My vision for this was very similar to the "Aimee Pull" of the Mission Falls ads. (No dropped shoulders though...I have enough stuff visibly "drooping" I don't need to optically enhance that impression with sweater construction!)
Anyway I knit a gauge swatch for this worsted on 6.5mm needles and calculated my pattern details using the set of very accurate measurements of my body generated in the two classes I took last spring on knitting for proper fit.
It would seem, however, that with the addition of a creamy white "photo assistant" to my life and the hours of brisk walking and hiking he requires each week, those measurements have become a bit inaccurate. I was going for an inch or so of positive ease...
Instead I've got closer to about 7". I have not shrunk 6", there is some of that magical "why didn't the whole swatch thing work out here?" that seems to so often creep into my knitting life too but I definitely have to put together a new set of measurement data.
I have also received some helpful "feedback" from Darling Daughter that my colour choices are yielding something closer to a clown costume than an adult sweater. She has recommended I ditch the pink, orange and forest green from the palette to focus on the colours below...
If anyone is looking for me just tell them, right after I walk the dog I'll be back at the drawing board!
Thanks for dropping by!
I love all the colors in your test piece. And, your assistant makes me smile. What a cutie he is! :-)
ReplyDeleteI also love all the brightly coloured stripes - I think the more limited range of colours might be a bit too tastefully safe (I hope your daughter doesn't mine my saying this!)
ReplyDeleteI swatched for something I cast on last night and after knitting an inch of lace rib discovered that it was a good 2 inches wider than it was supposed to be so I had to rip a whole night's work out...
ReplyDeleteNow I have to do the horrible figuring out as to whether to go down just a needle size and knit the same size or go down a needle size and a pattern size... Very irritating when swatches lie!
I love the stripes though!
swatches and gauge lie. period. There's no way around that. Love the colours, but I would keep the orange (in very small additions), keep the forest green, ditch the pink and ditch the yellow (I prefer orange over yellow).
ReplyDeleteBut that's me. Whatever you choose, I"m sure it will be smashing once done (and fitted).
I *love* you stripes as they are!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Sandra they LIE. I always make one anyway, even though I know it's just laughing at me.
ugh, don't get me started on 'gauge'... A proper swatch (it would seem to me) is about the size of half the project anyway. Good thing we love to knit!
ReplyDeleteNice project - let's just say the first two swatches are preparation for the perfect finished item!
ReplyDeleteGauge does lie. But you have lost weight. For sure. I think your daughter is right about he colours.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this happening over and over and over again?? People keep telling us "swatch! it'll help!" and yet it NEVER helps the way it should. It's like swatches just got up and decided it's time to do everything in their power to make us distrust them. How dare they. I'm onto them.
ReplyDelete