Finished Project

Okay -- so it took a while to get this posted, but I have been very busy getting ready to upload a complete revamp of my website along with preparing new product for the TNNA show in January. My New Year's resolution is to post to one of my three different blogs each day.

Notice how the flap on the purse isn't wavy along the bottom edge. Although I did block it slightly, it is based on the method decribed below. Now if you want to know how the purse holds it shape, you will just have get the pattern -- which will be availabe immediately after TNNA (middle of January)!!

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Managing the Rippled Edges of Cables

This is my project of the moment. Any guesses as to what it is to become? I have enjoyed textural knitting since I was introducted to my first cable and this project has had me thinking about the best way to minimize the rippled edges that often occur with heavily cabled fabrics. The reason for the ripple is fairly simple:

Cables, in most cases, pull in the fabric creating a denser gauge, but along the edges (beginning or ending) the effect of the cable hasn't taken hold. The result is a less dense (or wider) fabric at the edges versus in the middle and more fabric means ripples.

So what is a knitter to do?

There are two approaches, one is a scientific, mathematical approach and one is less structured and based on what "seems" to be right! Let's start with the mathematical approach. You would begin by determining the average gauge across the cabled fabric and the average gauge for stockinette (or whatever your background was). Divide your total number of stitches for the cabled fabric by its average gauge. Then multiple that result by the average stockinette gauge. Subtract the result from the total number of stitches in the cabled fabric and you have the number of stitches that need to be adjusted at the beginning or the end. Simple -- right?!?!?! Okay, not so simple -- at least for many knitters.

The other way is a bit more intuitive and may require some trial and error, but I find to be successful. Start with a provisional cast on (that is the pink ribbon in the picture above). Once the fabric is established you can see at which points it wants to ripple and at which points it wants to lay flat. At the points that it wants to ripple, you will need to do a decrease before binding off or starting your ribbing (after picking up the stitches from the provisional cast on). Usually this occurs at the point you switch between knits and purls or at cable crossings. If you make notes, you can do the same thing at the other end of the work.

Watch for a future post to see the finished item and learn other knitting tips and tricks from the Knitting Professor!

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Magical Mosaic

Mosaic knitting, it is one of those techniques that seems to go unnoticed most of the time. If you are not familiar mosaic knitting, it is a slip stitch technique that utilizes two colors. Row 1 is a series of knits (rarely purls) and stitches slipped with the yarn in back. Row 2 is work in the same color and each stitch is worked as it was on row 1. Stitches of the same color are knit and stitches of the "other" color are slipped with yarn in front (wrong side of the work). Rows 3 & 4 would be similar, but worked in the second color.

The reason I bring this up is that you can create some really beautiful and complex looking patterns in a relatively simple manner utilizing the mosaic knitting technique. Recently, I just completed the first project in a three project series on working with colors in a variety of ways (a new Class In A Bag project). The project is a simple eyeglass case, but the pattern makes it a really interesting finished piece of work!

If you haven't tried mosaic color work it really is easy, interesting and fun!

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Flat or Circular?

So I have been reworking my hand outs for my "Flat to Circular and Back Again" class and it has made me think about working flat versus working circular. Most of the folks that come to class are trying to get from flat to circular, but how many need to get back again?

Creating the fabric as you create the garment provides a great deal of flexibility in the construction, but I think that my not always be a good thing. The reality is that seams provide garment stability and structure and for some garments, this is critical. Also for most knitters, our gauge working back and forth is different than our gauge working in the round. If you exclude yoked sweaters and sweaters with steeks, most "seamless" sweaters require knitting both flat & circularly. So what is a knitter to do?

Well, I have to confess that generally I prefer the uninterrupted pattern resulting from the lack of seams. But I also know that often the structure of the seam is critical to the piece. Every knitted item has to be considered based on its own criteria and there is no "best answer". So I guess when asked whether flat or circular my answer is the not very helpful "it depends"!

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Do I Have to Make a Swatch?

The most popular question I was asked when I worked in a yarn shop was, "Do I have to do a gauge swatch?" My answer was always the same,

Only if you want it to fit!

Checking gauge is considered a hassle by many knitters, but in fact, it is an
investment in the finished product. During the gauge swatch stage of a project there are several valuable questions answered:

• Do you enjoy working with the yarn?


• Are you comfortable working the stitch pattern?


• Do you like the feel of the finished fabric?


• Are you able to match the designer's gauge?

If you can answer yes to all of the above questions, the likelihood of success is very high. However, if the answer to any of the questions is no, now is the time to re-evaluate the project. But thanks to the gauge swatch, you have only invested a minimal amount of time and yarn to the project.

Now that I have you convinced to make a gauge swatch, next I need to convince you to make a LARGE swatch. In most cases it should be at least 6" x 6". Why, you ask? Because you need plenty of fabric to measure and the gauge should be taken in the center of the swatch, not near any of the edges where everyone's gauge gets a little funky. If you are off by an inch when measuring a foot you have a significant error, if you are off by an inch when measuring a yard it is much less critical. And don't forget to include that half or quarter of a stitch at the end -- if you can see it, it counts!

If you are interested in learning more about gauge and how to make pattern adjustments when your gauge doesn't match, come join me Sunday morning at either Stitches Midwest in Chicago or Stitches East in Baltimore and be a part of the Pattern Customization: Your Yarn, Your Gauge class. What other questions do we have about gauge?

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Introducing Professor Gwen

Welcome to the first installment of Professor Gwen a new regular column in the Knitability News. I will be providing hints, tips and insights to take knitters to the next level. If you have a question you would like answered, please e-mail Professor Gwen and watch for the answer in an upcoming issue or visit my new informational blog hosted by Professor Gwen and several other guest instructors.

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