Tuesday, July 19, 2005

A-Swatching we will go…

Good morning!  I’m feeling fit and feisty this morning due to having gotten a great deal of uninterrupted sleep last night - an unusual occurrence in the summer.  Of course I was up until 3:00 AM reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, but I’m sure that has nothing to do with it...much :)

Over the weekend, I acquired a Creative Commons license.  You can see it at the bottom of the sidebar on the left.  Click on the button to see the terms of the license.  It applies to the entire blog, including the patterns and tutorials.  A Creative Commons license is a free and legal alternative to full copyright that allows you (the author) to reserve some rights.  Tailored to creative works, it’s intent is to protect while providing for flexibility.  The process is very simple.  A list of multiple choice questions determines how free or restrictive you want to be.  You are then presented with a bit of code to paste into your blog that provides a clickable button and a statement that your site is so licensed.  I’d urge any of you who are also publish blogs to check it out. 

I did some more experimental swatching this weekend with the Paradiso in variations of the Razor Shell pattern and on various sized needles.

This was done on size 6 needles.  The diagonals are nice and clear and the single, straight-up-and-down stocking stitch between them makes a nice, but not obtrusive, dividing line.





This one looks messy to me (please forgive the color quality - or lack thereof).  I think, given the irregularity of the yarn itself, that it really benefits from a wider repeat.  The 3-stitch dividers simply muddy the pattern further - in my opinion.  This was also done on size 6 needles.





I’ve come to the tentative conclusion that I don’t like the wide divider although I do very much like the wider razor shell.  The real relevance of this swatch though, is that it was done on size 8 needles with no real detriment to the pattern’s appearance.  This is interesting because the yarn is labeled as a DK weight.  In practice though, it’s thick and thin nature varies from sport weight to worsted weight.

My feeling is that the pattern in the first photo is the nicest, but that I would probably work it on size 7 or 8 needles.  I’m going to keep all the swatches, of course, until I know whether there’s going to be enough yarn to do what I want!

I also tried this Retro Throw square pattern.  I very much like the idea of the square starting from the outside and “smalling” down to the center.  I also like the bands created by the decreases - very attractive.

It’s really very easy to do to, though you’d never know it by me :).  The initial attempt was made at full size on a circular needle.  Of course I twisted the join and didn’t really accept that until I was 10 rows in. 

Sigh… Frog…

I began the second, scaled down version on DPNs and had better luck.  Once I had things established, I switched to the circular and finished things up magic-loop style.  While an afghan is an interesting idea (and not at all our of the question, some day) it occurs to me that this square might be a useful base for other things as well or, if not this square, then something else with a similar method of construction.

I’ll have to play with that idea a bit :)

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1. You are so much more patient than I, Robbyn....I need to take note of your swatching till you get what you like....rather than just diving in and then being less-than-happy with the results. Anyone told you lately you are a smart cookie? Well...I am. :)

   Posted by Lisa in Oregon  on  07/19  at  01:14 PM
   Location :



2. Lisa - (blush) Thanks.  Really, it’s more a matter of curiousity than smarts.  I don’t seem to be able to leave anything alone :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  07/19  at  02:34 PM
   Location :



3. I’m always in awe of your talent, Robbyn! (sometime even jealous… “grin") Thanks for the link to the Creative Copyright License.

   Posted by Theresa  on  07/19  at  03:11 PM
   Location : PA



4. Hmmmmm...I saw a sweater with a square just like that as the front & back (bigger, of course! hehe), then stitches were picked up & the yoke was knit up from that. It was in a recent knitting mag in an ad for yarn, no pattern given.

   I thought it was a neat idea when I saw it - it would be interesting in a heavily variegated yarn. Maybe something for you to think about. :)

   Posted by Bron  on  07/19  at  03:47 PM
   Location :



5. I liked the first swatch best as well. I think it would look much more relaxed on larger needles, and you’d have the added bonus of making the yarn go a little farther as well.

   Posted by Kathy  on  07/19  at  06:00 PM
   Location : Southern California



6. Hi Robbyn! How are you? I just finished a razor shell scarf and enjoyed doing the pattern - can’t wait to see what you make of it! I’m sure it’ll be great.

   Thanks for the tip on the license.

   Where did you find your neat computer fan??? We just put our computer in an armoire, and I think it needs a bit of circulation when the front door is closed (there are punched-out panels on the back, but still...)

   Hugs!

   Posted by Stasia  on  07/19  at  06:41 PM
   Location : Wisconsin



7. Hey Theresa!  Oh please don’t be jealous; I would feel awful.  You do pretty well yourself, kid :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  07/19  at  07:26 PM
   Location :



8. Bron - Funny you should mention sweaters because that’s exactly what I’ve been thinking about :) One square for the front, one square for the back, one square for the neck/shoulders (only worked until the desired neck measurement is acheived) and one square each (folded in half) for the sleeves.  Ribbing could be added to the bottom of the sweater and sleeves if desired, or it could all be finished with I-cord.  I do believe I’m going to try this in a child sized version before long :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  07/19  at  07:31 PM
   Location :



9. Kathy - That was my idea exactly :) I think I have enough yarn but I figure using the larger needles optimizes my chances and, as you rightly poibted out, creates a softer, ore drapable fabric without creating holes :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  07/19  at  07:36 PM
   Location :



10. Stasia!  I got the fan at Comp USA.  It’s really more for you than for the computer but I suppose it couldn’t hurt.  You definitely need to be careful about ventilation if you’re keeping the computer in a closed space.  Those babies can generate an awful lot of heat :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  07/19  at  07:42 PM
    Location :

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