Let’s try this again…correct tension is key

I am using Honiburd Cotton for my Hoodie so decided to start off with Mary Anne’s tension and hope for the same result (27 sts and 36 rows = 4”/10cm). I am, however, using a Brother 940 rather than a Singer machine and experience has told me often that every machine knits at a different tension just like hand knitters do.

So, I made my tension swatch using Tension 9 and it looked great.However, when I measured it I definitely had a looser tension than Mary Anne’s. My tension worked out to 29 sts and 41.74 rows = 4”/10cm. So, not a huge adjustment but I needed a tighter tension.

I set up the machine again and decided to try one Tension setting tighter – 9.1 correct? As soon as I had knit about six rows and looked at the loose tension I realised I had, once again, thought like a hand knitter instead of a machine knitter. I learned to knit on needles that were English sizes (that means the larger the number, the smaller the needle, and therefore, tighter tension). American sizing is the opposite – the larger the number, the larger the needles (machines are the same). Anyway, I whipped the knitting off the machine, rewound it onto the cone, reset the machine in the proper direction (8.2 this time) and started again.

I had decided to try something different this time and, instead of casting on 60 stitches and isolating 40 stitches and 60 rows I decided to cast on 40 stitches and isolate 27 sts and 36 rows (Mary Anne’s exact tension). If things worked out as I hoped, the measurement of the isolated stitches and rows would be 4" x 4”). I’m an optimist.

I finished the swatch and cast off. Now to measure. Hmmm, 27 sts = 3.75” and 36 rows = 3.875”. Too tight.

I was about to sit down with the calculator to work out my changes when I reread the pattern instructions to ensure I had the gauge right. And then it hit me - “after the swatch is washed and dried”. I hadn’t washed and blocked the tension swatch, so off I went to the sink, washed the swatch well, pulled out four tension wires, threaded the swatch and placed it on my three tier drying rack that one of my knitters had given me as a gift. The swatch is now hanging in the stairwell drying. I am hoping to have a nicely dried swatch by noon tomorrow so that when Nancy and I meet to discuss next steps, I will be able to re-measure and at least have the correct tension to work from.

Laying It All Out - Part 2

Happy New Year!

I'm going to pick up right where I left off before the holidays, which was determining the measurements for the hood and bands.  I mentioned in that post that I had some trouble with the hood - it boiled down to me not reading the pattern correctly.  Taking a break and putting fresh eyes on it later helped me discover my error.

Since I'm not entirely sure that I didn't scare everyone away with that entry, I'll be much briefer this time.  Here you go:

Again, I used the large size in the pattern as written and made note of the measurements that I needed (photo on the left), and then the stitches and rows as written in the pattern (photo on the right).  Once you know the stitches and rows, then the measurements can be calculated using the gauge stated in the pattern.  From these measurements, you can then use your gauge to calculate the stitches and rows that you require.  Or if you are customizing the size, then of course you will use your own desired measurements.  For the details of those calculations, you can go back to the Part 1 entry.

For the cuff and hem bands I took a slightly different approach.  For the cuff band, in size large, the instructions note to cast on 60 sts.  The cuff of the sleeve itself calls for a cast on of 64 sts.  That means that the cuff band is 94% of the actual cuff.  That's the percentage that I will use to determine the number of stitches to cast on for the cuff band.  For the back/front bands, the cast on is 142(71).  That is 88% of the back/front cast on number.  88% will be my magic number for the back/front bands.

The zipper band gets measured against the actual zipper.  I'm going to wait until I have my front pieces knit and my zipper in hand before I do anything with that number.

So I now have all the information that I need to convert the Hoods Up! pattern to my machine, a Studio SK860 mid-gauge, and my yarn, Patons Astra.  I have my tension swatch done and measured, and I have the pattern shapes and all the necessary measurements of each piece of the garment that I want to make.

At this point, there are a number of different software programs that you could use to do the rest of the math for you.  I am somewhat familiar with Garment Designer and Design-a-Knit, and I note that a quick Google search of "knitting software" yields quite a few results, although many look like charting aids and not actual pattern generators.  Are there any programs that you use that you would like to recommend?  If so please drop a comment below!

In the meantime, I'm off to complete the last step before I finally get this project to the machine, and that is to convert the instructions to my machine and yarn using the measurements I calculated and gauge from my tension swatch.  Let me know in the comments if (a) you want a detailed account of that or (b) your eyes will roll back in your head with one more math post.

