Got Gauge?

Nearly every knitting pattern you will ever look at will give you gauge or tension information that is vital to working your project successfully. This important information tells you the gauge that the designer achieved while working the pattern. If you want your project to fit and drape in the same way that the original does, then it is essential that you match your gauge to the designer's intended gauge for the project.

But how many times have I heard people say that they never do a gauge swatch? Time after time knitters tell me that 'I always knit to gauge', and therefore they don't bother with doing those pesky gauge swatches, they just dive into their project. Well, I've got bad news for you: 'Gauge' is not some Golden Standard that all designers must attain before they can start designing projects. Every knitter is different, therefore every designer's gauge is likely to be different from every other designer's gauge. I've seen patterns where the designer expects a gauge of 3 sts/in with DK weight yarn and size US 7 needles. Ponder that one for a bit. Three stitches in an inch is what you might expect to get with a chunky or a bulky yarn, not a yarn weight that is two to three sizes finer. I used up to a size US 13 needle and still was not able to achieve that gauge, and the fabric I was getting was very loose and holey, not at all what I wanted or what was pictured in the book, although the designer answered my questioning email with the indignant assurance that those numbers were indeed correct.

There is nothing more stressful than making an entire project and finding that it doesn't fit. I had the good fortune that my first sweater, when finished, would have been a bit loose for a gorilla on steroids. Ever since then, I have been careful to always work a gauge swatch on projects where fit is going to be essential to the success of the project.

If you have stopped into Kiwi and talked about gauge swatches, you have probably been shown these two swatches - worked by two different knitters, with the same yarn, same size needles, and same number of stitches.



Gives you pause, doesn't it?

Not only will gauge vary from knitter to knitter, your gauge may even differ from day to day and time of day to time of day. Maybe you are knitting after a very tough day at work filled with stress, and you are taking it out on your knitting. Perhaps you are knitting the next morning with a nice cup of tea at your elbow and the birds singing outside after a good night's sleep. I can promise you that your knitting is probably going to be tighter at night and looser that next morning. My gauge on the same project is tighter now than it was a year ago.

Given all this, maybe now you are thinking that it is important to do your gauge swatch before starting your project. Good for you! But do you know the proper way to work a gauge swatch? Uh-huh. The patterns don't explain that, do they? I'm going to pull the gauge information from a couple of online patterns, and we will work from there.

Example 1 - GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

Now, if you are like most knitters, your first instinct is probably to cast on 20 sts on the size US 7 needles called for in the pattern, and knit for four inches. Then you'll leave it on the needles, and measure an inch somewhere in the middle and call it a day.

If, however, you are going to spend the time to work the entire project, and the money to buy good yarn, you might want to take the time to do the gauge properly. So, if the gauge is given (as it always is) for a 4" (10 cm.) swatch, you are going to want to cast on enough sts to get 6". In this case, that would be 30 sts. Twenty stitches divided by four inches as called for in the pattern gives us an estimated five stitches per inch. Six inches times five stitches per inch equals thirty stitches. Why do I want you to work a swatch that is 6" wide? Because you will probably have stitches that are either looser or tighter at the edges (beginning of the row) than they are in the middle when you start to relax into the row. So you want to be able to measure 4" in the very center of the swatch. Some people like to work their swatches with a garter stitch border, I don't because I feel that it throws your gauge off of true. I want the raw gauge.

Now, using a needle one size smaller than the pattern calls for, work the swatch in stockinette stitch for about 4 inches. Work one row in reverse stockinette, and then switch to a size larger needle - the one called for in the pattern - and work a further 4 inches. Work another row in reverse stockinette, and switch to a needle that is one size larger than the one called for in the pattern, and work for another 4 inches. In photography we call this 'bracketing', better known as covering your bottom. You want to work your swatch in these three different needles because if you are not able to magically hit the correct gauge with the needle called for in the pattern, you are covered for one needle size in either direction, and that usually covers all your needs. If by chance it doesn't, then you have a pretty good idea how far up or down you need to go in needle size in order to hit gauge. Too many stitches per inch? Your needle is too small, go larger and swatch again. Too few stitches per inch? Your needle is too large, and you need to go smaller. After completing your swatch, bind off, and get ready for the next stage, blocking.

