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Always check your gauge.

December 18th, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

The last of the “Oh, you’ll definitely have a Jayne hat by Christmas” orders are out the door, so now I’m free to work on the “well, maybe” orders. I’m trying to get as many done as possible – everyone should have a Jayne hat under the tree.

Because I was hustling to get all the Jayne orders done, I asked for help with my traditional Christmas gift for Em’s teacher – a pair of Fuzzyfeet. I give them unfelted with a zippered pillowcase and instructions on how to felt them. It’s a fun craft project, especially for a teacher who likes to learn things. Turtlegirl was extremely kind and helped me out by knitting part of the slippers so I could knit more Jayne hats and not go insane. I am very fortunate to have such good friends.

This was a good reminder for me, too. I knew I was a loose knitter, but perhaps I didn’t realize how much difference there was between knitters. In the picture at right, Turtlegirl knitted the top part (the cuff) and I knitted the bottom (back of the foot). I didn’t stretch this fabric at all, this is exactly how the stitches lie. My theory is that since Turtlegirl is the queen of the socks, she is used to knitting tight in order to produce the firm fabric that her gorgeous socks require. Since I am the queen of the Jayne hats and use 16 inch size 6.5mm needles (the fuzzyfeet size) constantly, my fabric is much looser because the hats I make need to be soft and flexible. Knitting this size is like breathing – I just do it automatically. Fortunately it doesn’t matter much, since the fabric is going to be felted and all the stitches will disappear in the washing machine.

It’s a good reminder that you should always check your gauge before launching into a new project. The pattern designer may knit much tighter or looser than you do, and you may have to go up or down several needle sizes to get the same number of stitches per inch. For my Jayne hat pattern, I give a gauge of 3.25 stitches per inch, because that’s what I used to get when I started knitting Jayne hats. Since then, my personal gauge has relaxed to 3 stitches per inch. Most knitters haven’t made this hat a thousand times, so I assume that people making this pattern are probably knitting tighter than me. Many people making the Jayne are also making it as their first project in the round, and in some cases their first knitting project ever, and many newer knitters also knit tighter since they’re a little tense.

The moral of the story is to always check your gauge. I always have to go down a needle size on socks, including the Jaywalkers I’m making, which are on hold under after the holidays. I wish I had a little of Turtlegirl’s tight sock knitting mojo so my socks would last longer. I guess that’s why they make reinforcing thread, eh?

Okay, enough posting. Back to knitting Jayne hats!

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