Tuesday, April 07, 2009

gauge on Blues

I received Blues a few weeks ago and was horrified at my colour choice. I'm trying to solve it, but don't yet know how I will do it. Among other things I'm swatching the base colour with a strand of silk that goes very well. But I certainly don't get gauge. Is 60 stitches to 10 cm really possible? I'm even working on 2mm needles. Does anyone have a comment or suggestion?
Gillian

6 comments:

Elaine said...

YIKES - 60 sts/10cm!

I am currently knitting Blues with different yarn (Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn which normally knits to a guage similar to that called for). I went up to a US size 3 needle and it looks really nice and is getting 23 sts/10 cm rather than 28. I did that deliberately because I wanted the sweater wider than the largest size and that is the easiest way to get everything to be in proportion (given that it is being knit in non-traditional directions). Size 3's are bigger than 3mm needles and it is not too loose. If you are getting 60 sts, is the fabric stiff as a board?

By the way, can you tell me how many balls there were of each color in the kit or possibly weigh each color?

lookinout said...

@Elaine, the yarn is 50 g balls, 3 of each colour. Wow, you've made me reread the pattern. I thought I was aiming for 60 st when it's 28 sts and 60 rows. That's a relief and more likely to be attainable. I'll will get back to swatching soon. I'll be knitting the largest size and I'm so pleased to have this KAL to talk to people about the project.
Gillian

Elaine said...

Well glad to help. I could not believe that you were actually getting 60 sts/10cm. The fabric would literally be stiff as a board.

I am also working on the largest size and have been working both sides alternately. I have one side done up through the third color band (the 14 stripe band) and the other side almost there.

And I have done several of Hanne's patterns in different yarns with great success (either because I didn't like the color, didn't like the texture, or did a second version of the pattern).

Good luck!

Eleanor said...

Hello, lovely to find you in my commentbox the other day!

I wrote another little poem inspired by your knitting. I hope you like it!

Eleanor xxxx

nofaber said...

Has anyone knitted Hanne Falkenberg's design Profil.
I have managed the back OK but I am having aweful trouble with the sleeve instructions.
Just wait until I get to the bit of the sweater that says this bit maybe complicated!!!!!
If anyone has completed this design, or even attempted it I would very much love some advice.

purple-power said...

I haven't done Profil yet, but I have done lots of Hanne's patterns, and if you can't get someone who has knit it to help you, I'd be happy to give it a crack. Contact me offline at elweyu@hotmail.com and I'd be happy to try to help. One of the big problems I find about Hanne's beautiful patterns is that since they are often knit in "unusual" directions, it's not always easy to understand just where you are in the pattern or how it is going to fit together.

I'm almost done knitting Blues and, although a very different sweater, if you look at it carefully, you will see that the two in fact share a number of design elements and my guess is that I can solve some of your problems (plus I've knit for more than 50 years, and that helps). So send me a mail offline if you think I can give you some interpretive help.