Sunday, February 17, 2008

Why gauge matters (reprise)


ThorpMini
Originally uploaded by RiverKnits
It's an old, old tale, so I won't bore you with too much of it. Suffice it to say...I thought I could get gauge with Manos in a pattern calling for Malabrigo Chunky. Following the "but it's just a hat" rule of thumb I didn't swatch. And what you see before you is a hat that with any luck will fit a toddler. Bottom line, the yarn is not chunky enough, I am inherently challenged with stranded knitting being too tight, so we'll just consider this hat my first swatch. As far as the size goes, there's nowhere to go but up!


ETA: I forgot to say though, that sometimes things go right! :-)

Amanda is right--it's a lot easier to make something fit well with top down construction that you can try on as you go.

This is Knitting Pure and Simple pattern #267 Neckdown Bulky Bolero knit in Noro Iro.

12 comments:

Michelle said...

Sorry.
We led you astray.
:-(

Michaela said...

Love the sweater!!!! And you'll make some toddler very happy :)

Elizabeth said...

Michelle, we weren't accounting for my supertight stranded knitting or the fact that the pattern only has one size in the stranded version. I'm trying a solid one in Iro now.

Elizabeth said...

Michaela, Thanks! Today is the first day I haven't worn the sweater since I got it done. ;-)

Heather said...

Yep...I was admiring your sweater thing (Bolero??) Saturday during the help session. Very nice...

Amanda said...

I love the bolero! It looks great on you!!!

Michelle said...

How many balls of Iro did it take? I am itching to make something out of that yarn again.

Elizabeth said...

Thank you for all the nice comments. Gosh I think I better wear it again today; it's so cold you know!

Michelle, not sure yet on how much Iro the hat is taking because I'm not done with it. But I am down to the garter stitch band and have a reasonable amount of the ball left. I was hoping I could get the whole hat, minus the contrast border, done in one skein. Will let you know.

Elizabeth said...

And I should say that will aggressive blocking my 4th grader can get the original hat on her head, but my 6th grader can't.

Elizabeth said...

Um, that's supposed to say "with" aggressive blocking. I can't find a way to edit that typo.

Heather said...

"Aggressive Blocking"...what a great mental image...

Elizabeth said...

Note to Michelle et al--I finished the 2nd, less gnome-like hat with one ball of Iro; I had about 1 color repeat left to spare. I will make the crochet border & braids with a completely different contrasting yarn, I think. Not sure yet. Will have to look at it some more and decide what I'd like. Anyway, I used #9's on the Iro and it seems just right to fit me; I did the size M.