Here is a post about swatching, if you’re into that kind of thing. I know we’re often impatient and want to jump to the actual garment, but hang on there, kitten. Don’t you want to make sure it will fit?
Did you know you’re stockinette swatches in the round can be quite different from those done flat? Sometime purl stitches are looser than your knit stitches, or tighter, or any combination of things. That means, if a pattern, like the Kit Camisole, instructs you to swatch in the round, a stockinette swatch that includes purled stitches isn’t going to be accurate.
Rather than cast on double the amount of stitches and using magic loop, you can cheat a little bit. You can cast on the number of stitches you would for your 4″ or bigger swatch. In this case, I cast on 35 because the gauge is 27 sts in 4″. I like to have a little extra at the sides to take the center measurement for greatest accuracy.
Knit the first row. When you get to the end, push the piece back along the circular needle to the right side, as if you were making an i-cord. Move your strand of yarn from the left side of the piece back to the right side, making sure to leave enough of a strand that it’s not pulling in on the piece. Knit the next row. Continue in this fashion. You will have a swatch that uses only knit stitches, just like knitting in the round.
I can’t take full credit for this technique. I don’t remember the exact source, but I’m feeling like it was a tip from Ysolda, maybe in her wonderful book about altering sweater designs, Little Red in the City.
Great tip – thanks for sharing
You’re welcome!
I love this tip, although I’m one for jumping straight in to the pattern and then complaining when its not quite right in the end
I’m guilty of that for some items. I know I’m a loose knitter in general, so sometimes I’ll just go down a needle size and jump in. I can’t handle the unpredictability of that with an adult sized sweater though.
I find my stocking stitch in the round is much tighter than when knit flat. I always make sure to swatch like this if I’m doing anything in the round.
Me too. It’s always firmer for me. I think it’s just easier to go faster and I’m less clumsy and knit a bit more snugly when going fast.
I love the colour of your yearn so much! Its gorgeous!
Thanks! I think it’s going to be a great summer color.
I apologise, I mean’t to say yarn.. :S. Its going to look beautiful this summer
I swatch because I’m a rule follower, but not because I have much hope that it’s going to really help me get the fit I want because it just doesn’t feel accurate, but you’ve totally inspired me. This is perfect for in the round sweaters, and I’ve just realized that I can make the swatch work for the sweater it doesn’t just have to be a 4×4 square (duh!). Thanks for sharing!
Sometimes if I’m super lazy about swatching (and super confident) I just make sure I have a really good looking 2 inches in the middle and 1-1.5 vertically. This could bite back in the case of quarter or half stitches, so it depends on the gauge.
Awesome! I didn’t think about the fact that my gauge might be different in the round. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I knit a little tighter in the round.
This is great! I’ve had a few pieces in mind to start but no idea how to swatch it. I hate putting so much effort in only to find it’s gonna fit my dog instead ;p
Very handy – thanks!!!
Apart from your advice which is great, I was just drooling over the colour of that yarn. LoL
This is great and will be usinv this real soon! This is also featured in The Principles Of Knitting only thing is she cuts the yarn at the end of each row.
That is also a fantastic knitting resource! I don’t cut because I just rip out my swatch and use the yarn. In the case of this tank, I’m worried I won’t have enough if I don’t.