Way back when I was a graduate student, my advisor told me there are two types of people in the world. The people that go right to the lab and start experimenting and the people that go to the library. That has stuck with me and it rings true. I prefer going to the library, looking things up, and getting myself oriented with background information. I like to be prepared.
Swatches are a lot like going to the library. They give you information about the fabric you’ll make with the yarn and needles. Even if we all used the exact yarn and needles listed in a pattern, we do not hold the yarn in the same way, and that is going to impact the final fabric. So, you make this practice piece, take a few measurements, and do a little math. This information will give you an idea if your final object will be the size you’re expecting the pattern to create.
Many knitters do not bother with them and I get it (and I’ve done it myself), but that can be a bad choice (read this post from the Yarn Harlot).They take time. For me, a swatch can take 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the stitch pattern. And they are frustrating when you’ve taken that time and the result is nothing close to the gauge listed on the pattern.
I’ve been swatching for a Dovetail Sweater. I have made too many sweaters that aren’t quite right in the end. After four swatches, I got gauge! I can’t wait to cast on this sweater. My main color will be Alegria Grande in Teal, not Turmeric – I needed the color for the colorwork and had to order a whole skein to avoid waiting for the mini to be in stock.
My other pile of swatches are assignments for the Professional Knitter Certification through The Knitting Guild Association. I’m not interested in design work, I prefer to do the sample and test knitting. As they say, “The focus of this certification is the actual knitted work. The swatches and projects will demonstrate the candidate’s ability to interpret instructions and patterns as well as identify potential pattern errors.”
I originally planned to challenge myself with this course in 2020, but decided to stop when I could see my gauge changing within the swatch. I tried again in the summer, and knit through all the required swatches at least once, but lost my mojo when faced with the thought of redoing them.
My goal is this: get the first three stockinette swatches to gauge in the three different yarn weights. Then, use that as a guide for the needle size to start from for the lace panels. After the lace panels are done, I’ll do the cables. 15 swatches later, I have the first 3 complete! Only 12 are in the photo, the 3 that are correct are set aside to save for photographs and submission. phew.
