do you always do a gauge swatch?

[mcmrymoon]

or do you just jump in and go for it. i haven't started my soakers yet because i am waiting for the yarn to come in so i can do a swatch to see what size needles i'll need - :blah :blah :blah i am a beginner so i guess i really should do it by the book at first but i hate the wait :sigh:

[mhurst]

Yup, I always do a gauge swatch before I make any new pattern or change yarns. :)

[pmcgary]

I haven't always done one myself - and the results have been disasterous in several cases. (gift items that had to be regifted to a more appropriately sized individual)

I would go ahead and buy needles in 2 or 3 sizes. Say the size the pattern calls for and then one size either way ...or two sizes in one direction (if you know whether you knit loose/tight---- I used to have to size my needles up but now have to size down.)

This may not save you money now...but if you do much knitting you will probably end up needing all of them eventually --- and if you are like me trying to get somewhere to buy the right size is a PITB. (Not to mention if you have to go to several stores to find them.)

[ravingcutie]

Do the swatch! Any new yarn, needles, patterns, etc. It's far more time consuming to finish a project in the wrong size than it does to swatch. I am currently swatching for the tart hat. It's the second day of swatching. I think I hate to swatch now, but I'll be happy when the hat fits my girls!

:cop Have you completed your swatch yet? HA!

[Meredith]

Yep.... didn't use to.... and you should have seen the monsters I have knitted up!!

[dandelions2]

I pretty much never do and my gauge is pretty much dead on every time. I guess I'm just lucky. 8)

[pageta]

Generally I swatch when I'm using new yarn or old yarn at a different gauge. However, some patterns aren't as critical as others, such as bags. It just depends on how critical the size of the final product is. I didn't do a gauge swatch for the Baby Tart hat because I didn't want to buy new needles and I plan on using it as a gift. I know I'm usually within range, so it will fit some child at some point. I don't even know who it is for yet.

Just remember, if you're knitting your soaker in the round, you need to knit your gauge swatch in the round or knit it on dpns and loosely string the yarn across the back so you are knitting from L to R on the front side every time. You get a different gauge when you knit every row than when you knit one row and purl the next. I learned the hard way...

[pmcgary]

You can to a swatch on the circs the same as if they are double points...knit the row and then slide it back to the beginning and carry the yarn....

I purl really loose...I had almost a stitch difference per inch doing my swatch this way.

[pamelamama]

only when absolutely necessary :bag

[BethyM99]

I'm with pam... and will remember the circular swatching tip next time... cause I ended up being off a bit this last time.

[nczech]

I am a total newbie to knitting. Been knitting for one week, lol. Been using wool soakers a lot longer though until um hum my dh washed them in the washing machine and dried them in the dryer :irked
Can't afford to buy new ones and tired of wool jersey so I decided to teach myself how to knit and make soakers. Well I haven't done a guage swatch yet, and have found out the hard way why they are necessary. :bang
Lets just say my first soaker which I haven't even sewn together was a bomb :splat


A little OT but I really like these smilies, lol.

[BethyM99]

Well then, please allow me to welcome you to knitting... and to frogging!!

It gets better, promise!! and you finished!!

[nczech]

frogging? :?:

[dandelions2]

I'm assuming it's a nice way of saying that you f'ed up. :?

eta: (oh hey! I just noticed that I'm a super sheep...does this remind anyone else of Worms?)

[CraftyMommaOf2]

I try to...does that count??? :lol:

[pmcgary]

I just learned this term a couple of weeks ago...
comes from when you mess up you....

rip it rip it rip it....

Get it?

Hey Pamela---- we need a frog smiley now!!! :rolleyes:

[dandelions2]

I just learned this term a couple of weeks ago...
comes from when you mess up you....

rip it rip it rip it....

Get it?

Hey Pamela---- we need a frog smiley now!!! :rolleyes:

ohhhh....I get it now. lol I'm a little slow...I also just figured out what this smiley is doing :bigups: I had no idea what it was and finally figured out that he's giving a thumbs up. :oops:

[pamelamama]

frogging? :?:

when you have to ribbit ribbit (rip it rip it)

oh yeah we need a froggy smilie

[mamapez]

How about this one:

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_5_18.gif

[Arwyn]

ooooo, I like. :)

[CraftyMommaOf2]

I love the froggy!!!! I'm a frog fanatic big time!

[pamelamama]

You must not fuel my smiley problem. I just found about four frogs.

I will show you.

I will start a new thread.

I will add your froggie too.

[mcmrymoon]

frogging? :?:



when you screw up so bad you have to "rippit, rippit, rippit" out!!! :lol:

[ravingcutie]

Frogging = when you have to rip it, rip it,rip it,rip it,rip it.

:ribbit