What to make… what to make
March 22nd, 2006 at 8:30 am (uncategorized)
As I’ve thought about this yarn coming, and the beautiful color of it;
I can’t help but think how much fun it would be to do a really pretty
cabled sweater. (Nevermind what I originally had slotted it for when I ordered it). Lots of texture, and very different from all the fair
isle knitting I’ve been doing lately. So far I’ve only started glancing through my knitting books. One that I really like is
Inishmore, from Fisherman’s Sweaters. You can see a good picture of it
here. Another one that appeals is Inishmaan, shown here knit by Wendy of Wendy Knits.
The problem is the yarn I just got is fingering weight. Both of these
sweater patterns call for Aran weight yarn. Quite a bit of difference!
I tend to like the lighter weight yarn because then the sweater isn’t
so bulky and I’ll actually have more chances to wear it. Not to be daunted by the wrong yarn, I am examing my possibillities. I have another yarn in my stash (well aged) that might work; but still isn’t aran weight, and is fairly close to the yarn gauge called for in the Inishmore pattern.
Can I substitute this yarn?
| Wool Cotton (from stash) | Magpie (from pattern) | |
| Gauge (ball band) | 22-24 st/4inches | 16-20sts/4inches |
| Yardage | 123 yards/ball (50g ball) | 152 yards/ball (100g ball) |
| 18.5 balls needed to match yardage | 15 balls for pattern = 2280 yards | |
| Sweater size | 42.5" around (~6.5 st/inch based on random math I did) | 51" around (~5.4 st/inch based on # of sts) |
My Math
I guessed the amount of draw in caused by the pattern this way.
278 stitches in body of sweater. - 2 for seams = 276.
276 stitches / 51" = 5.4 stitches/inch
Obviously there is some draw in with the cabling pattern. The percent amount of draw in is : 8%
So to take my ball band gauge and get the same amount of draw in: 6.5sts/inch in pattern (using the 24sts/4 inch side)
So, if I use the same number of cast on stitches (276 sts) the size of my sweater in the Rowan Wool-Cotton yarn will be: 42.5"
Note that the ball weight is remarkably different for each yarn. That means if I can use approx the same number of balls; my sweater will be half the weight of the thicker yarn!
Now, the amount of draw in on the smaller yarn might not be as much; which means I’d get a bit more ease. I tend to knit looser than I always think I will anyway; so I’ll get a bit more ease from that.
Now, I don’t know if this is a valid way to calculate if there is going to be enough yarn or not, or what the final size will be. It seems reasonable to me, and on the cautious side. If you look at pure yardage, I’ll have enough since I have 20 balls of the Rowan Wool-Cotton.
The only other yarn I have in my stash that I might want ot use is some Mission Falls 1824 wool. It’s only 85 yards/ball though, and I only have 16 or 18 balls of it. Not nearly enough yardage, considering it’s about the same weight as the Magpie yarn.
Will it Work?
I don’t know. Step one is to knit a swatch to see if I like the way the cables look in the smaller weight yarn; to see if I like the feel of the fabric, and to see a ballpark gauge. I say ballpark because my gauge in a swatch has never matched the final gauge in the sweater. For those of you with more experience than I in these matters; please let me know what you think!
