Start Your Engines

Thanks for all of your votes on which yarn I should pick for my Roan Retool, Gentle Knitters! I really appreciate your input, and I'll show you what I decided as soon as the yarn arrives (insert mental image of me with my arms wrapped around my mailbox, here).

I've been hard at work on the chart, as I promised you. So hard, in fact, that I sent a message to Rowan, asking to show them my work, and requesting their permission to offer it to you online. We'll see what they say. Either A: "That's fine, leave us alone", or "No way, you ignorant Yank! That's a Rowan pattern and if you publish it in any way you'll hear from our Solicitors." I feel confident that my version will be so different from the original that I won't be infringing on any intellectual property, but the waters there are always murky. I have to find a way to make my readers happy, keep Rowan from coming after me, and if I'm really really lucky, to recoup a little of the cost of my time. All in a day's work for a knitting designer.

Now that the chart is whipped into shape (I can't wait for you to see it - it's beautiful!), it's time for you to do a little preliminary pattern whispering. For those who have a copy, please take an in-depth read of the pattern instructions. Contemplate their meanings and apply them to your project. Now forget all about them. Here's why:

When we commit to knitting in the round, everything related to flat knitting goes out the window. You're welcome. Rather than get bogged down in Rowan's original instructions, I'm going to help you write your own, one step at a time.

Where do patterns tell us to start? Gauge, of course. So surprising nobody, I'm going to ask you to swatch now, using the yarn(s) of your choice. I'll be doing this right along with you, as soon as my yarn arrives. I want you to make at least three (3!) separate swatches. Please knit them in 2-color stranded st st. Pick any simple chart for this - it doesn't have to be from the Roan chart (unless you want to practice). If you are comfortable doing so, and your yarn will let you, make your swatches in the circular fashion; by which I mean work them on 2 needles, dragging super-long floats of yarn back to the beginning of each row, and working on the knit side only. It will look like this when you are done and break the long floats:

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If 1. you are not comfortable enough with this type of swatch to keep the sts at the beginning and end of every "round" from being ugly or 2. your yarn is not sticky 2-ply shetland (the only yarn that swatches effectively in this way), make different kinds of swatches. I suggest:

A. Make your swatch in the round on a 16" needle. Yes, that will be a big swatch. Switch needle sizes at some interval (make yarnovers or purl sts to show you where/what size) to determine the fabric you like best. Later you can either:

1. Close its top and make it a hat

2. Practice steeking techniques on it

3. Frog it because you need the extra yarn

B. You can make your swatch back and forth in rows. Yes, I realize this is antithetical to our purpose here, but for what you need these swatches for, it may be the most expedient route. Choose this option if:

1. You are comfortable working with DK/Sport yarns at this gauge and kind of know what to expect from your yarn and hands

2. You aren't completely unhinged by the idea of purling back in pattern long enough to get 4" of knitting

Here are your goals for swatching:

1. Find the knitted fabric YOU LIKE BEST. This may or may not have any relation to the 6 sts and 6.5 rows per inch that Rowan says we should like. Guess what! When we reinvent the wheel (pattern) we might as well use the knitting we want! I personally would have to wear boxing gloves to get that gauge on those needles, so I'll just make some swell fabric the way my hands like to and go from there, thank you very much. 

2. DO NOT TWIST THE STRANDS on the back of your work. Choose an orientation for your strands (i.e. white always passes under red and red always passes over white) and never deviate from it. EVER. Even if you've never knit stranded colorwork this way before and it makes your teeth itch, do it anyway. I have redrawn the chart so that you will never have to tack a single float, so stop doing that now. These swatches are the perfect place to practice.

3. MAKE SURE YOUR FLOATS ARE LONG ENOUGH. How long? When you look at the back side of the swatch, you should see them drooping a little bit, like swags. Each one should "smile". If you don't see swags/smiles, your floats are too tight. Trust me: The extra float length will disappear, and never be missed. Without it, your knitting will permanently change size and shape the minute its allowed to, usually becoming smaller. Be sure to ask for the interpretive dance when you see me.

4. If you hit your dream gauge on the first try, congratulations, you are a Supreme Being and we love you for it. Bind off your swatch and wait for the rest of us mortals to catch up. While you're waiting, make 2 more swatches, at any gauge.

5. Once you have three distinct pieces of knitting (or one big one if you went with plan A), and you love at least one of them, wash and block it exactly as your yarn manufacturer suggests. No rougher, no more gentle. Once that's done, re-measure to make sure nothing drastic happened to your gauge during blocking. If all looks good/normal, you're ready to proceed. If not, take a look at what went wrong and let us know over on Ravelry or here in the comments if you need backup. This is the critical juncture to notice that your yarn pills, or shrinks/stretches, or otherwise turns to crap. If you suspect any of these atrocities has befallen you, get a second opinion. DO NOT lie to yourself and say it will all be fine. Better to be honest now than a year of knitting from now. I'm being cruel to be kind, and you know I'm right. I want this sweater to be your proudest yet, and that starts with having the right yarn.

