Letters
Snippets, Swatches and Scratchiness
Dear Ann,
First a couple of snippets.
In Case You Missed It: Knitting Is Healthy
Everybody I know is emailing me this blog post by Jane Brody for the New York Times. For those of us who knit, it’s kind of obvious–knitting relieves stress–but I was tickled to learn that Jane Brody knits.
A Hot Tip From Fringe Assocation
Fringe Association’s Hot Tip series is like sitting next to a knitter who knows what she’s doing and shares all her cool tricks. This one, on marking your rows using scrap yarn, blew my mind with its simplicity. No gadget, pencil, paper, or pins are required. Just a length of scrap yarn that you carry along, so it’s always there.
Stopover Is Now Bigger (and Smaller)
With speed worthy of a sweater that can be knit so quickly, Mary Jane Mucklestone has revised the Stopover pattern to add one smaller size, XS, and larger sizes 2x-5X. If you purchased your Stopover pattern on Ravelry before the revision, you’ll automatically receive an updated pattern on Ravelry. (Also, check out Mary Jane’s Stopover post and video if you like prancing, leaping like a gazelle, and suchlike.)
Swatch Central
I generally don’t swatch when I begin a project, even if it’s a garment, where gauge affects size and wearability. I’ll start with a sleeve, or even the body, and after I’ve made a little progress, I check my gauge. If it’s off and I have to start over, I’ve wasted a bit more time that I would have if I’d swatched, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take and it generally works out OK and basically I’m incorrigible.
Incorrigible, but not reckless. Stopover, our Bang Out a Sweater knitalong, calls for knittingLéttlopi, an Aran weight yarn, at an unusually large gauge of 13 stitches over 10cm/4 inches (instead of 19 stitches over that length). I also know, from experience, that Léttlopi grows significantly after washing. Given the unfamiliar gauge and the growing-with-washing, I decided to swatch, for a change, and wash the swatch to be sure.
The pattern suggests US 10 1/2 needles. Since I’m a loose knitter, I swatched with US 10. I made 2 swatches.
(Note: the two swatches are the same size.)
Before washing, I got 14 stitches over 10cm/4 inches, tighter than the required gauge. If that gauge did not change with washing, my sweater would be too small. There is not enough ease in Stopover to fudge a too-tight gauge discrepancy.
I washed the grey swatch. Now I’m at 13 stitches over 10cm/4 inches. Phew!
(Apologies for the late-night hotel bathroom photos.)
The grey swatch only looks a little bit bigger than the blue swatch, but when that small difference is applied over the many more stitches in a sweater, it makes a big difference.
So I’m knitting my Stopover on size 10 needles, and I’m going to try not to worry that the sweater looks too small while I’m knitting it. It will grow quite a bit with washing.
Also: the fabric is, as promised, light as a feather but not transparent or gapey. Perfectly sweater-like. I’m excited.
Scratchy or Not Scratchy?
As folks consider possible yarns for their Stopover, a few people have been asking, “But the lopi–isn’t it scratchy?” They’ve heard it’s scratchy. Or they touched a lopapeysa once and thought it was scratchy. They’ve heard that you can rinse a lopi garment with hair conditioner and all of a sudden it feels as soft and shiny as the Breck Girl’s long, luscious locks. Where’s the truth in all this?
Here’s the thing: one person’s “scratchy” is another person’s “warm and lofty and oh, yeah, not the softest thing ever but perfectly ok.” The way a yarn feels is quite subjective, a matter of individual sensitivity. Ten years ago, I was unable to wear even the softest merino wool. It made me itchy and red in the face, to the point that I thought I might be allergic to it. (I don’t think I was.) Knitting with wool yarn didn’t bother me, so I kept using it, just not wearing it. When knitting a blanket, I’d spend hours with a growing pile of wool on my lap. Over time I realized that wool no longer bothered me, and I started to wear it–starting with soft merino and going from there. And now I wear all types of wool with no discomfort. Weird, and wonderful. I’d been missing out!
