Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Needle Material Can Affect Gauge, Too

by

knit darling needle gauge chartI’m really interested in this bit of knitting geekery from Knit Darling, which is about knitting needle materials and how different needles — even those labeled as being the same size — can give you different gauge results.

She knit up swatches of the same number of stitches and rows on four different kinds of needles, using the same kind of yarn. After blocking, she measured them and extrapolated what size sweater you would get if you knit to that gauge for 200 stitches.

She discovered a difference of as much as two inches between two different kinds of needles (with carbon needles coming out the smallest and resin the biggest in her test).

The takeaway here is that different needles perform differently, even when they’re labeled the same size. So if you don’t already do so, make sure you knit your swatch and your project with the exact same needles, not just the same size. Also knit circular swatches for projects that will be worked in the round; she found a sweater knit with the same number of stitches would be 1.5 inches narrower worked in the round rather than flat. Which just goes to show that knitting is a lot more precise than we usually give it credit for.

[Photo via Knit Darling.]

Next Pattern:

Comments

  1. This is a very necessary thing to know. I have been designing & making a blanket for a charity & decided to use different techniques as in modular block (no sewing), a Motif & mitered corners (more no sew). After knitting the motif it was buckled & even with blocking wouldn’t sit flat. I have now discovered that my purl stitch row was larger than my knit rows. Upon some research I discovered this is not uncommon. I now know that I have to use a smaller needle for a purl row, especially when combining garter & stocking stitch in the one piece. I might add that the needle that eventually gave me the right tension was 2 needle sizes less than the knit row needle. I have also found out that I knit a lot more loosely when using a circular needle. Yes knitting really is a technical past time.

Have you read?

Knit a Glasses Holder for Your Bedside Table

knit glasses holder

Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]