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September 21, 2006

Successful swatching

I am not normally one to bother with swatching. I am a knitter who has neither tight nor slack tension, so I have never really seen the need to swatch, despite the pleas of all the knitting books and patterns I won. Pah - can't be bothered. That's my usual reaction to the instructions for gauge/tension. However, whilst in Italy recently, I was sitting with a couple of hours to kill, and I decided to swatch for Sadie from Rowan Knitting and Crochet Magazine no.40. For the first time I felt a sense of trepidation - would I have to make any adjustments to the recommended needle sizes?

cardieswatch.jpg

Photo taken with mobile phone camera - a test

I carefully measured the number of rows and number of stitches in a 10cm square of my pattern sample.

21st and 34 rows to 10cm measured over pattern on 4mm needles.

Check.

Check??

CHECK!

Perfect! Wow, I can start knitting it exactly as the pattern recommends. What a sense of achievement! The pic on hte left was taken with my new mobile phone in dim light, so apologies to you for the poor quality of the photo. I will use the usual camera in future I think.

Edited to add: I am using Rowan Wool Cotton in Inky. Which is black. Wool Cotton is delightful to knit with. Soft, cool, unsplitty. It fair flies off the needles. I think this cardie will knit up in no time. And it will provide a welcome project to swap between the never ending interminable edging for my Print o The Wave shawl which I have been knitting for months. Which is boring me to death. And no, I have not sewn Arisaig up yet. But I will. Sometime.

Posted by glittrgirl at September 21, 2006 07:57 AM

Comments

I agree Rowan Wool Cotton is lovely to knit with. I remember the seemingly endless border from when I knitted the Print o'the Waves stole, at least it will all be worth it in the end!

Posted by: Kendra at September 21, 2006 09:57 PM

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