Why block your swatch? Because at some point your are going to block/wash your sweater, and gauge can change a LOT after blocking. I've seen sweaters gain as much as a couple of inches in width after blocking. And you would be astounded by how much cotton can grow in length after blocking. Start by measuring gauge on the swatch before blocking. These numbers are important, write them down and save them somewhere, you are going to need them later. Take a ruler, and in the center of each area of the swatch, line the left edge of the ruler up with the edge of a column of stitches. Count the number of stitches over 4 inches, and write it down. Measure the number of rows over four inches by lining the long edge of your ruler along the side of a column of stitches, count the number or rows in your swatch, and write it down. I'm a lot more concerned with hitting stitch gauge than I am with hitting row gauge. If I can only have one or the other, I want to hit stitch gauge.

Now, grab the ball band for your yarn, and look at the washing instructions. That is what you are going to do to your swatch, either hand-wash or machine wash as required by the ball band info. If you are hand-washing, lay the swatch out smoothly on a doubled towel after washing and let it dry thoroughly before moving on. Once it is very dry (I like to leave mine over-night), measure all your gauge measurements for each section again. You might be surprised to see how much the gauge changes with blocking. Write all these measurements down next to the ones you took before blocking your swatch. Find the after-blocking gauge that matched the gauge called for in the pattern, and you are ready to start your project. Take time to measure your gauge on the project again from time to time as you work, matching it to the before-blocking gauge for the needle size you need to use to get gauge. If you can match that as you go along then you know it should match your after-blocking gauge once the project is finished and blocked.

Example 2 - GAUGE
28 sts/ 44 rows = 4 inches in lace pattern after blocking
This one takes just a bit more thinking as you have to work your gauge swatch as above, except in the lace pattern used in the pattern.

Now, the above instructions work great if you are working on a piece that is going to be knitted flat. But suppose your sweater is going to be knitted in the round, like a Fair Isle cardigan or pullover? Enter the ITR (in the round) gauge swatch...

Work the swatch with the info as given in the pattern and as above, except for this... You are going to work your swatch in the round. Why? Because very, very few knitters will get the same gauge on a stitch pattern knitted flat as they will get while knitting in the round. Most knitters have a slightly larger purl stitch than knit stitch, caused by the way that most of us wrap our purl stitches - they go the long way around the needle. This is why you get that gap after a cable, or your last knit stitch in a rib is big and funky. This can really throw off your gauge for a project knitted ITR if you don't do a proper gauge swatch, since knitting stockinette in the round is all rows of knit stitches, with no purls.

To knit a swatch for a project that will be knitted in the round, pull out two dpns (double-pointed needles) each in three sizes: one set a size smaller than called for in the pattern, one set the same size as called for, and one set in a size larger than is called for in the pattern. Cast on the appropriate number of stitches onto one needle, and knit one row. Slide the stitches all the way to the right on your needle, just as you do when working I-cord, leave a big loop of yarn in the back that will stretch across the back of your swatch without pulling it out of shape, and knit across the row again. Repeat.



Front of a gauge swatch for knitting ITR




Back of a gauge swatch for knitting ITR



Swatches can give you other useful information, too. I work them when designing patterns so that I know that the design I am working on is going to have a stitch pattern that I like, as well as to find the gauge that I am working in.



This swatch tells me that with the strand of linen I am adding to the fabric, it isn't going to have enough bounce or elasticity to correct the looser purls on my ribbing. So I work my last purl stitch of each part of the 5x5 ribbing by wrapping the stitch in the 'wrong' direction and knit it tbl on the next row, and find that corrects the ribbing for me by the time I get to the top of my swatch.