Last night we got to sit in at a cozy Knit Night at Windy Knitty in Chicago. Among the crowd gathered around the table was Corinne Niessner, of Lucky Penny Knits.
(Corinne designs stinking cute dog sweaters.)
Corinne was wearing a lopapeysa knitted in Léttlopi. Upon questioning, Corinne reported that she was comfortable and not itchy. She was wearing a shirt under the sweater (it being January, and Chicago), but she didn’t think that made much difference.
Lopi may not seem soft to everybody, but it definitely is softer after washing than before. The wool fluffs up and expands, and it seems like the long, soft fibers come to the surface. I don’t use hair conditioner in the wash water, but I do use a dot of the same shampoo I use on my hair. It smells great, if nothing else, and I think it helps soften the wool.
You know yourself best. If lopi feels scratchy to you, avoid it. But don’t take it on somebody else’s say-so; try it yourself.
Love,
Kay
You swatch so we don’t have to! Bless your heart (and fingers). Must disagree just this once with the Boomtown Rats–I do like Mondays.
Thank you so much for the Hot Tip about Hot Tips! What a wonderful addition to my “vital blogs” collection. And I just wanted to say I’m so glad to have you guys back on a regular basis. Daily, a nice thing in a mailbox full of junk.
Kay,
You are doing it again… Isn’t the Honey Cowl blocking on my dining room table enough? I am one of the scratchy phobic —especially around my neck, and now I am about ready to order the darn yarn!
Never thought about using Bumble and Bumble as opposed to Eucaclan or Soak, who knew?
“Grok.” She actually said “grok!” I laughed out loud at the familiarity with that word.
AND – I was just commenting on FB about how the Stopover sweater does not come in the sizes that I can use. I actually got a response from the designer who told me to not despair. And you have now announced it! I’m in!
Now I have to find the yarn…I’ll go back a few posts to find your recommendations.
I’m so sorry I missed you at Windy Knitty last night! Are you going to be knitting anywhere else in the Chicago area while you’re here?
Agreed, wish I had known you were here! Would love to know when you are next in Chicago.
Swatching…always the nemesis but so important. Not all knitters are believers but this is a good example why sometimes you must.
When my knitting students ask if they have to swatch, I always say “Only if you want it to fit.” But in reality, I’m a sleeve swatcher for the most part. But this yarn demanded more. I am actually using a 10.5! That never happens. (I did wash it, too.) I wouldn’t make soakers out of the stuff, but after washing and over a shirt it seems just fine.
I’m so loose (snort) I need to swatch with an 8.
Har!
Since somebody had to say it, I’m tickled it was someone w/the handle ‘Rev’!
I’m loose too. 😉
And the fun continues! Yesterday I mentioned the trouble with buying from Iceland and PayPal. I thought that Istex had cancelled my order so I ordered more from Webs ( different colors, thank goodness ). I forgot about the Webs order when my Iceland (yippeee) arrived, and in the afternoon yesterday and e-mail from the Webs that my order had shipped. Guess I will be swatching for two – maybe make one a cardi.
This is so exciting. Okay, I have made a colour swatch and even swatched in the round but I still need to wash it. I have to say I love the smell of the wool as I am knitting with it. So sheepy. If anyone is interested, Deramores have copies of Lopi-31 for 99p at the moment. 27 patterns, for various ages, including a Haf jacket that looks very flattering.
http://www.deramores.com/lopi-31
Just a note on Deramores-read the fine print. If you are unhappy with your yarn purchase and the colors online do not look good in person you need to cover the postage to return to the UK, often costing more than the yarn. Loveknitting.com offers FREE returns. Live and learn…..
You keep tempting me with Stopover and Freyja! But I decided to scratch that “need a sweater now” itch by casting on a Daily Sweater (with stash yarn to observe KonMari principles) last week. I’m now at the clickety-click stage, so I will just have to observe all of your progress from the sidelines and pick up pointers for my own Stopover and Freyja later!
Switching is definitely helpful to make a garment that fits, but if you swatch in the round you’ll get a more accurate gauge reading. The small amount of time spent will be worth it!