6. What do we do with the other 2 swatches? So happy you asked. One I would like you to block as gently as humanly possible. Perhaps a gentle mist of water, or a delicate spritz of steam. Let dry and measure/compare to the first. Notice anything different? Does your yarn like it better when you treat it even more gently than the label instructs? If so, beware. This yarn may not like being frogged while you work. It might not like being worn in humidity. There is only one way to be sure before you wholeheartedly commit to using it. And that is:

7. Take the last swatch and beat the tar out of it. Throw it in the washing machine to soak. Subject it to extremes of temperature (hot and cold rinses). Rub the pretty side of it against your denim-clad leg (or even the sidewalk) for a few minutes and see if you can make it pill. If it's superwash, stick it in the dryer. You get the idea: I want you to find out where this swatch's breaking point is. If it takes less than you expect, have a long stern talk with yourself about yarn and the nature of commitment.

8. If you started out with one big swatch, you can either wait until you have practiced steeking on it and do the durability tests then, or you can make some little solid-color bits to play rough with.

9. And while you're at it, you might as well do the wearability test: Put a swatch in your bra and see how long you can stand it. If you're planning on wearing a yarn next to your skin, this is the only way to know for sure...You're Welcome.

Okay, my friends. That should be enough to keep you out of trouble for a little while. Go forth and swatch. And let me know what you learn! Oh, and hold on to these swatches, even if they are beat up. We're going to need them again before we're through. 

Retail Therapy

Is there any higher form of shopping than yarn selection? I think not. I'm doing the online kind today, which holds its own challenges and delights.

The first challenge is that I can't touch the yarn. Careful checking of the fiber content will be necessary to predict how the yarn behaves, and an element of chance is assumed. The second is trying to see how the colors will behave together, This one is pretty easy: I take screen shots of the yarns I'm considering, and layer them together with the pattern photo (or sketch, if it's my own design). I do this in MS Word or MS Publisher, if you're wondering. Notice how I try to show each color in proportion to how much of it will be used? I've added a 4th contrast color, too, by the way, because I have no self control. I'm thinking to use it in the peerie bands between the knots on the upper body. Or not. We'll see.

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55% Merino, 25% Alpaca, 20% Donegal Tweed 

Predictions I can make about this yarn: Alpaca is very soft, as is Merino. So what this yarn lacks in "backbone" it will make up for in drape. The tweedy look feels authentic to the original, if that's what I'm going for. Every color here has the same color "Neps" or tweedy bits (black, white, gray and tan), which will lend the whole piece cohesion when used together. It may also tend to flatten and homogenize the design. The angle of twist here is not as high as I usually prefer for ideal stitch definition, but I can compensate by making sure my color contrast is as high as possible. Maybe switch to Charcoal for the MC?

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95% Wool, 5% Cashmere (Actual yarn name is "Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal")

This one is more of a mystery. What kind of wool? Will it be the typical crunchy stuff I usually expect with tweed from the UK? What about the cashmere? Is it really spun into the yarn, or are only the Neps cashmere? I suspect the latter. My intuition tells me this is a sticky, crunchy traditional tweed with cashmere neps, which give it the fantastic color variations. Notice too, that there is barely any twist here: I'd bet it's one of those 2-ply yarns masquerading as a singles, with just enough twist to hold the plies together. A sweater made with this yarn will not be as soft, or as drapey as either of my other two choices. Because there are no purl sts in Stranded Colorwork, I need to be aware that Singles and Singles-type yarns may have a tendency to torque the body tube. Ever have an old t-shirt that has been washed so many times it spirals around the body? That's what happens with singles yarns, if you don't take precautions. These would include knitting at a firmer gauge, adding purl sts, and/or combining other, plied yarns into the design. Adding the center steek will also help, as would some Elizabeth Zimmerman "phoney seams" at the sides, if it really became an issue.

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50% Fine Merino, 25% Baby Alpaca, 25% Mulberry Silk

This yarn appeals to me for all the things it isnt: Nuppy, crunchy or matte. Get a load of the shine on it! I also love the high twist in the plies, and the particular iteration of my chosen color scheme. Using this would lose all the the blurry, watercolory qualities of the soft tweed colors, so it's unfaithful to the original concept. But it would have that dreamy sheen, and most likely a lot of drape and softness.  I usually err on the side of more primitive, high-contrast combinations, so this really appeals to me.  Subtle isn't typically my bag. I have to decide whether I prefer to stay true to the original design concept, or branch out and do my own thing. 

Post a comment, won't you, and tell me which of these is your favorite and why?

Uncharted Territory

I had planned to start talking about yarn shopping today, because, well YARN. But I started looking at the original Roan chart and decided I have some preliminary work to do on it. Like, a LOT, to make it into a chart I'd want (or want to let you) knit. And then I realized you might find this part interesting, so I'll show you!

