Fun
Swatch-ola, the Waffle Pullover Jukebox
1, 2, 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock: swatch!
It seems like the people want to see as many pairings of Jane shades as possible for Amy Christoffers’s Waffle Pullover.
Because of the way the background grid of Color A dominates the twinkly dots of Color B in this mosaic stitch design, snapping a photo of two skeins side by side is not cutting it for the future sweater makers of our upcoming Bang Out a Sweater knitalong.
I volunteer to knit as many swatches as I can, and catalog them here. Bookmark this page (here’s how), and watch the colors spiel as the days go on.
My windowsill is getting to be a very happy place. I’ll keep adding swatches to this page until I’m all swatched out—scroll on down to see if your combination is there yet.
Breaking News: Three Swatch Sizes
How small can a swatch be, and still convey a useful sense of how two colors look as A and B?
I started with a luxurious 8 x 8 inch swatch that is suitable for framing. Then I did a quarter-size 4 x 4 swatch. One of the latter takes 45 minutes or so. Well worth the time in color-picking power.
Could I go smaller? Yes! Introducing: the 1/8 swatch, a 2 x 2 inch little beauty that takes 15 minutes or less and leaves plenty of yarn for the main event.
Here’s the revised recipe, with instructions for all 3 sizes, from mini to midi to maxi.
Flat Waffle Swatch Instructions
Cast on 13 (25, 49) stitches in color A using the long-tail cast-on.
Now start the 4-row pattern:
Rows 1 and 2 (color A): Knit
Row 3 (color B) (RS): *Slip 1 wyib (with yarn in back), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyib.
Row 4 (color B) (WS): *Slip 1 wyif (with yarn in front), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif.
Repeat rows 1-4 4 (10, 20) times.
Knit 3 rows in color A and bind off on the next row (WS).
Important note. These flat swatches are a tasty and expeditious way to explore color pairings. If you are swatching for gauge, however, do heed the pattern’s instruction to swatch in the round. Here’s a helpful video from Laura Nelkin on a neat way to swatch in the round.
Behold: the Swatch Jukebox
This is where I’ll post Jane swatches as they come off my needles.
To make it easier to find a combination, the photos are organized in alphabetical order by the name of Color A.
Aubergine
Aubergine and Cameo (swatch on the right):
Aubergine and Citronelle:
Aubergine and Persimmon:
Caladium
Caladium and Peony (swatch on the right):
Cameo
Cameo and Aubergine:
Celeste
Celeste and Vista (swatch on the left):
Citronelle
Citronelle and Aubergine:
Citronelle and Earth:
Citronelle and Pampas (swatch on the right):
Citronelle and Peony:
Citronelle and Persimmon:
Citronelle and Yorkshire:
Clay
Clay and Earth (swatch on the right):
Earth
Earth and Citronelle:
Earth and Clay (swatch on the left):
Earth and Persimmon:
Earth and Yorkshire:
Heather
Heather and Scarlet (swatch on the left):
Juniper
Juniper and Marigold (swatch on the left):
Lilac
Lilac and Shadow (swatch on the right):
Marigold
Marigold and Juniper (swatch on the right):
Pampas
Pampas and Citronelle (swatch on the left):
Pathos (Pothos)
Pathos and Sage (swatch on the right):
Peony
Peony and Citronelle:
Peony and Persimmon:
Peony and Caladium (swatch on the left):
Persimmon
Persimmon and Aubergine:
Persimmon and Citronelle:
Persimmon and Peony:
Persimmon and Shadown (swatch on the right):
Sage
Sage and Pathos/Pothos (swatch on the left)
Scarlet
Scarlet and Heather (swatch on the right):
Shadow
Shadow and Lilac (swatch on the left):
Shadow and Persimmon:
Seeing a combination play out at the scale of a whole sweater gives a different perspective! In this case, Persimmon gets toned down by Shadow, but still peeks through in a warm, joyful way. This sweater is Number 1 in my outfit lineup this winter; I just keep reaching for it.
