Subway Knitter ...not afraid to knit in public
After my experience with the post-blocking growth of my cardigan, I see the virtues of knitting a swatch and recording the gauge before and after washing.
My Tahki New Tweed is the first of my yarns to undergo this treatment. Gauge before washing: 19stitches and 25 rows per four inches. Gauge after washing: 18 stitches and 27 rows per four inches. Wow! Is it any wonder why I always struggle with sizing and fit? If the knitted fabric changes that dramatically once it's washed, imagine how that translates into a knitted garment!
So, wash your swatches.
4 Comments
jump to the comment formi love washing swatches. another thing i've started doing is washing AND drying a swatch if i want to make the final garment easy care. obviously you can't do it with 100% wool, but something like 75% cotton 25% acrylic works nicely. it usually shrinks a bit in the length and this way i know to make the sweater a bit longer than i'd like.
Yah, I've washed...they still lie. ;)
Eek, I should be doing that! It's okay not to wash if it's a scarf, but with a sweater that could mean heartache. Will wash swatch from now on...
very good advice. i've never done that before, although i've read about how smart it is. i need to get past the need for instant gratification (which, with a sweater, isn't that instant!) and do it right. thanks for the tip!
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