This swatch tells me that if I change the Fair Isle pattern in this sweater, then I am going to get a much tighter gauge than is called for in the pattern. But I like the weight and drape of the fabric, so I would rather reconfigure the pattern to suit my swatch, rather than change my gauge to suit the pattern.

This morning I started cleaning out my yarn cabinet and came across bags of swatches I have done for previous projects. It was fun to look at each one and remember the project it went with. Sometimes I ended up needing the yarn from my swatch in order to finish my project, sometimes I didn't. But each of those little squares of knitting equals a project that turned out the way I wanted it to, all because of taking the time to knit a gauge swatch first.

The Swan Lake Stole, and Blocking Lace

Just about this time last week I finished my Mystery Stole, made in charcoal Zephyr lace yarn. About a week later than I had hoped, but still not so far behind that I was feeling too terribly guilty about all the other projects waiting in line. The official name for this pattern is Swan Lake, and it is based on the ballet of that name. I found the project very enjoyable, and it was interesting to work on something on complete faith - not having any idea what the outcome would be, but going with it anyway. For a control freak like myself, that was a big step, and also part of the fun. I love the finished shawl and look forward to using it as cooler weather descends upon us.

On Sunday morning I got everything I needed ready to block my stole. I should warn you: I am a BIG fan of blocking my finished pieces. I learned to sew at a very young age, and it was always emphasized to me that you have to constantly press your work as you sew if you want to have crisp, professional results. I made all my clothes for many years (and would still, if it wouldn't cut into precious knitting time) and always had the ironing board set up and the iron ready before I sat down at the sewing machine. The same idea applies to blocking your knitting. If you and I have ever had a conversation about making a gauge swatch, you know that I not only urge you to make a big swatch, I also tell you to wash and block your swatch before measuring for gauge. This is absolutely vital to success in a finished project. By the way, I also suggest that you measure for gauge before blocking and note those numbers down, so that you can see how much of a change occurs in your garment before and after blocking your work. I've seen many a finished piece grow a good bit after the blocking process, so in order to properly judge the fit of a finished piece, you have to block your swatch.

But blocking, you may think, isn't so important on projects where size is not an issue, such as scarves or shawls. Not so. Blocking always puts the finishing touch on a project, and is the difference between having it look hand-crafted, or look homemade. I always tell concerned first-time lace knitters not to worry about what their project looks like as they are knitting it, so long as they are accurately following the pattern. Lace, I always think, looks like a dog's dinner until after it is blocked. It looks like something you would reprimand the cat for doing. But take the time to block it and like the enchanted swans in Swan Lake, it transforms as if by magic into something of even greater beauty.

Blocking can be accomplished with as few or as many of the available blocking tools as you wish. But I have to tell you that the blocking wires I got last year for my birthday just changed my life. And that this year I have whispered into Santa's ear that I would love a blocking board. Next year it will probably be a woolly board, but we won't go there now...

You need a few basics for blocking lace-
- a flat surface to block on
- an absorbent material to put under the piece to be blocked
- a lot of pins
- a spray bottle with water
Much desired extras would include-
- blocking wires
- blocking board

There are also lace-blocking frames that allow you to string your project out between two parallel supports - kind of like the center of a snow-shoe - and then stand it up against a wall to dry. I imagine these would be wonderful to have, but I am not yet that dedicated to the idea of having one.

Flat Surface - I have heard many people say that they block their shawls either on the carpet or on a queen-sized or larger bed. I don't have spare floor space or a spare bed hanging around the house, but what I do have is a dining room table that has long served as a fabric-cutting table, a beading project table, and heaven knows what else that doesn't relate to food as often as it does to textiles and creativity.

Absorbent Layer - A couple of old bath towels will do here, I like to lay them out flat two layers deep. This way I can pin into them without scratching my table, and they absorb the moisture used in blocking.





Now for the blocking process. When blocking garments, I like to wash them according to the instructions on the ball-band before beginning to block. With lace, I don't wash them first, but start by pinning the piece out while it is still dry.

