Mar 30, 2012

Question of the Day

To Swatch ... or Not to Swatch

Many of you swatch to gauge, and I am always impressed when I read on your blogs how you take the time to do that before you begin a new project.

I came across this great post about swatching for gauge and it reminded me why it's so important to make this a part of one's practice. It's funny but in many other aspects of my personality, I'm very methodical and patient.  Somehow when it comes to knitting, that all flies out the window. I fall in love with a pattern, grab my needles and yarn, and with just a quick read over the instructions cast on. More often than not, it's a disaster. The gauge is way off, and I end up frogging the thing. I'd like to think I'm a good student and learn my lessons well so with my new WIP, I did knit a swatch to gauge and am so glad I did.




This is my Mothed pullover, and I'm loving knitting it.  The yarn is Mission Falls 136, sadly discontinued, which creates a soft and solid fabric. The color is aubergine, and I'm madly in love.


I first knit with this yarn last summer, and when I learned that it was discontinued, I snatched up about a dozen skeins. Once I saw this pullover, I knew instantly that I would use my MF stash. The gauge is working out beautifully, and I can't wait to see the sweater finished. So, I hope I can stay faithful to swatching to gauge from here on out ... how about you? 



12 comments:

  1. I "only" started doing gauge swatches 20 years ago, after almost 20 years of making sweaters that didn't fit properly and being disappointed. Once I started doing swatches, my finished results were worlds better!

    I think you also have to be aware of how your gauge changes. For instance I (and many others) knit tighter if I'm stressed; I knit looser after I get going than I did on my swatch; my in-the-round gauge is always significantly tighter than my flat gauge.

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  2. Yup I've learned my lesson many a time with not swatching. I now do every time and its just a part of the process. I much more enjoyble process now that I end up with something that fits. :)

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  3. I swatch sometimes, and other times I don't. It depends on the project and like you mentioned, how excited I am to cast on. You always pick the best colors for your projects, what I would give to go yarn shopping with you!

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  4. I'm learning to swatch on all garments that I do, although I'll still slack off on things like shawls and socks. I think one thing that you really learn from swatching is what happens to the fabric when it's washed, and that's invaluable.

    Thanks for linking that blog post- doing yos for the size needles you used is a genius idea!

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  5. I mostly swatch, small swatches, but it is worth the effort. For sweaters I often just start with a sleeve as a swatch, so the time isn't lost, but this doesn't work with a top down raglan of course ;-)

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  6. I swatch. I usually knit a swatch with 2 or 3 different needle sizes. If the project is going to be in the round, I swatch in the round, and I WASH my swatches. Always. I have been burned too many times, and I learned my lesson.
    Except with hats. Somehow, having to frog a hat doesn't bother me at all (Probably because most of my swatches are about the size of a hat anyway) and so I just start. Most of those end up way too big. haha
    If I'm starting a sweater, I usually try to cheat my swatch by starting a sleeve or something. And if I have a disaster sweater, I use the entire thing as a swatch and search for a new pattern on Ravelry using the gauge I already got!
    But of course, I also like to swatch just for fun. I bought a ton of new variegated fingering weight and I have no idea what it wants to be, so right now it's just an ongoing swatch of different needle sizes and stitch patterns! It's totally guilt-free knitting! It doesn't have to be a certain size, it doesn't have to be "done" by a certain time, it's just knitting for the heck of it ^_^

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  7. I always swatch for garments, because it's just such a big investment of time and yarn and I'd be crushed if it didn't fit. it's saved me many times! I don't swatch for things like socks or mitts, though. Although technically you should swatch every time no matter what!

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  8. Like Julie, I swatch for garments but not accessories! It is tempting to jump right in especially if you find a pattern or yarn you really want to try!

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  9. I agree with most, swatching for garments, not socks or scarves.
    I love that color..I am drooling over here!

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  10. I view it as a very useful learning exercise. If it's for a garment, I always swatch. Some things that I know my tension for (like socks) I don't bother. Other things like shawls or cowls, where I have a basic idea of my tension for that yarn, I'm a bit more relaxed too. But if I want an exact result, yes, I always swatch! It's a nice way to find out what your yarn is going to do knitted, whether it suits the pattern tension and to learn the stitch pattern too, where applicable.

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  11. Very pretty yet simple project. As for swatching, I only do it for sweaters and stuff that has to fit perfect. I hate doing it just because of having to do basic stockinette for the most part and it gets boring. But I still am a swatcher none-the-less.

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  12. I feel w/something that needs to fit right, you must swatch. Otherwise no bitchin' about how it came out funny.
    I swatch but I don't wash my swatch.

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