December 12, 2004
Sorry, no pics today, crappy
Sorry, no pics today, crappy stormy weather, blah.
I spent some time wandering around yesterday trying to decide what to start next. Finally I pulled out some old Patons Cottontop that I won in an eBay auction.
Now I don't know exactly how old this is, but it's 100% cotton boucle. The ball band has no details aside from that, apart from washing instructions. No yardage, no needle size, no gauge recommendations. So I figured it looked around an 8 ply, and began swatching with a 3.75mm needle. (An Australian 8 ply generally knits up to 22sts/4" on a 4mm needle) I got 4 sts/1". Hmmm... went down to a 3.5mm, then a 3.25mm. Best I could get was 5sts/1". So I pulled out some pattern books, surfed the web, got the patterns for the Ribby Shell and ChicKami from chicknits. I love Bonne Marie's patterns - easy to follow, easy to knit, easy to wear. However, the cotton didn't rib well, so I frogged the Ribby Shell. I cast on for ChicKami, did few rows, then realised that I was getting 20sts/4", but I was getting 32-34 rows/4"!! Cripes, I detest gauge! I was too lazy to do the math and convert the pattern, and frankly, the idea of 32 rows/4" on 3.25mm needles depressed me. So I tossed the yarn back into the stash box and sulked for a bit before going to bed. I spent half the night trying to work out what to start next.
This morning, I got up and decided to start Mondo Cable. The pattern calls for 16 sts and 20 rows over 4". I bought some Schachenmayr Micro Big Shine from elann specifically for this project quite some time back. elann only said that the recommended gauge was 16sts/4". When I got it out today, the ball band says the recommended gauge is 16sts and 26 rows/4". I need 16sts and 20rows/4". So I swatched anyway.
I love that my row gauge is off! I got 16sts and 20 rows first swatch :)
Comments
Oooh! I've got some yarn coming for the Ribby Cardi, too. I love Bonne Marie's patterns and can't wait for my yarn to get here so I can start. I'm looking forward to yours, Donna!
Posted by: Becky at December 14, 2004 05:11 AM
Hi Donna,
I'm not sure if this will be of any help to you at all, but I dug out one of my old Patons pattern books from the late 70s or early 80s which has several patterns which were written for Cottontop. The tension and needle sizes quoted in them is 23.5 stitches to 10cm over stocking stitch using 3.25mm needles. No row tension is given, and 2.75mm needles are used for the ribbed welts.
Some of the patterns in the book used the yarn double at a tension of 15 stitches to 10cm over stocking stitch using 6mm needles, and 5mm needles for the ribbed welts.
I know it probably doesn't look like it would, but Cottontop actually makes a surprisingly nice simple lacy fabric when worked on larger needles at a looser than normal tension. The pattern I originally bought the book for uses 5mm needles for a simple lace pattern and 3.75mm needles for the single ribbed welts.
For what it's worth, almost all of the patterns feature fabric with bands of eyelets -- vertical, diagonal or horizontal, depending on the design -- so this might be an option you might like to consider including in your design to add interest to the fabric.
Hope this helps a little. :)
Pamela
Posted by: Pamela Lee at December 13, 2004 01:07 AM