Episode 74: Make it work
This week we talk about making a pattern work for you in a number of ways, then we say a few words about what we're up to and why.
Working a pattern
You have a pattern that you love and a yarn that you love, but they don't match! How can you make it work?
- Scrap the match. In this case, you can just start from scratch. Browse Ravelry for patterns that match the yarn or if you are in a spending mood find a yarn that matches the pattern.
- If you really like the pattern there is probably another pattern similar but in your gauge. Ravelry is fantastic for that--use the advanced pattern search function and you will find something.
- Do some math. For some patterns this is easier to do than for others. If you are making a scarf (see Nicole's Alhambra) then the gauge is not essential, but if you are making a sweater that's a different story.
- For a scarf a simple algebraic equation should work. If the original scarf was knit at 24st/4 inches with a cast on of 48st, but your gauge is 20st/4 inches then you can use this formula: your gauge/original gauge=your cast on/original cast on. In this case 20/24=x/48 or 24x=960, giving you x=40 st cast on
- You can do this with a sweater and the equation is the same, you just need to do it more often for the various cast-ons, increases, and decreases.
- Start from scratch.
- Custom Knits
- Handy Book of Sweater Patterns
- Big Girl Knits
- Knitting from the Top Down
- Some work arounds
- Play with your gauge
- Take out a few stitches
- Add ribbing at the sides
Poutine
Jeff Lemire
Mesilla
Schacht Flip Loom
Winners
Knitting sampler: ErinAmelia
Spinning sampler: Adrienne
Music
U-Dot, Continental
Learn to Surf (acoustic demo), Superchunk
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