Is anyone else going to “bang out a sweater” that’s not a Stopover? I’ve got a Peace Fleece colorwork cardigan in my queue that I think I might try to bang out with everyone else, but it’s definitely not a Lopi…
Oh, yes. A child’s sweater. Also on size 10s. WILL I FINISH??????????
I’m going with the Freyja. The unspun ordered from Iceland yesterday and shipped this morning. Can hardly wait to swatch. Smaller gauge so will be slower but only two colors to deal with.
I’m banging out a different sweater. Just realizing it’s at a tighter gauge, so it may take a little longer (19st/4″). But it’ll still be faster than a sportweight sweater, so I think it’s all good.
I love that you mentioned a Breck girl. Oh my how old am I?
right around the same age as me!!!! lol
You were right here at Knitty City and I wasn’t! So bummed!
I’m knitting with Alafosslopi. Does it grow too?
Yes it does!
Swatching, and this loose knitter may actually have to use 10.5 needles! For this project, I think I’m going all in, making a swatch in the round, sampling color combos for the yoke, and washing the swatch. What have you done to me?! (I usually make a cursory swatch and just go from there, no wash no block. But this is a loosey goosey gauge.)
I read the Jane Brody column on Tuesday, and I figured someone in the knitting world would post it by the end of the week. The key question is: what is her Ravelry name? We want to see her knitting projects.
I loved Gridjunky’s posts on recyled yarn. I got into a rabbit hole of looking at all kinds of interesting Instagram posts from him and other artistic folks. I wish I could take better photos.
Knitters get everywhere (para four): http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/28/margrethe-vestager-eu-competition-commissioner-google-tax-deal-uk-government
Thanks for the posts, pics and pets. Always a pleasure!
I swatched last night, too! I do swatch on a regular basis, but almost never go the extra step of washing the swatch, unless I’m checking a yarn for felt-ability. (And have a collection of weird felted “coasters” to prove it.)
I am, as I previously stated, a sluttishly loose knitter and usually have to go down two needle sizes if knitting from a pattern, so I started with size 7 needles. I kept switching up needle sizes, until I got pre-wash gauge with…wait for it…SIZE 10 NEEDLES! That never happens to me. I don’t have my MC yarn yet, so I swatched with a spare ball of Lopi I had, in a color I am unlikely to use. Because I hate to waste yarn, I made a headband, and will wash it today. This “growing” phenomenon of the yarn has me interested and excited, though. Will I have to go up to a size 11? And people think that knitters are dull and peculiar….
Such good info here – I’m just loving this KAL. Guess I’ll start swatching with 10.5s … if I have any!
I have to say I was a lopi skeptic — had petted other people’s real lopi sweaters bought on trips to Iceland and been fascinated by the feel of the fabric but never imagined I’d be able to wear it. But I wore Kathy’s Stopover for a full day while we were shooting the Fringe holiday lookbook and couldn’t have been more comfortable. I was neither too warm (thanks to the gauge of this) nor at all itchy/scratchy (even with just a tank top under it). I’m very sensitive on the back of my neck, but like I said, had no trouble at all wearing this sweater all day and recently bought yarn to make my own! (Not doing Stopover, just a plain raglan pullover in Lettlopi at Stopover gauge.)
I’m in! Waffled, dithered, then ordered the yarn this afternoon. I’ll see how long it takes to get yarn from Iceland…
Love the comments connected with this project. This is the most sociable I have been online in so long.
Okey dokey – so far my swatch of Brooklyn Tweed Shelter on US 10.5 needles is coming in too small. I’ve given it a bath and will re-measure when dry. Since it’s a different yarn and not all worsteds are same I may have to go up a size to US 11. Or more. It’s always something, innit?
