Scarf Style/Wrap Style Knit-Along

The inspirations for this knit-along are the Scarf Style and Wrap Style books (from Interweave Press); should you wish to share your creations from the book, this is a wonderful place to do it. Also welcome are helpful tips, corrections, ideas for variations, and suggestions for materials. This knit-along will last indefinitely, so join any time!

Monday, February 26, 2007

Ene - to gauge or not to gauge

Hello fellow knitters,

I am trying to knit a guage for Ene's, but the swatch looks loose and wabbly. I guess my question is do it suppose to look like this because it is lace weight or am I knitting too lose? This is my first lace project and I have never worked with yarn this thin. I am using Knitpicks Alpacloud Tide Pool heather.


So, is a guage necessary for lace knitting? All comments welcomed. Thanks

posted by urbanknitrix @ 9:05 AM  

5 Comments:

  • At 9:58 AM, Blogger Unknown said…

    Gauge is only important if you want the same measurements on your blocked shawl as specified in the instructions. A shawl doesn't have to fit in the way a sweather does, so obtaining gauge isn't crucial. What size needles are you using? Pin out your swatch to properly see the lace pattern. If you think that the holes are too large, go down a size or two in needles. Lace is wobbly before you block it. When I knitted my Ene, it looked like a mess before I blocked it, wobbly and puckering and strange. But it turned out beautiful when blocked.

     

  • At 4:46 PM, Blogger Lyndsey-Jane said…

    I think Tove has pretty said it all. With a lace shawl it is pretty much down to your preference. Soak your swatch, pin block it and see how you feel about the resulting fabric.

     

  • At 6:43 PM, Blogger KarenK said…

    I'm using the same yarn for my Ene, and I'm using size 4 (3.5 mm) needles, and it looks okay. Tove's advice is right on.

     

  • At 8:12 PM, Blogger 17th stitch said…

    I think that you should care about gauge if you're worried about running out of yarn... a looser gauge means that you're using up more yarn than the pattern specified!

     

  • At 8:44 AM, Blogger urbanknitrix said…

    Thanks fellow knitrix. I have one more question. Karen says she is using a size 4 needle, if I go down two needle sizes will this make the shawl too small or will I be able to stretch it to my heart's content? I ask because I am making this for the mom in law and she is a pleasingly plump woman.

     

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