Time for part 2! You have to do a gauge swatch. I’m not saying it because my mom enforces it; I’m saying it because if you’re going to invest that much time and money on a sweater, it’s important to have it perfect on the first try! 🙂
I did not do a gauge swatch. Why did I tell you to do a gauge swatch when I didn’t? I started the hood way back in August then stopped. My gauge swatch was the hood and was perfectly fine. I picked back up, and my gauge is tight! I thought I fixed my gauge problem in the few projects I completed recently. Apparently, if I speed knit, I think tight and fast —- not fast and loose! Problems will occur later on if you did not do a swatch! But, never fear, my mom (Lea-Ann) will help me through!
From Lea-Ann — BASICS OF HOW TO SWATCH: If you don’t want to use the hood as a swatch, like Tara did, gather together your needles and yarn. Start with the recommendations in the pattern and cast on at least 4″ worth of stitches and work in the stitch pattern for at least 4″. Remember to use the needles that you will use for your project (and the yarn too).  BIND OFF! Yes, you need to bind off. No, you are not wasting your yarn. You did buy an extra ball for “just in case” (and that can be returned for store credit if not needed). You will want to treat this swatch like you will finish the finished garment. For example, if its wool and you’ll hand wash and lay flat to dry, that is what you need to do. Or cotton that is machine wash and dry, then do that to the swatch.  This gives you a chance to observe if the swatch will shrink, grow, pill, etc.  It helps if you keep really good records about your swatch including the needle size, the yarn ball band, the measurements, etc.
NEXT: The next focus for this project is the provisional crochet-cast on.