I started swatching today, and got gauge at 16st = 4" in garter stitch, though the cabled portion is much tighter than that. I decided to try it with bobbles (albeit smaller ones - 3st instead of 5 st) on a hunch that the cables might look a bit blah alone with such a brightly colored yarn, though I reserve the right to eliminate them if I don't like how the sweater looks, or to eliminate them on the sleeves only. Anyway, here's a *horrible* shot of the swatch (first bobbles ever!):
So here's an ease question for my go-to knitters - you! Ease is something I've yet to entirely figure out - I think it takes time and many sweaters knitted to get entirely, though Knitty had a helpful article about it a while back. My chest measures just about exactly 32.5" (not to get too personal here!), which would mean size S would have no ease - it's supposed to measure 32.5". That seems tight for a thickish sweater. But the next size up is 36.5", which seems too loose with 4" of ease. So what to do? Will the small fit too tightly, or is there supposed to be zero ease in this piece? If I should be somewhere in between, do I go up a needle size? Try to modify the pattern?
Those who've made the sweater (Kat and Winnie I'm looking at you), how much ease is in yours? Are you satisfied with your fit in this respect (your sweaters look good to me!)?
UPDATE: (1:52AM) Just got in and am admittedly a little tipsy BUT thought you might want to know that Knitpicks has just launched three new summer yarns!
Posted by jess at March 3, 2006 7:20 PMha ha.. can't be lurking when you point me out like that. shucks. oh mine has no ease, but the wool does stretch a little with wear. it's pretty comfortable to me, not too snug at all. i'd say go with 0 ease.
Posted by: winnie at March 3, 2006 7:47 PMThanks for asking this question. I am always trying to decipher the designer's intentions. I will be interested in following the response as Forecast is in my queue.
Posted by: nicole at March 3, 2006 8:26 PMI don't know if it's specific to the Peace Fleece I'm using, but my in-progress Forecast has a wicked amount of stretch (more side-to-side, but also lengthwise). My gauge was a teeny bit off (on the big side), and I have a 34" chest. So I'm making the small size and plan on falling back on two things so the fit doesn't end up obscene: First, blocking. I have no doubt I'll get those extra couple of inches just through that. Second, the button bands. Those are knitted on after the fact, so I figure I could always make up some lovely "design element" to widen them. Maybe I'll block before I do the button bands, to be extra careful...
At any rate, if your gauge is bang-on, I vote make the small size.
Posted by: Kim at March 3, 2006 8:54 PMI have no idea about this specific sweater, but I just knit a sweater with no ease, and it looks fantastic.
Posted by: colleen at March 3, 2006 9:29 PMzero or negative ease, the weight of the yarn doesnt matter.
Posted by: yahaira at March 3, 2006 10:51 PMNo clue about this sweater and ease... but I don't know about those bobbles...
Posted by: Chris at March 4, 2006 12:04 AMI'd modify the pattern. Granted I've not attempted this pattern so don't know the ease, and granted I always but always modify the pattern to some extent, but I'd modify the pattern.
Remember the Colchique!
Posted by: emmms at March 4, 2006 3:40 AMThanks for the knitpicks reminder, figgy....looks like some nice summer yarn!
Posted by: lynne at March 4, 2006 7:15 AMGlampyre's knits tend to run big in my recollection...well maybe that is because the sizing in most of her designs goes up every 4 inches (rather than every 2). I'm used to making the medium, which is usually 38", and I'm a 36.5" chest...so, In this case, there is no ease for me, and I'm planning on making the 36.5. I say go with the small! If you've made her 34" and it fits you well, than the 32.5" is it's equivalent for this "easeless" sweater.
You could always email Stefanie too - I'm sure she'd help out :)
Posted by: Julsey at March 4, 2006 10:24 AMVery coincidently (eerie) - I am at the exact same point with forecast as well. With the same bust measurement as you. I think I'm going to go with the 3st bobbles like winnie as well.
I figured out the modifications for a size in between S and M (I hope). I basically took the average of the instructions for S and M - it seems to work out math wise for the ribbing on the border.
I should join the knit along.
For instance:
After row 21 is finished I changed it to -
"Repeat these two rows 18 times more. 238 stitches"
Then I changed -
Divide sleeves and body:
...P33...place next 51 sts on holder...P68...place next 51 sts on holder...P34...136 sts on needle.
Mind you, I just finished the collar so who knows if it will work out! Think lucky thoughts.
I'm glad you asked this question, since I've been wondering the same thing. I'm starting this sweater sometime in the near future, and I happen to be smack in-between the M and L bust measurements. Since I'm knitting with 100% wool, and since I tend to like my sweaters very fitted, anyway, I think I'm going to knit the smaller size and hope for the best. Also, since it's knit top-down, it seems like it would be very easy to incoporate a few extra (or less) rows before the underarm join to make a better fit.
Posted by: Cara at March 4, 2006 2:48 PMI haven't knit Forecast but have the same bust measurement as you. A 36" sweater on me is pretty oversized, and this isn't an oversized sweater, judging from the pics. I do really well with sweaters that have 0=2" of ease. Since you're doing it in wool, you can always block it out a little at the end.
Posted by: Stacy at March 4, 2006 2:53 PMi struggle with this all the time. I wish they would say how much ease the modeled piece had instead of which size it was. some sweaters look better with different ease and i have no idea what size the model is. I am guessing 0 ease on this one though: the garment seems to be stretchy. You could look through and see what the sizes are on other articles with the same model, but really it's the same problem in blue then, isn't it?
Posted by: holly at March 4, 2006 3:43 PMYahaira ALWAYS says no ease--and I think she's right in this case. The wool will stretch (garter stitch is one of the stretchiest) and small people should avoid a lot of "ease" (read: bagginess).
Love the color card oath! (but will you be doing that with Knitpicks?)
Okay, I haven't knit THIS sweater, but I'm just going through an "ease" issue myself. Remember, wool streeeeetches when blocked. I found how just how much very recently when the sweater I knit (with 1" of ease) no longer fits me and now fits my boyfriend. What type of fit do you WANT for this sweater? Personally, I almost always want my sweater fitted, so I've become a huge fan of 0-negative ease.
Posted by: Katie at March 8, 2006 3:45 PM