I KNOW!!! You don’t want to do a gauge swatch. But in reality there are some good reasons to do that. Especially when you are making a garment that needs to fit. In this video, I’m sharing the way that I make a gauge swatch that will give me the MOST information. This is particularly important if you are making a garment from handspun yarn. The Tour de Fleece is going on right now. It’s day 3 in fact, only18 more days to go. Many of us are spinning to make a wearable item. You knit swatch will give you information on the gauge, right? But it will also give you information about how a lace or cable section might look. It will also give you a swatch that you can use to see if this is going to be the kind of garment you can wear next to the skin or if you need an undergarment too. So I hope you watch this video and learn some lessons that I’ve learned through trial and a bunch of errors!!
Tag: knitting
Tip and Trick: Help with Reading Charts
In this installment of Tips and Tricks, I tell you about one of my favorite ways to keep track of my progress in a chart. I show you the highlighter tape that I use. It is important to make the pattern easy for you to follow so that you have a fun and more stress free time knitting. So even if a designer doesn’t think you need a modification, you can still do it for you! Embrace what you need and keep the fun in knitting!!
Tip of the Day: Auditioning Skeins that Work
In this quick tip and trick of the day, I walk you though how I put together skeins that will work well together in a shawl, sweater or larger project where you want multiple skeins.
Of course if you love any of these combos, you can get them in my webstore. I also have special OOAK curated triads for sale here.
Tip of the day: adding new yarn
These two tips of the day seem to really go together. First of all where to change your yarn when you are doing colorwork and even if you are just putting in a stripe. And second what to do when you come across a knot or other imperfection in the yarn. I show you the way that I start a new yarn so that there aren’t loose stitches or even a hole that you have to fix later.
Choosing the Right Needle for Your Farm Yarn
This tip of the day is about how to choose the perfect needle for your project. This is especially true if you are using one of our farm yarns or if you have lost the label and have no idea what to choose. This is a new tip for me. I always thought that you looked at the diameter of the yarn and tried to match that to the needle. Let me know if this tip helps you to find the right yarn for the right project.
Some things I’ve learned as a knitter
Each week I do a Facebook Live session (Thursdays at 1pm). And each week I try to give my viewers a tip or two that might help in knitting, spinning or color confidence. Yesterday my tips were to help you make charts easier to understand and read.
- So the first one is to use highlighter tape to mark your place in the chart. Here is a link to the tape. The way that I use it is to put the tape just under the row I am knitting.
- My agreement with myself is that when I finish knitting for the day. I leave the tape where is was, just under the row I have JUST finished. Then when I pick it up next time, I will move the tape forward.
- The third tip is to number the rows on the chart if there isn’t numbering already. I number on both sides of the row so it’s easy to line up my tape. For this particular pattern there is a separate chart for the thumb gusset so I put the row numbers there too. And I put a smaller bit of tape there too.
This is not to disrespect any designer. It is just to make life easier for me, the knitter. It’s really fine to make changes, to add rows so the garment fits better. You have spent time. You have spent money. This knitting is supposed to be fun, not stressful, not frustrating. So take care of yourselves, my dears!!
new WIP for Wednesday
I’ve had a couple of productive weeks lately. Oh maybe that’s because I broke my leg and so I have to sit more than I usually do. So I finished my Fibershed sweater. I finished fixing the cormo hat that was too short. And so yesterday I started this. It’s a mitten pattern. It is a kit that I bought from Riihivilla. The yarn is made from their finn sheep. And she uses natural dyes. What has fascinated me about her dyeing is that she uses lichens and mushrooms, things that are hard to find here in my area. I love reading her blog as well. She of course writes in Finnish but then has a really good English translation too.
I use Highlighter tape to keep my place in the pattern. The deal that I’ve made with myself it to leave the tape on the row I’ve just finished if it is time to quit for the day. So when I pick this up later today, I know I will change the tape to the next row. I have 4 more rows to go and then I will turn the hem up and knit the two rows together.
getting closer WIP Wednesday
This is my Fibershed sweater. I’m working on the sleeves. And it’s almost done. I’m beyond the elbows. What’s taking so long you ask? Well I’m doing the sleeves two at a time. I’m doing a series of blips which is a 12 row repeat on one sleeve then switching to the other sleeve and repeating that and so forth. That way the gauge is even. And I pattern is even. And the decreases are in the same place without really having to count.
What have I learned? well I’ve learned a few things:
- Your future self will thank you if you weave in your ends as you are knitting. Do not wait until the end of your project. This sweater has a lot of yarn changes and so lots of weaving in the ends. But I’m staying on top of it.
- Knit some every day. Even if you can only manage a row or two. Soon your project will grow and you will be near the end.
What are you working on?
What “backorder” means
Wow! The new colorways sold out in a matter of minutes yesterday.
Don’t worry! I will be dyeing more today and everyday until you all get the yarn that thrills you!
So when you see this yarn or colorway is “on backorder”. Know that means that I’ll be dyeing your order especially for you.
How long will it take? Not long at all. Typically if I have the yarn on the shelf, I can get your order out in priority mail within 24 hours of your purchase, exceptions being Sundays or postal holidays. If I’m dyeing to order, your yarn will be in the mail within 72 hours of your order. And many times if the weather is good, it will be sooner, as the yarn needs to be totally dry before it goes in the mail.
So go ahead! Buy that backordered colorway. If you need me I’ll be in the dye studio!!
New Yarns, New Inspirations
Last week was momentous in our country. And I have to say that I was inspired by several things. The moving memorial to those who have succumbed to Covid. Washington’s sky deepening into night with the Washington Monument going from white marble to gold stone.
The next day I loved the array of colors from all the women who attended the inauguration. From Michelle Obama’s burgundy pantsuit and long coat to the pastel coats of the Biden girls. And of course Dr. Biden in her blue sparkly ensemble. I just loved the power of the color. The statements that women will not be overlooked.
Both are available in our webstore. Get some for yourself today! Click here for Dr. Biden colorway. Click here for Covid Memorial Colorway