first came the Mondo Condo next the Mondo Rib…
Why am I laughing so loudly? I have just flipped off the Third Time is a Charm hysteria that ripples my Frog Pond and have made it on TWO!!!
This little charmer has already seen the rewind button once. I finished the WHOLE FRONT and decided I just didn’t like how it fit.
Yes, there’s that word again…
FIT!
Fit me like a pair of gloves. Fit as a fiddle and ready for love.
Oh everything blooms when you show it some LOVE!
And the LOVE in this case was ripping it’s nasty tight knitted — out and redoing it with TAhDAh – #13 needles instead of #11 needles. OOOOhhh, improved drape and texture galore…
Now this leaves me FIT TO BE TIED – why does the company who distributes the yarn print more than one needle size with the gauge info. I NEED THE *BEST USE* SIZE ONLY – can experiment later if I have the time. I knit really average – almost ALWAYS hit the label recommendation.
Of course, I’m grousing because I didn’t – ahem – S-W-A-T-C-H! Even though I’ve never knitted with this fat tape before, I thought, hmmm, I’ll just read the label and fly away! NOT!
So I end up with a 20 by 21 inch swatch FIT FOR A KING but not ready for the – ahem – Queen…
How FITTING! Hope your weekend is Lovely….
Sometimes our impulses get the better of us even when we tell others to swatch, swatch, swatch. It only proves you’re human. Glad the frogging was worth it.
Gina
I’m always glad to see people willing to rip when they’re not happy with what they’ve got so far. I’m trying to be more open to it myself.
As for printing more than one needle size on the label: with some yarns, I’d think particularly thicker ones and tapes, there might be more than one best needle size/gauge, depending on the desired effect. Maybe that’s why. But I do share your frustration…
well…..I am probably the Frog Queen if there ever was one, I hardly ever knit following a garment pattern, all is measured using my eye…so the consequences are pretty obvious ;)
one time I was knitting a pair of pants for my baby nephew (in public of course). a bloke came up to us and asked – oh! what are you making? to which my husband answered – ask her quicker, she is going to undo it any minute :) which was absolutely true!!!!
whatever you make out of this raspberries – and – cream yummy yarn will look fab! and then call it The Swatch ;))
Krysia
I think that each yarn, no matter the diameter, has just one *optimal* usage gauge – I can knit lace out of sportweight yarn on LARGE needles but that’s not the *usual* gauge I want to know on the label.
Aran weight yarn can go bulky but the best gauge is still 1824…
I think that’s the gauge that should be on the label.
I’m with you Bonne, I want the yarn manufacturer to recommend the stitch & row count that is the best compromise between strong wear and soft drape.
And if you ever run out of room for all the beautiful wearable garments you’ve been cranking out, you know where to find me. ;)