Also, please let me know if there is another, better way that you use when you want to convert a pattern.  I'm here to learn too, and being, for the most part, self-taught, I find it's easy to miss the obvious and more direct methods sometimes!

I'm not usually much for New Year's resolutions, but I do hope to make more time for my machine and more creative pursuits in 2017!

Nancy

Season's Greetings!

Hopefully you haven't all run screaming from the room after the last, let's say "math heavy", post.  I did figure out what I did wrong with the hood, but I think I'll just leave that entry until after the holidays.

So I hope that you all have a lovely time with family and friends and whatever activities you enjoy at this time of year.  Also, don't forget our next meet-up and open house on January 14 at the Musquodoboit Harbour Public Library, from 10 to 2.  Details are posted here.  We'll also be doing demonstrations on an LK140 and the Addi Express circular knitting machine.

Nancy

Laying It All Out - Part I

We're ready now to lay out our "pattern pieces" and make sure that we have all the measurements that we need.  The pattern comes with great schematics, so I traced those and photocopied them at about 150% so that I would have room to add my own notes.

The first piece that I tackled was the 1/2 back/front.  I plan to make the largest size, but without any modifications to the measurements in the pattern for the largest size, so everything I refer to below will be in terms of size L.  If you have modifications (longer/wider for example), this will be where you record your desired measurements on the modified schematics.  Even though I'm not changing any of the measurements for my hoodie, remember I am doing this on a mid-gauge machine with a hand knitting DK weight yarn, so I will have some substantial stitch and row count changes to make to achieve these measurements.

So here is my tracing of the back/front schematic.  The numbers in dark green represent measurements that we are given.  There are, however, three more measurements that I would like to have, given in red, and marked as BF1, BF2, and BF3.

BF1, the measurement from the bottom of garment to the underarm, is an easy one.  It is E + F - G, or 14".

BF2, the measurement of the cast on edge, is also not difficult.  The pattern calls for us to cast on 162 sts.  Since the gauge for the pattern is 27 sts/4", then the math would be (4"/27 sts) x (162 sts) = 24".  Since the schematic is 1/2 back/front, then BF2 is 24/2 or 12".

For BF3, I have read further into the pattern to find out that at the start of the front neck shaping, 10 sts are put on hold.  Again, going back to the stated gauge in the pattern, then, (4"/27 sts) x (10 sts) = 1.5".

So that gives me everything I need for the 1/2 back/front schematic - except the pocket.  So again I turn back to the instructions and the stated gauge and "reverse engineer" for the measurements.

These are measurements I would like to have for the pocket, marked in red as P1, P2, etc., as indicated in the photo to the right.

P1 I can calculate from the number of stitches to cast on according to the pattern, and the gauge according to the pattern.  The math is (4"/27 sts) x (46 sts) = 6.8".

P2 is the total number of rows times the row gauge of the pattern, or (4"/36r) x (80 r) = 8.9".

P3 is, when I read through the pattern, 24 sts, so (4"/27 sts) x (24 sts) = 3.6".  So that makes P4 = P1 - P3, or 3.2".

Let's jump to P6, which is (4"/36r) x (30r) = 3.3".

So if P2 is 8.9", and P6 is 3.3", then P5 is ( P2 - P6 ) = 5.6".  And that takes care of the pocket measurements.

The sleeve schematic is a gift - there's nothing here that we need that isn't given.  Just remember that the horizontal measurements are half of the entire sleeve.

So the only pieces left that we need to have all the measurements for are the hood and the bands.  Up to this point I was feeling rather pleased with myself.  And then I ran into difficulty with the hood, so I'm going to talk about that in my next post.

In the meantime, work your way through what I've done, and please let me know if I've made any errors or if anything it not clear.

And, actually, if you want a little homework (because who wouldn't 7 days before Christmas?), here's my drawing for the hood, below.   See what you can come up with for the missing measurements!  Good luck!  Watch for my next post in the next day or so.

Nancy

Play Date

I have a surprise play date with my 2 1/2 year old grandson this afternoon, which means lots of fun for me, but you, dear reader, will have to wait a little longer for the blog entry on getting down to the math conversions on the hoodie.

In the meantime, I highly recommend Mary Anne's blog entry on placing zippers and really, the whole blog if you've not already read it.  It is a wealth of information.  Not only that, I found a sweater that I absolutely adore here so now I will be on the hunt for that back issue of Knit 'n Style (February 2014 if any of you might have it?).   And that yarn, in that colour.  Because I don't have nearly enough projects on the go already.  So don't say I didn't warn you if, while you're reading, you find a new project you want to knit!

