Knitting Swatches

Knitting a swatch is about the most boring thing for me! It almost has to be done if I’m knitting a sweater, especially if using a yarn weight that’s different from the suggested weight.

For Sunset Highway, fingering weight is suggested but I’m using Madelinetosh Pashmina, which is sport weight.

The suggested gauge for the pattern is 22 stitches and 24 rows with 3.5 mm needles. The suggested gauge for Pashmina is spot on, with 3.25 to 3.75 mm needles. Should be perfect, right? Not!

Swatch

My gauge is almost exact for the stitches but instead of 24 rows, I’m getting 28. It’s always backwards in my head . . does too many rows mean my project is going to be too short or too long. Feel free to correct me but I’m thinking that getting 28 rows/4″ means my project is going to be too short. The only place it’s really going to matter is where I separate for the sleeves. I don’t want the arm holes to be too high. According to my math, which is 99.999% wrong 99.999% of the time, based on the correct gauge, the piece should be about 10.25″ below the neck ribbing when I separate for the sleeves. Based on my 28 rows/4″ gauge, my piece will be around 9″ when I separate for the sleeves if I follow the directions but I will knit an extra inch or so before doing the sleeve separation. I will also put in a lifeline after the colorwork and then try the piece on once the sleeves are separated and see what I think.

All the Colors

The swatch is the same yarn that will be used for the bottom of the sweater so you can see a little of how it will all look together. I hope to get the colorwork and sleeve separation done before this day ends. But, today is laundry day. Wish me luck!