First I thread the wires through the long sides, and pin them carefully so that the selvedges are laying flat and smooth, and the parallel sides measure equidistant from each other at several points. This allows me to know that I am blocking my piece evenly. Don't spare the pins - the closer you pin, the more precise your blocking will be.



Next I thread wires through the work on any tricky areas - including points, and circles or semi-circles. The flexible wires are great for blocking out points on a curved edge, and getting them even without lots of painstaking pinning and measuring of each point.



If there are any strong design lines within the piece, I like to thread a blocking wire through them as well to make sure that they block into a nice, straight line.



Once I have everything thoroughly pinned out, I take my spray bottle and completely wet the knitting. Think of this as though you are setting hair - you have to wet the hair and put it into the form you want it to take, and then let it dry completely before you take it out of the forms. Same thing here, after all, we are working with animal hair. Once I have it all dampened, I gently pat it all flat with my hands, and then try to be very patient and let it dry in peace without me feeling it every time I go by (not successful there) and not taking it out of the blocking wires and pins before it has had time to really set well. I learned as a child that the sooner I went to bed on Christmas Eve, the sooner it seemed as though Santa came, instead of sitting up late waiting for him when he darned sure wasn't going to show up while I was still awake. Same principle applies here, I like to block things at the end of the day so that I can wake up the next morning and have my blocked piece all ready and waiting for me. Just a personal foible, but it may help you, too.

If you are thinking about starting your first lace project, know that we have several devoted lace-knitters at the shop who would LOVE to help you at every stage of your project. Just as I take great pleasure in turning normal people into knitters, I also love turning normal knitters into lace knitters. Lace knitting can open a whole new world to you, and if you already know how to work an SSK, a K2tog, a YO, and a double decrease, then you already know nearly everything you need to know in order to successfully knit lace. Try it, I promise you will become addicted.

Shibori Scarf

In the truest definition, Shibori is a Japanese word that refers to methods of folding and manipulating fabric for dyeing and creating texture. The cloth can be stitched, tied, twisted, bound, folded, clamped and otherwise shaped before dyeing, creating a wealth of texture and color. Each method of binding the cloth before dyeing produces a very different result. What we know as 'tie-dye' comes from this artistic discipline. But the root of the word Shibori actually comes from the verb that refers to the method of binding the cloth, rather than the final result.

Lately the term has been used more and more for a new technique that adds dimension to knitted and fulled (felted) fabrics. From the most simple Shibori techniques to the most elaborate, it is a fascinating way to take your knitting to the next level, adding texture and movement to the finished piece.

I've been playing with Shibori felting lately, and on Saturday, September 22nd I'm offering a class at Kiwi in a simple Shibori scarf to let you dive in and get your feet wet. So far I have had great response to the class, and with the sample scarf now in the shop, it invites a LOT of comment - everyone wants to pet it and feel the puffs. One of my favorite students walked in for Knit Dr. yesterday morning, spotted the scarf, and literally started screaming with happiness! I just love that woman! And before she left the shop she had signed up for the class and bought her yarn.

Students in the Shibori class will knit up their scarves before the class, and then during class time we will play with various techniques for binding the fabric and adding texture to it, before they take their scarves home with them to felt. If you are interested in learning this new technique and getting some hands-on instruction, be sure to sign up as soon as possible, and get your homework pattern from the shop so that you can get your scarf knitted and ready for the class day. As of yesterday morning there were only 3 spots left in the class. So hurry to sign up, we are going to have a lot of fun turning something like this into the scarf you see above.




In addition to your pre-knitted scarf, you will want to bring a variety of objects to the class with you, including but not limited to wooden beads of various sizes, binder clips, cotton kitchen twine and a big needle, plastic kitchen wrap, and any variety of small shapes that catch your eye. I find that pointy things such as almonds tend to push themselves out of the fabric during the felting process, so make sure that your objects are smooth and light in weight so that they don't put too much stress on the fabric. You will also need a large quantity of tiny rubber bands, and these can usually be found where hair supplies or dental supplies are sold. You will need more objects and rubber bands than you think, so don't skimp.