I confess: the suggestion that we should all bang out a sweater, quick while we can still wear it, set off fireworks in the part of my brain that controls casting on. I totally wanted to bang out a sweater! But I noticed, after the holidays, that I’m suffering a touch of stash obesity, so I’m currently on a yarn diet. I needed to find a pattern that would use up some of the lovely stuff I already have lying around here. And I have! So I’m banging out a sweater, but not the same one as everyone else. (Also, I’ve already started. As long as I’m knitting a different pattern, may as well jump the gun, too!)
I look forward to seeing everyone’s Stopovers!
Oh, my… I’ve officially succumb to peer pressure and your enabling ways. Yarn on its way; pattern in queue and to be highlighted this weekend. Swatching, with any luck, to commence on Monday. [whispers sweetly to USPS priority mail gods]
I have question about negative ease. If I have a 44 inch bust. The pattern says the bust is 44. do I knit the next size up? I read that there is not much negative ease. I have bought the pattern and thinkin on it.
You might take a look at the detailed sizing schematic in the pattern “expansion” that came out yesterday & see if that clarifies anything. I always whack that up against a sweater I like the fit of.
also just bought the yarn. sigh. It will not be here by the first but next week.
I hope.
I too am a fairly casual swatcher – I start knitting and eventually check my gauge. I’m a loose knitter, and know how to adjust for it, so I’m usually fine. So I was going to thank you for swatching for me, and just start with 10s, but I’m seeing lots of comments from other loose knitters having to use 10.5s. So, I guess I will have to swatch, once my yarn gets here from Iceland….
A truly fun night at Windy Knitty! So great to meet Kay, and see Ann again many years after that epic loft party. I took a photo of my sweater on a hanger, and my body was still imprinted in it, that’s how much I’ve worn it. I see more Icelandic sweaters in my future, and Madeline’s.
That lift part WAS epic. Ah, memories…
Loft party. Not lift pick. Yeesh!
SO MUCH FUN TO SEE YOU AGAIN, Corinne–and HELEN, too. Really glad we’re back in touch.
The loft party lift part whatEVER is one of my favorite memories. Mary Neal made eggnog. What was THAT about? I have never seen her make eggnog since!
And as I said to Ann, I still have not knit that sweater!! Thanks for the in person demo! It wa great to see you Ann and meet Kay!
Hope you’re right about the blooming of the lopi. I did a gauge swatch — was getting 16 or 17 stitches to 4 inches! But when I blocked, it came out to 13 stitches. Does that even make sense? I’m going with it. Fingers crossed!
I’m starting to fret a little from the opposite end: I’m a tight knitter, & jumping to 11s seems BANANAS (I don’t usually knit on anything bigger than 6s, and I mostly knit socks on 1.5s, so this will clearly be an adventure.) I live less than an hour from Tolt, though, so my order might well be here tomorrow, for swatching madness.
Your reference to the “Breck Girl” definitely dates you- and me because I understood it…
I’m sort of thrilled to hear that you grew to tolerate wool over time. As a kid, I hated wool, because it was itchy and prickly, even over layers, and I was sure I was allergic. But now the more I knit, I absolutely see all its good points (springy, light, warm, breathes), and have started to be able to wear it more comfortably as well. So far I still do best with superwash merino (basically the warm milk of wool) – I have a sweater with mohair in the blend and I still find that kind of prickly. But I keep hoping that my tolerance will continue to increase, so your experience is heartening!
(Of course I live in a hot place so have no need to cultivate enough of a tolerance to wear lopi, yet, but it’s nice to think that if I moved to a cold place, I could get there.)
“The warm milk of wool”–LOL!
Update: I did initially get gauge on size 10 needles. However, after I washed the swatch today I found that the swatch section I knit with size 8 needles is the one that gave me the pattern’s recommended 13 stitches per inch. So I’m casting on with size 7s, and knitting the main part of the sweater with size 8s.
Kay’s swatch experience is useful and interesting. However, there’s a reason all the patterns say something like, “every knitter’s gauge is unique. Always use the size needles that give YOU the required gauge.” I think that other knitters’ experiences are helpful, especially for very loose or tight knitters, but we each have to do our own swatch! (And, though it pains me to say it, you should probanly wash that swatch!)