TO SWATCH OR NOT TO SWATCH?

I am a Knitter who does not knit a swatch before starting a project.  I will often check my gauge after starting a project and then sometimes rip out the project and start again.  I have also knit several sweaters that did not fit.

I began to wonder if there was a better way to approach this.  I also wondered what would happen if several knitters (nine to be exact) knit the same number of stitches, using the same yarn* and the same needles**.  The yarn label suggested that by knitting 20 stitches with a size 4.5mm needle, we should be close to a gauge of 4".  The swatches ranged from 4 1/4 inches to 4 3/4 inches. We all would have had to knit with a smaller needle to get gauge. 

These two were the smallest and largest swatches.

Now you might think that 1/2 an inches doesn't matter much, it does.  If a sweater has 300 stitches around, then that 1/2 inch difference is going to make the sweater 71/2 inches larger.

The swatches were smaller before I washed and blocked them but since I didn't record those measurements, that now becomes a post for another day.

*The yarn was Diamond Luxury pure wool superwash. 
**The needles were ChiaGoo Red Lace circulars in a size 4.5mm

I thought that my Babette was finished.

I crocheted my edges. I secured all my threads. I clipped off the ends.

I washed and and threw it in the dryer to fluff up the yarn. I started to block it.
I smoothed it out and admired my favorite block. Suddenly, I noticed something strange.

There was a hole where there was not supposed to be a hole. There, in the center of the blanket was a thread that had come undone. I started to panic.

Then I saw another hole, and another one. I began to see other threads that were starting to come loose.

I think I can fix it. I hope I can fix it. Any brilliant ideas and offers of assistance are welcome. At this point in time, multiple prayers to the crochet gods may be helpful as well
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The Perfect Christmas Gift

In March, I received the kit for this small shawl. DD2 immediately grabbed it and requested that I make it for her.

Now when I say requested, I really mean that the nagging was about to start. All summer long and into the fall I heard about how pretty the shawl was. Did I know that blue was her favorite color? Did I know that "Little Women" is one of her favorite books? Once November arrived, this shawl was at the top of the list.

I knew I would be knitting it for Christmas but I had to have a plan. I could knit it while DD2 was at school but she's very suspicious. I wanted to keep the surprise from being spoiled.

I also knew that there were other people in Calgary who had received the same kit. I had my plan. I borrowed the yarn from my friend and then left it in a very prominent spot in the family room. I had the shawl done and wrapped and still she had no clue.

I started "Babette" and was greeted with a morose "What's that?" Obviously not knitting her her shawl, I answered " A new project."

I knew the deception was working when I was told that since I wouldn't have time to knit it before Christmas, I could just wrap up the pattern and yarn.


The look of pure surprise on Christmas morning told me that the planning was worth it. I should have had my camera ready when she was opening her gifts. I haven't seen a look of happiness like that since she was a little girl.

Her smile put her on the Knitworthy List.

Never say "Never"

Once upon a time, in a land close to home, my friend Alana crocheted a blanket called "Babette". She gave it away.

Then she decided to make another one. The second Babette was crocheted from all the small balls of sock yarn left over from numerous pairs of socks. It was beautiful. Alana decided to enter it into the Stampede where the judges saw the beauty in it and awarded it a ribbon. And a medal. They decreed that it was the best crocheted item in whole competition.

Others decided that the Babette was a good way to use up numerous small balls of sock yarn. Annie started a Babette. Rose and Michelle also thought this was a good idea. I wasn't so sure. I crocheted one square and ripped it apart. I then gave away many, many small balls of sock yarn.

Correna decided to crochete a Babette out of Wollmeise sock yarn. I thought to myself that the project might be a good one after all. I crocheted another square. I gave the square to Annie for her Babette and my balls of Wollmeise to Correna.

I swore up and down and sideways that I was not going to make a Babette. The mere idea of sewing together 120 little squares would drive me to drink and I was not that crazy. Besides, I had given away all my small balls of sock yarn. I couldn't possibly make a Babette.

But, when you knit many pairs of socks, you soon get more little balls of sock yarn. I now had a small ball of red left over from MrB's Grey Cup socks. I had white left over from my kneehigh socks. I would soon have a green ball left over from the second pair of Brainless.

I thought I would try one more square.



Yesterday I asked Correna if she would mind giving back the WM that I had given her three weeks ago.

Also, keeping with the theme of "Never Say Never" DD#1 picked out this yarn. It looked pink in the skein.

I knit Mr.B a pair of socks to wear to the Grey Cup game.



I now have two weeks to knit a new pair...in green and gold.

The Green Mile

One mile = 1760 yards
One skein of Wollmeise lace = 300 grams = 1722 yards



My shawl used 383 grams of yarn. 2198.42 yards

1.249 miles of yarn. Each stitch used 1/2 an inch of yarn.

I'm not sure if my calculations make me feel better or just question my sanity more.

The next project will be smaller because if I make one that's bigger, I'm going to need a bigger room to block it in.

I Should Have Known

My SIL came for a visit. I needed to start a pair of Roundy-Rounds. My lace shawl was too involved for the Thursday Knit night and even though my SIL is a knitter, she has never tackled socks. I thought I had the perfect solution. I would knit her a pair of socks.

I asked her what her favorite colour was. Pink.

That was a good color for socks. But then, I had a momentary lapse of judgment. I told her that she should pick the color that she wanted. I opened the door to my yarn room and told her to pick whatever she liked.

Surrounded by yarn in almost every colour of the rainbow, She found it.



Yes, I had a skein of purple yarn. Not just any shade of purple but the one I most often refer to as "Mother-of-the-Groom " purple.*

It has been tough knitting these socks. Not only have I been knitting with a colour I don't like, I have had to answer numerous questions.

No, I am not going over to the evil purple side. I do not like purple.* The yarn came in a sock club. I did not willingly buy it.

I started another pair of socks. This yarn also came in a sock club.



I can't decide if I kind of like the mix of colours or if it is the ugliest yarn I have seen in a year. Yes, there is purple in the mix.

I decided to knit it because sometimes it's better of get rid of the yarn you don't like instead of letting it take up room on the shelf.

*My SIL wore black to her son's wedding. The dress she wore to her daughter's wedding was the same colour as the socks.

**I've decided that my dislike for purple is hereditary. My Dad absolutely hated purple. The only time that I ever saw my Mom wear a purple dress was to my brother's wedding.