Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Swatch Success

Lt green cotton classicI see my need to make the stripes in self patterning yarn match resonates with several people.

This makes me happy.

It reinforces the fact that I'm not alone. :-)

To be fair, I've met people who don't share my matchy-matchy passion.

No, they finish the first sock and cast right on for the second without feeling the need to reel out great expanses of yarn to locate just the right part of the color change.

They are happy with the resulting"related socks."

I admire their free spirit.

And then I go hug some of my matching socks to dispel any lingering contamination I might have picked up. HA!

KK203, conquered
Oh? Perhaps you have forgotten about the cabled sweater I was trying to beat into submission at the end of April?

Well I haven't.

Over the weekend Pam left me some Cotton Classic in the Westport Yarns backroom as promised.

There was some nice chocolate brown and a dark, grassy green.

As soon as I got home I plunge in with my US5 and started swatching.

I worked at least two repeats, measured, and said "By Jove, I think I've got it."

Just to cover all my bases I also swatched on a US4. It wasn't as pleasant and seemed too small.

When I got to the store on Sunday I had Danni measure it for me as well to ensure my wishful thinking wasn't adversely affecting my ability to measure.

She agreed I got it and that the US5 was better.

Color, colorLt green CC close
Then it was just a matter of selecting a color.

The cable looked very nice in the brown, but we didn't have it in stock and I shy away from wearing brown because I have brown hair. Don't want to be too monochromatic.

There was a nice pale blue. But I recently finished my Stella sweater in pale blue. And, although a nice blue, it didn't have the pop of the ice blue S&C Sweater I had started with.

There were other pretty blues and some reds as well. But if you haven't noticed I do a lot in red and blue and I thought I should mix things up a bit.

Which landed me on the lovely green you see.

Everyone in the store agreed it looked lovely when I held it up to my face.

The pattern calls for eight balls at 98 yards each, which is 784 total.
The Cotton Classic is 108 yards each.
784 divided by 108 = 7.2.

So I snatched up eight balls and figure I'll be fine.

Delaying Gratification
You will be stunned to hear that I have NOT yet cast on for the sweater.

I'm practicing self control.

I want to focus on finishing Hubby's socks before I start a new project. (And before he starts asking about them!)

Also, after all that fruitless swatching I did the first time around, I need a little space to come to terms with the rocky relationship this pattern and I have had so far before I can start.

2 comments:

  1. Yep, sometimes a little breathing room makes all the difference. Love the green!

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  2. you're a better woman than I am. I would've started right away!

    ReplyDelete