Vista
Vista and Celeste (swatch on the right):
Yorkshire
(We preface these with the sad fact that we are out of stock on Yorkshire. That said, we’ll have more in a while, but it’ll be many weeks.)
Yorkshire and Bluebell (top sweater):
Yorkshire and Citronelle:
Yorkshire and Earth:
Join the Fun, Get a Sweater
Our Bang Out a Sweater knitalong starts on January 30. That day, we’ll all cast on and start sharing our progress pictures far and wide.
On Instagram, Threads, and wherever else you post, use the hashtag #BangOutaWaffle so that everyone can ooh and aah and cheer each other on.
As always with an MDK knitalong, all yarns are welcome, so get thee to your stash. The Waffle Pullover is knit in a DK-weight yarn, so there are lots of beautiful choices.
Also: We’ve got an optional, totally awesome three-session virtual workshop with legendary teacher Lorilee Beltman. Read all about it here.
MDK Society members: use your membership coupon code to save 10 percent on the workshop and your yarn. And be sure to come hang out in the MDK Society Lounge, where the Bang Out conversation is on!
Oh my goodness, Kay!! This is a complete joy!!! Thank you.
Kay, I’m making this swatch as a dishcloth, because knitting is supposed to be fun!
Exactly!! I knit a lot of dishcloths and this is a perfect pattern for a dishcloth.
Thanks!!
I ordered Caladium/Aubergine for myself, and Persimmon/Scarlet for my daughter. Truth to tell, though, I was hedging my bets, because any of them could be paired with any other, and I ordered enough of each that any could serve as A or B in any of the combinations. In short, I kind of postponed the difficult task of committing to a combination, for both my daughter and me. I foresee some intense swatching as soon as the yarn arrives…
I’m in the same boat—I’ve swatched my 2 colors but still can’t decide!
This goes above and beyond! Each time I’ve seen you in your waffle it has inspired me and I just received notice that my yarn is out for delivery! Happily, as it will arrive today, the only decision left is which will be a and b since I bought six of each. Glad we’re working in the round or I would probably have the back as one and the front as the other… the combos really are amazing and you win whatever award we’re handing out. Great job Kay!
Absolutely fascinating. Throwing in how pairings look at sweater scale adds a whole new dimension. Thank you for performing this public service.
Wow! Thank you!
There are no wrong combos here.
And your sweater is stunning-such an intriguing color. I think it would have been impossible to visualize it before you started
I love all of the options with Earth in the background. It looks like a void.
I am confused! The stitch pattern for the Waffle Sweater reads:
— Rnd 4: *Sl 1 wyib, p1; rep from * to
end.
— Rep Rnds 1–4 for Mosaic Pattern.
Kay posts the stitch pattern as Rnd 4 *Sl 1 wyif.
Have I missed something?
The actual sweater is worked in the round. Kay’s swatches are worked flat. That’s where the difference comes from. You’ll still get a fun texture if you work a flat swatch with the yarn held the same as working in the round, but it will be a different texture, so the colors will interact differently.
Thank you!
Oops, saw Kay’s response after I wrote mine, lol.
For the sweater the pattern is worked in the round, these swatches are flat so there is no purling.
Thank you, of course. Dyslexic challenge.
And thank you for all these beautiful samples. I can’t find one that I don’t like there.
Looking forward to bang out a sweater.
Thank you, of course. Dyslexic challenge.
And thank you for all these beautiful samples. I can’t find one that I don’t like their.
Looking forward to bang out a sweater.
There are so many uses for these little squares! You could even make them in cotton yarn for little wipes……or dig into stash yarn and make them the same size as a granny square! The color combos are all beautiful! I’m so glad I’ve ordered my yarn so I won’t change my mind. I’ve been bitten by the rabbit hole journey with the waffle stitch!
Interesting video technique on swatching in the round. I can’t quite visualize how to do it with the two colors instead of one though. Have to ponder that one some more. I did swatch in the round but just did it magic loop. Hmmmm.