Come join the class and let's play!

Wonderful Worsteds

We knitters have to plan ahead. When it takes anywhere from two weeks to a month (or more) to complete a project, some advanced planning is required in order to make everything happen before the time your finished project is actually needed. Have a few Holiday gifts in mind that you would like to make? Start knitting now! Nothing worse than feeling frantic and panicky about unfinished gifts, instead of relaxing and enjoying what should be the best time of year. Want to make a great Fair Isle sweater for the cold winter days? Start now. It is a lot more useful to you on your back, than in your knitting basket when the winter rain is coming down and it's 35 degrees outside.

The great thing is that this is the time of the year when all the new yarns for fall start hitting the shops, and at Kiwi they are coming in fast and furious. I have three wonderful worsted weight yarns to show you. Personally, I love worsted weight yarns, they are the work-horse of the knitting world. Hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, felted projects... we'd be lost without our beloved worsted weights.

One of the most delicious that I have seen in a while is Malabrigo, a kettle-dyed, variegated, worsted weight yarn in luscious, melts-like-butter merino. Now, I admit that I joke about the Merino, the Goddess of All Knitting, but if you know me, you know that I'm not really joking - merino is IT for me. And the colorways are incredible. I have seen several of our customers standing and petting and oohing and ahhing over the colors, unable to make up their minds because the colorways have something for everyone, each one better than the last. Deep cherry reds mixed with chocolate brown, rich peach blended with sky blue, vibrant magenta set off by emerald. We are spoiled for choice with this line. And at 216 yds per skein, there is a lot to play with.

And... (are you sitting down?) we have Lamb's Pride! Lamb's Pride! This stuff is just so soft and wonderful that I want to take a skein home, name it and teach it to sleep at the end of my bed. With 190 yds. of 85% wool/15% mohair, it has a lovely bloom that would make any project knitted up in this yarn just look and feel so luxurious. The colors are super-saturated and rich, and every time I am in the shop I gravitate over to the cubies where it's on display to pet, pull out more colors to look at, and think about what I project I must start to give myself an excuse to buy this gorgeous stuff. Lynn ordered this in in just a ton of colors!

The last yarn I'll tell you about right now is from Nashua Handknits, called Creative Focus Worsted. This is a lovely blend of 75% wool/25% alpaca. Again in a lovely range of rich colors, and Lynn tells me that she has had several customers buy a sweater's worth of this already - and it is barely out on the shelves! With 220 yds. per skein it wouldn't take many to make that beautiful cabled yoke cardigan from the new Fall Interweave Knits that you have been fantasizing about. And alpaca! Need I say more about how this yarn feels?

So start thinking now about the projects you have been waiting all summer to start. August is on the wane, with September right around the corner. Yes, yes, I know that last October 1st I was driving home from teaching at Kiwi with my a/c on. But I also remember last November and December of freezing mornings at the farmer's market with everyone around me shivering and shaking, while I was wrapped up in one of my beloved hand-knit sweaters and with hand-knit socks warming my toes. And everyone around me wishing they had some. Plan ahead. Start knitting now!

Upcoming Classes-
Aug 20 - 1-3 - Beginning Knitting Series
7-9 - Knit Night
Aug 21 - 7-9 - Beginning Knitting Series
Aug 22 - Knitting Circle
7-9 - Beginning Knitting Series
Aug 23 - 10-12 Felted Hedge Hog
3:30-5 - Kid's Kamp
7-9 - Diagonal Seed Stitch
Aug 24 - 10-12 - Knit Doctor
1-3 Stepping Up Socks
Aug 25 - 9-12 Uniquely Yours
1-3 - Knitting Coach

Socks!!!

Sorry to be a bit later in the week than my normal, but I wanted to have the chance to take some photos and get some more information at the shop this morning in order to tell you about some new yarns, a new book, and a new class - all at Kiwi!