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Here are the things that would make me hate knitting this chart, as it was originally published:
1.  It's intended to be knit flat. Yup. Our friends in England love stranded colorwork, but they sometimes expect us to knit it flat, which would mean purling back in pattern, which requires us to read our charts in reverse every other row. Eeewwwwww. And stranded colorwork, as a fabric, likes to get really arsed up when it's knit flat, unless you know and implement some pretty extreme maneouvers to compensate. When we knit our stranded colorwork in the round, as God intended,  all these issues are completely erased.

2.  While I'm on the subject (and dangerously close to ranting), I'd like to state for the good of the order: THIS IS STRANDED COLORWORK, NOT FAIR ISLE KNITTING. Sorry for yelling but I would expect the staff of Rowan, who are actually IN Great Britain, to exhibit a better understanding of their own indigenous knitting traditions. They actually call it Fair Isle in the pattern text. It's not Fair Isle unless it obeys these (and other) rules:

A. Fair Isle stranded colorwork is knit in the round. Period.

B. Fair Isle stranded colorwork uses traditional/geographical motifs; nearly always some variation of knots, crosses, and trees of life. None of these are present in Roan.

C. Fair Isle motifs share common stitch counts, and/or multiples of those counts, which allow them to stack up upon each other round by round and line up with mathematical precision. Roan contains six different motifs, with no less than six different stitch counts. Not only do they not stack up neatly, they barely all fit into the same sweater at all. More on that as we go along.

D. Fair Isle motifs are nearly always symmetrical, and if not, they are mirrored on the piece. These are neither symetrical, nor mirrored, nor even centered.

3.  There are decreases indicated at the sides of the assumed flat-knit body panels. And they are weird, to my eye. They are only 2 sts each, and occur at odd places on the body (all in the hip area). They also, if worked, would be very disruptive to the charted pattern. So because they would only amount to a collective 3/4" change in the garment circumference, in an otherwise extremely loose-fitting (more on that later) silhouette, I'm eliminating them. I suspect they were added by pattern-grading software somewhere along the line, and not caught by the humans.

4.  All of the pattern bands need to be centered on the center back of the body (look closely at the scrolly thing - it's not), and need to be mirrored (reversed) along a center axis of the body. You may disagree with me on the mirroring, so feel free to ignore this next part: It's my personal preference that stranded colorwork motifs are either symmetrical (like the birds), or if directional, that they reverse direction at the center back, center front, or topline of the sleeve. It's just a thing I'm hyper about, and if you are looking at a collection of my sweaters, you may not notice that this is going on, but I promise you'll notice that they look well thought-out and precisely executed. This is one of the reasons why.

5.  There are some ways that designers can make knitting charts friendly to knitters. The first is to make them digital, so you can mess with them and tweak them just the way you want on your device of choice, or at least easily enlarge them to make it safer for your eyes. So my Roan Retool will be digital. Another thing we should always do for you is use actual colors in the chart, rather than symbols or monotone shading. Same reason: If I want you to continue knitting my designs, I'd better respect your eyesight by drawing a legible chart.

6. This seems like a small thing, but it's not. It's the only reason why I recommend that beginning stranded colorwork knitters start out with my patterns, rather than some other designer's: The Tacking of Floats. A couple of posts ago, I showed you the insides of some stranded colorwork, where you can see that I never ever tack floats (twist one strand around the other). It's the single biggest reason why my knitting seems like cohesive flat fabric, instead of a puckered gauge experiment. Tacking floats causes more problems for new stranded colorwork knitters than any other thing. The best cure is not to do it. So what happens when you are knitting a chart like Roan, that has giant stretches of unused color? Look at the top round of the birds panel: There are actually 63 stitches between uses of the motif color in that repeat. Are you supposed to really have a float of 63 stitches (10 1/2")? No, of course not. It's my job as a designer not to saddle you with a knitting problem like that, built right into the design. I think it's unforgivable when someone does that to knitters. There are three ways to deal with a giant empty patch of unused color in a pattern: 1. Hunt down and throttle the designer. Just kidding. 1. Tack the long float in such a way as to not disrupt the knitted fabric (extremely hard to pull off). 2. Leave an unnaturally long float. I'd call the limit on this something like 10 or twelve sts, and it only works if you are using nice, sticky traditional Fair Isle yarn, such as a 2-ply shetland. or 3. Change the chart so the second color does not go unused for more than a reasonable number of sts. I'm going to go with option 3, so my chart will look somewhat different to the original. If you like the long stretches of negative space, then by all means, tack your floats, or leave them long. You'll be able to compare the original chart to my retooled version when I'm done and make your own decision.

Okay, I'm sure you'll agree that I have some work to do on this chart in order to make myself happy with it, so I'll quit preaching to the choir for now. Here's a screen shot of the chart rework in progress, to give you an idea how I'm doing it:

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See? I've already fixed the centering problem with the scrolly border, and mirrored both it and the braids. Notice how the braids made little hearts at the center back? Total accident, but I love it. And now the scrolls undulate one way on the left side of the body, and the other on the right. They'll mirror beautifully at the center front, regardless of where your size ends in the chart. Better, no? 

Stay tuned for the big chart reveal, and of course, our favorite: Yarn Shopping!