Hello all
I’m making some swatches in preparation for a sweater without a pattern. There is a stranded section using 2 colours and an open work, travelling stitches section using 1 colour.
Same yarn for both.
DK wool 21st = 10cm on 4mm needle
Colour work is coming out at 23 sts = 10cm on 5mm and I’m happy with it, flexible enough.
Open work is coming out at approx 16 sts = 10cm on 4mm it’s very stretchy and this is slightly pulled out but not at max.
My thinking is that the open work may be better on smaller needles and maybe aim for the same gauge as the colour work. Any thoughts, opinions or advice on this would be great.
I’ve just started a swatch on 3mm rather than 4mm to see what I get. I expect a firmer fabric which I might not choose if it was all open work, but as it is sitting right by the colour work which is firmer anyway I thought perhaps a firmer open work would be a good call.
What do you think?
Also, I have superwash wool, will blocking to a size (on the open work) make it stay at that size or would it need to be re blocked every wash? This might effect what I do with the gauge as I am unlikely to want to book with pins every time it’s laundered.
Of course if both pieces are the same gauge it makes measuring stitch counts and shaping easier, although if they aren’t the same I’ll just have to calculate each side separately.