The garden of possibilities just burst into flower all at once! Thank you, Kay!
I would love for this sweater to be reversible. Has anyone figured out if that’s possible?
It’s an attractive WS fabric but very different from the RS. Given the raglan shapings, cuffs, hem ribbing, one side is going to look like you’re wearing a sweater inside-out, I think.
Roxanne Richardson also has a YouTube video which is entitled “Fake in-the-round swatches which goes into much greater detail with many helpful hints. She includes both English and Continental knitting.
Agree — I learned Roxanne Richardson’s modification for swatching in the round and I think it is ingenious!
Picked up my colors at MDK Atlas HQ last Friday: Clay and Heather! The Clay really brings out the rose tones of Heather. Will be casting on my swatch today!
I was little fearful every sweater made was going to have Yorkshire as color A . Now so many beautiful options.
Oh, now I want to make more of these….let’s see if I can finish the first! My colors are Bluebell and Peony.
How about Earth and Marigold?? I think that would be interesting. This makes me want to buy the Jane bundle, but my husband just retired and is so panicked about not receiving a pay check. Of course we will be fine, but timing is sometimes importantt.
A little trick I recently “unvented” for swatching in the round: Instead of knitting only in (right side) rows and bringing the yarn to the beginning of every row in the back, I knit a square in the round, inside out, starting with a pinhole cast-on. I knit until the four sides are long enough to measure my gauge. This was truly a game changer for me! The advantages are:
a) I don’t need to deal with floats in the back and those loose edge stitches I get when mimicking knitting in the round by knitting flat.
b) I can try out different increases and decide which one goes best with my pattern, needles and yarn. Especially with raglans, I see exactly what my raglan line is going to look like.
c) This method enables me to produce many swatches in almost exactly the same size in different yarns and with different needles, in case I ever want to saw them all up to a blanket or shawl one day.
d) I get that perfect rhythm and flow of knitting in the round – I don’t get that when knitting one right side row after another.
e) Seems to go much faster for me.
This is genius! Thank you for sharing! I hate having all those loose ends on my in-the-round swatches and would love to be able to use my swatches for something like a blanket one day. Mind blown!
And, last but not least: If I am intending my swatch to be used as a dishcloth, all four sides look the same, which I find pretty 🙂
Aren’t they all lovely? I have already chosen Frost as color A and Cameo as color B, and I can already see what a subtle and elegant combination it will be. Just perfect, I think.
I am wondering whether I’ll have plenty of yarn for the project after swatching, so I will not cut or knot the yarn in my swatch, just in case
I am also hoping to knit a 2×2 rib, rather than a 1 x 1 rib, on neck, cuffs, and bottom band. My 2×2 ribs always look and function much better than do my 1x2s. I don’t think this will affect the pattern at all!
I was also thinking about a 2×2 tin!
This is timely for me! Just yesterday I “committed” to Aubergine / Yorkshire . With Yorkshire MIA awhile, time to hunt for a new color B! Looking forward to finally knitting something with the fabulous Jane!
Swatch-a-palozza!!! What fun. I can’t stop looking at these colors, even though I have already made my choice. There are just so many fun combinations. I might have to make a couple of the Waffles, or maybe a Waffle Vest? Could Amy whip one of those up for us??
Thank you for all the swatching Kay, I’m sure it was pure joy though, and putting them together in such an organized way.
My Jane arrived earlier this week and today I’m rolling yarn and swatching. My colors are Pampas (A) and Citronelle (B).
Thanks for doing the swatches for us! Now I can make my order and get knitting!
It’s probably a very good thing I’ve already committed or id never be able to make up my mind! There are indeed so many beautiful and varied options! Guess I will be banging out more than one sweater!! Thanks so much Kay. It is SO helpful to have the visual of these color combos as they will look when knit up.
So excited for this adventure!
All those gorgeous squares will make a beautiful blanket ❤️