Last week I filled in a couple of afternoons at the shop while Lynn taught the Kid's Kamp, and so I got to be on hand when some new and exciting yarns for fall came in the door. I'll tell you about some of them today, and save some for next time.

The big news in sock yarns right now is that Regia is producing a line of self-patterning sock yarns designed by Color Master Extraodinaire, Kaffe Fassett. You may remember him as the incredible designer of all those richly colored knitting patterns of amazing intricacy and depth of a few years back, or you may know him as a quilter, a mosaic artist, a painter or as a needle-point designer. But however you know his name, once you see what this man does with color, you don't forget him easily. Even if he had contributed nothing else to visual and fiber arts, the way that he has made our eyes open up to color combinations alone has earned him his place in heaven. Now he has brought his astounding color sense to yarn with two new lines for Regia - Landscapes, a self striping sock yarn; and Mirage, a blend of diffused colors. Both lines are pictured at the top in their various colorways. The product info with the yarn includes a sock pattern, and having seen one of the colorways knitted up today, I can tell you that you will love working with the super-saturated depths of color and the beautiful patterning of this yarn. I've been hearing a lot of buzz and anticipation about these yarns among knitters on various lists, and now that I have seen them, I know why. The yarn is a blend of 75% Superwash wool for warmth and easy care, and 25% polyamid for durability. Each ball has 210 meters (approx. 229 yards), and the two variations come in 6 colorways - Storm, Fog, Earth, Twilight, Fire and Caribbean.

We also now have in a new sock yarn called Knit Col Trends, an incredibly soft 100% Merino superwash in a range of colorways from muted earth tones to warm fall mixes and bright bursts of color.

For those times when you want to use a solid sock yarn for lace patterns and cable designs, don't forget that we also carry a wide range of lush colored solids from Regia. Also in a blend of 75% Superwash wool and 25% polyamid, these balls have 420 m. (approx. 458 yds).

Bear in mind that this is just the tip of our sock yarn iceberg, you can also find Cascade Fixation in both solids and variegateds, and Cherry Tree Hill sock yarns, among others in the sock room.

Now, let's just say that you are in love with the new yarns - and who could blame you - but are just uninspired about what to do with them. Well, then you are in luck because we have a couple of ways to inspire you with new ideas and new ways of looking at the same old socks.

Cat Bordhi - whose brain I believe works in weird and wonderful ways about knitting the way that Einstein's brain worked in weird and wonderful ways about physics - has just come out with a new sock book called 'New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One'. The story has it that one day while trying on a toe-up sock that she was knitting she started turning it around on her foot, finding that no matter which way she turned the triangular gusset, it still worked with the shape of the foot. In typical Cat Bordhi manner, she took that revelation and ran with it, opening up the concept of sock shaping to places and constructs that I promise you that you have never seen before. Cat turns her discovery into eight Master Patterns and their endless variations that will excite you about socks all over again.

And our own sock devotee Marianne Casteel has a class coming up that you won't want to miss - Stepping Up Socks. The purpose of the class is to take people who have knit socks plain, who are ready for a change and want to step up their style by using one the hundreds of great sock patterns out there. Requirements would be to be fairly proficient in simple sock knitting whichever method you prefer, and Marianne will help you make the pattern work for you, whether you prefer to work with dpns, 2 circs, magic loop, top down or toe up. The class is scheduled for Friday Aug 17 & 24 from 1-3.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Aug 13 - 18
Aug 13 - Beginner Knitting Series, 1-3
Knit Night, 7-9
Aug 14 - Socks Your Way 10-12
Beginning Knitting Series 1-3
Aug 15 - Knitting Circle 10-12
Roll Brim Felted Cloche 1-4
Aug 16 - Hedge Hog 10-12
Kid's Kamp 3:30-5
Aug 17 - Knit Doctor 10-12
Stepping Up Socks 1-3
Aug 18 - Felting: Texture 10-12
Spinning Group 1-2

See you at Kiwi!
Lynda