7.10.2008

Its no use at home with the pattern books...

A couple of weeks ago I was wondering about the yardage of yarn needed to make a women's medium sized vest. The requirements listed in the pattern seemed as high as the stack of yarn itself.


Later I remembered I had this handy little resource (kept safely at home - how useful!) put out by Interweave and produced by Anne Budd.


Sure enough, the amount is in the right ballpark.

For a little laminated tri-fold pamphlet it contains a ton of information...

  • 8 tables giving approximate yardage for Hats, Mitts, Socks, Gloves, Scarves, Tams and of course Sweaters and Vests in a full range of gauges for sizes from 2 years to men's/adults large.

  • A table that gives Standard Yarn Weights, Needles Sizes and Gauges.

  • The lamination to make it sturdy enough to handle frequent trips in the bottom of a purse. (Just have to remember to put it there!)
  • If you don't already have one, I think its a great addition to the knitting tool kit. As I think I've mentioned before the math side of knitting is the one I need to dedicate time and attention to the most. As mind numbing as numbers are for me I'm going to better familiarize myself with the information in it prior to going to the LYS (maybe this afternoon?) so I have some clue of what I'm looking at/for when I pull it out with the shop owner standing there. I swear those women have calculators where their brains are supposed to be! It can be so intimidating. First things first though - I'm going to go put the thing in my purse!

    3 comments:

    Sandra said...

    that's a good point - I should put mine in my purse as well - maybe I'll stop overbuying...

    Acorn to Oak said...

    What a great tool/reference to have. I don't get along well with numbers either. I have crazy ways of figuring things in my head and often I get lucky but it's basically estimated guessing. lol

    Stephanie said...

    I wonder if having one of those would convince me it's okay to buy a sweater's-worth of yarn without a pattern in mind because I'll know I have about enough.

    Heh, maybe if I had the money for it it would.

    I've always wonder if those were useful. Maybe I'll get one someday. (And leave it in my purse... which needs to be just liiittle bit bigger with all the stuff I stuff in it...)