really nice.
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