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Monday, February 6, 2012

Shaped Entrelac for Mid-Gauge Machines

Knitters, I could use one more mid-gauge machine knitter volunteer to try out my mid-gauge shaped Entrelac patterns.  I hope to have them drafted by the end of this weekend - and off to testers.

I kept changing my mind!  Never have I ever, ever done a project where I changed my mind so often.  How many wrong directions can there be?  All I know is, the finished book is going to be much, much better for all this obsessive improving.
  1. I changed my mind from a plain seam between the sweater and the yoke, and went to a transition instead.
  2. I switched from knitting the yoke right-side up and the sweater upside-down to the whole sweater right-side up and then switched back again.
  3. I changed the transitions three times, finally deciding on very squatty foundation triangles.
  4. I switched from a sweater that was the same, back and front, to a shaped sweater with a lower neckline on the front to eliminate ride-up in the neckband.  That was a lot of work - I had to rechart all four pieces of every size!
  5. I completely changed the gauge on the mid-gauge after I got the LK150 and realized how large it tends to knit.  I believe the LK150 is the most common mid-gauge, and that was a factor, but also, I wanted to be able to make the bigger sizes without a seam, and the bigger gauge makes that difference!
  6. I keep thinking of changes to the book.  I apologize, pattern testers, but I'm adding a section about fitting the sweater, a section about hand-latched ribbing for the ribber-less machines, and other items, too.  The book needs more diagrams. I will simply mail my testers the final book as a thank-you!
  7. I'm going to switch from sizing that indicates the finished size to sizing that indicates the body size and include 2" ease.  I didn't do that with the bulky, so I'll shift the charts.  I've decided to loosen the forearms and wrists by adding a little more ease there, too.
  8. Sylvia, bless her, keeps finding omissions and vague-ness in my instructions, and I'm making changes because of her feedback that will really help other knitters.
It's been fun, but I'm itching to move on.  Maybe this weekend's work will be the charm.

If you want to test the mid-gauge, and you have a machine that will do 5.7 stitches and 8 rows to 1" with worsted weight yarn, drop me an email at diana_knits "at" sbcglobal "dot" net.  I'll need your snail address.

2 comments:

  1. I for one, do appreciate your thoroughness in pattern writing. I'm thinking of the recipient of my tester. Then, I'll have to decide on colors. Think my decisions are easier than yours!!! :-P

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  2. Oh my! I'm not even sure what all you're talking about, but I'm very impressed! You sure sound like you're covering all your bases, and then some! Zoiks!
    Brenda

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