Comments on: Swatching Tensely - Episode 4

by: Elaine

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 02:01:49 +0000

I see that everyone else has left very lengthy comments but all I wanted to say was thanks for doing your podcast and I particularly enjoy the segments about the Canadian Knitters Guild Accreditation program. Keep it up!

by: Jane Hong

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:14:59 +0000

Even though it’s really quite necessary, I still hate to swatch. I used to knit a lot of cables and it was always a problem trying to figure out which bit of the knitting pattern I was trying to measure. The area with cables or the non cabled portions. Lucky for me I tend to knit to gage. I’ve switched now to lace and this is even more trying because you never really know until you block it if you have really attained gage. I’m really enjoying your podcasts and look forward to more of them.

by: Andrea

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:48:09 +0000

I just finished listening to the episode, and it was great as usual. It was so weird, though! I was entering data into SPSS for my dissertation (I’m a doctoral candidate) when you talked about the garter stitch poll results and asked if there were any statisticians out there. How coincidental that you mention statistics right as I’m entering data on which I will run some statistical analyses in a few days, as I don’t hear much about stats in knitting podcasts!

As for gauge swatches, I generally hate doing them. The only thing I hate more is sewing seams. Anyway, I tend to swatch impatiently. I don’t make a border as I should, I don’t make a big swatch, I just want to get going. Usually this has not been a problem, but I know that one day it might be. My next project is a sweater I have had my heart set on for months, so I will certainly be very careful when swatching for this project!

by: Karen S.

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 21:25:54 +0000

I started listening a couple episodes ago, but hadn’t had the chance to comment yet and say how much I love the podcast. I especially had a surprise when I was listening to…I think it was the second episode or so, and found out that you’re a local! (I’m in St. Catharines.) It’s rather fun to listen to an LYS review of a store I’ve actually been to and can visit again soon.

I can’t wait to hear the next podcast!

by: Charles the

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 06:19:39 +0000

Thank You so much for mentioning my knititng blog and video CAST!!!! THANK YOU AGAIN! As men knitter, it is hard to promote as guy knitter in this coummunity!

It was great Episode by the way!!!

by: Witt

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:30:28 +0000

Hi! I liked this episode, as I’m a bit of a gauge swatch fanatic. There’s something I’ve figured out, though, that I use with students and you and your listeners might also find helpful.

On most ball bands and/or patterns, they will give you a recommended number of stitches for 4in x 4in or 10cm x 10 cm, *but preferrably larger* I think is what you said. I think that the “preferrably larger” is more important for larger yarns/gauges. The reason for this is that 4 inches worth of fat yarn may put you off by a fourth of a stitch which, with a larger piece of fabric like for the back of a coat, and that fourth of a stitch can really throw you off.

The finer the gauge the more information you’ll be able to get with a 4in x 4in swatch. So basically, not including the moss or seed stitch border (which I also advocate) I use a number of stitches that will give me a multiple close to what I’m looking for . For example, if I hope to get 3 sts/in, I will do my swatch over, say 21 stitches — that way I know I’ll get more or less 7 inches not including the border, but I can take 4 inch counts at several places over the swatch.

If I hope to get 5 sts/in, I will cast on (not including border stitches) at least 20 stitches, but probably 24 or 28. That way I can expect a field of a certain width, but can still take counts over 4 inches at several different places.

Hopefully this makes sense. It really works, I promise. Let me know if I can explain further.

Cheers, Witt

by: ms. bockstark

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:26:09 +0000

Thanks for mentioning our podcast! I love that you threw in your own phrase and it has 3 variations (or maybe even more)!!! You should do more of that, I love learing little VERY USEFUL phrases.

by: Elemmaciltur

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 11:57:16 +0000

Hey SS, Thanks for mentioning us on your podcast! BTW, it’s actually “Knitters” and not “knitting”

As for swatching…I only do it if I’m doing some big projects like a sweater…or if I’m doing an original design that requires me to know the exact gauge of what I’m knitting. But otherwise, I’ll just plunge into the project and hope it all turns out well (which usually, it does).