It's a 10!

Hard to believe, but the gauge saga from the prior post has continued.

The fourth and final swatch features 16 stitches/4 inches or 4 stitches/inch, rather than the called for 15.5 stitches/4 inches or 3.875 stitches per inch.

Over 100 stitches, a gauge of 3.875 stitches/inch equals 25.8 inches. That is achieved by dividing 100 by 3.875.

Over that same 100 stitches, a gauge of 4 stitches/inch equals 25 inches. Again, I simply divided 100 by 4.

25 inches is 96.899% of 25.8. I divided 25 by 25.8.

Thus, if I wanted to use the US 10 needles with a gauge of 4 sts/inch to knit a finished size of 45.5" in circumference, my sweater would actually be 44.089" around.


The stitches are not as nice on this one. The first 98% of it used the swatch for US 7 needles, and the curled yarn seems to have affected the definition. Normally, reusing yarn is not an issue, but using such large needles created very loose stitches, which was the point of the pattern, but did not tame the curly yarn that well. I did see dramatic improvement in the stitch quality when I returned to knitting with the original, unused skein.


To be honest, I strongly dislike the fabric made using the US 10 needles, and to obtain the pattern gauge, I would probably have to go up a half-size to US 10.5 needles, but there would be no point. There is no chance I would like the even looser fabric more.

The issue now is whether to use the US 10 needles in the size I want, which results in ease of 4.6" or use the US 9 needles and go up a size to obtain a sweater with 5.68"of ease.

The sole argument in favor of the US 10 needles for me is that there would be fewer stitches to knit overall.

The plus sides for the US 9 needles are: a) I much prefer the fabric and b) I originally decided I would aim for 6" of ease

According to the write up on the Quince & Co. website, "shown in size 49½" [115.5 cm] on a 32" [81.5 cm], 5'10" [178 cm] tall model (17½" [44.5 cm] positive ease)."

The actual pattern states: "In an ample width, it makes one want to spread arms, swing around, and practice a pirouette. In a version that fits closer to the body, it would still be a comfortable, wear-it-all-the-time pullover. Note that we've sized it from 33" to 70" -- so you can make it narrow and clingy or wide and swingy, depending on your preference."

So, they put a 49.5" sweater on a 5'10" model with 32" bust with 17.5" of ease.

Yeah. It looks great on her, but I have no intention of swinging around and doing pirouettes. Narrower works for me.

Now that I have beaten ease and gauge to death, I am actually going to cast on!!

YAY!



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