Nancy

Bespoke

Just a few more steps before we're ready to take to our machines.  First, we should have a careful read through the pattern as written and make sure we have a good understanding of the techniques called for in the pattern and the flow of the work and pieces involved.  Actually, we should already have done that, this one should be a refresher.  Second, now is the time to consider if there are any design changes that we'd like to make.  Third, the math - that will be for next time.

Pattern flow

The instructions indicate the following order (and please let me know in the comments below if I've missed anything or there is any other error!):

1. knit the back
2. knit the two front pieces
3. knit the 2 pockets
4. place the 2 pockets
5. knit the 2 sleeves
6. join shoulder seams and attach sleeves
7. knit and attach cuff bands
8. knit and attach back/front bands
9. wash and dry garment
10. zipper placement
11. knit the hood
12. attach the hood to jacket neckline
13. knit the drawstring
14. complete drawstring casing
15. complete finishing, darn in ends.

I find this helps me understand the "big picture" of what I'm doing and where I'm going, important (to me) for any project, but even more so for one that I'm going to tinker with.

And speaking of tinkering, one of my all time favourite knitting books, and one that I go back to over and over, is Designing Knitwear by Deborah Newton.   The book is almost 25 years old now, and some of the design ideas are dated, but her discussion of the creative process still resonates.  You can peak inside from the link above and preview selected passages from the first two chapters, and also it looks like it's available for hold through the Halifax Central Library.  You can also read this review of the book by Nancy J Thomas, another talented designer, teacher and author.

Cast on method; hem, binding or ribbing?

The Hoods Up! pattern calls for a waste yarn and ravel cord cast on for the back, front pieces, and sleeves.  This leaves open stitches at the cast on edge that will be used later to attach bands.  I quite like this detail so I've decided not to change that, but you may prefer to start with a turned up hem, a few inches of ribbing, a lace band, or an I-cord trim.  And these are just a few possibilities.  If you do decide to change, make a swatch!  Not just for measurement, but to see how it looks.  Experiment, have fun!  Often this leads to more ideas.

Texture or colour elements on main body and/or sleeves?

The original pattern is written in plain stockinette stitch.  Mary Anne is currently making a version that incorporates an all-over lace pattern.  She also has discussion on her blog of making choices in this regard.   Maybe you might like to add an intarsia motif - on the front, on the back, both?   What ideas can you think of (whether or not you intend to incorporate them in your sweater)?  I thought about adding a narrow cable strip up the front pieces, placed so that it would 2/3 from the centre toward the side seam.  I haven't entirely abandoned that idea, but I think for this KAL I'll stick to the basics.

Centre closure - zipper, buttons, pullover?  Type of band?

Do you want buttons instead of a zipper?  What about frog closures?  Maybe you'd rather convert the pattern to a pullover?

Short row shaping for custom fitting?

Do you need some extra room at the bust?  Maybe you could add some short rowed darts.

Neckline design options?

Not too much to talk about here unless you're converting to a pull over.  You could, though, change the hood for a wide ribbed collar, and extend the zipper right to the top of the collar.  Any other ideas?

Sleeve and sleeve placement design options?

Short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, drop sleeves  - those are some options that come to mind.  Sleeves in a different colour maybe - I'm thinking a dark colour like black or brown, complimentary to your main colour.  This could help if you're short on yarn and can't get more of the same colour.  You could make the hood and pockets in the contrast colour as well.

Hood - texture or colour elements?

A different colour as noted above, or maybe no hood and instead have a ribbed collar, either stand up or wide?  If you add a design element to the body of the hoodie, can it be added to the hood as well for continuity of design?  My cable for example - maybe it could be added to the cord casing?

Conclusion

If there are any changes you want to make, or even if you think you might but you're not sure, search online for inspiration, sketch and swatch!

Nancy

Suggested Reading

I was catching up on some blog reading this morning over coffee and noticed that Mary Anne is working along on her hoodie and has the back done.  Definitely have a read if you haven't already.  She's chosen a very nice all-over vertical lace pattern that you can see and read about here.   There is a discussion of yarn quantities and possible design modifications here, and an update to that here.

Lots of valuable information as we move forward!  And watch this space over the weekend for my entry on Step 6:  Technical and Design Elements.

Nancy