Confusion over Butterflies are Free
Posted in: Knitting
So I got back to knitting my frill. I only knit about five more rows when I decided to start another project, a gift. My knitting can be sporadic at times so I decided to start now to have any hope of finishing by Christmas.
It’s going to be the Butterflies are Free scarf from Stitch ‘n Bitch Nation. I just got the book the other day and read Decode the Code. At that time I thought it was like someone turned a light-bulb on in my head. But my light-bulb must be faulty because when I read it last night, it made such perfect sense but today when I started knitting this scarf it all went to crap. 
So what happened?!
Well in the book the gauge says 16 sts and 20 rows = 4″ in St st.
So “decoding” it I get 4 stitches makes 1″.
So then I look at the gauge on the yarn label. It says 4 sts = 1″.
So I’m like ALRIGHT! I can just start knitting and it’ll be perfect. Nope didn’t happen, it’s not right. It still looks like a scarf, just a really really super skinny one. Now am I not understanding after all? “Decoding” the pattern again when I cast on 12 stitches so that means my scarf should be 3″ wide. Right? But mine was a 1.5″ wide scarf. So I frogged it.
I looked more closely at the directions and the yarn label. In the book it says use US 6 (4mm) needles. On the yarn label it says use US 10 (6mm). So if I switch to US 10 will it be right then? Will it be 3″ wide? Or is that still wrong because the gauge in the book says “in St st” and my yarn label doesn’t say “in St st”. Aaaahhhh now I’m sooooo confused! I’ve taken an imaginary bat to my imaginary light-bulb in my head and smashed it to bits.
December 2nd, 2004 at 6:33 am
before listening to even one word of advice from me, you need to know that I am a mathematical knucklehead. I do believe however, you are off in your original calculation that 4 stitches makes one inch.
4 stitches=1″ is true for the width gauge, but not for the length gauge …. that would be 5 rows = 1″. You also should check your own gauge by knitting a small swatch - the gauge on the label is a general guideline type of thing. Knit a small patch, calculate your gauge and then calculate your cast on amount, etc. It is a lot of math, but worth it - you will have a truly custom fit item! good luck!
Well in the book the gauge says 16 sts and 20 rows = 4″ in St st.
So “decoding” it I get 4 stitches makes 1″.
So then I look at the gauge on the yarn label. It says 4 sts = 1″.
So I’m like ALRIGHT! I can just start knitting and it’ll be perfect. Nope didn’t happen, it’s not right. It still looks like a scarf, just a really really super skinny one. Now am I not understanding after all? “Decoding” the pattern again when I cast on 12 stitches so that means my scarf should be 3″ wide. Right? But mine was a 1.5″ wide scarf. So I frogged it.
I looked more closely at the directions and the yarn label. In the book it says use US 6 (4mm) needles. On the yarn label it says use US 10 (6mm). So if I switch to US 10 will it be right then? Will it be 3″ wide? Or is that still wrong because the gauge in the book says “in St st” and my yarn label doesn’t say “in St st”. Aaaahhhh now I’m sooooo confused! I’ve taken an imaginary bat to my imaginary light-bulb in my head and smashed
December 2nd, 2004 at 12:35 pm
You know I think that’s why I haven’t tried making sweaters. Everything I’ve worked on the size didn’t really matter: scarves, bags, etc.
December 9th, 2004 at 10:41 am
So glad you like the pattern *blush* - the great thing about scarves is you really don’t have to sweat the gauge. So if your scarf is slighty skinnier or fatter it will still fit through the loop you make!
Also, just because the yarn label says 4st = 1″ on X size needles, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get that gauge on those needles due to the difference in tensions that people knit at. So, you might just need to go up or down a needle depending on whether your swatch ends up bigger or smaller than the stated gauge.
If you were working on a sweater, it’d be important, but not so much, except for practicing getting gauge, on a scarf!
Adina A.