swatching!

hello all!

i'm swatching to start my cardi, i can't wait to start it! i haven't taken a pic yet but will shortly. i'm using debbie bliss cathay. i think i got gauge on size 6 needles. it's so hard though, i wish the gauge wasn't in the lace pattern. oh well.

how is everyone casting on? using the tubular cast on or just a regular cast on? the instructions i have for a tubular cast on are set up for a 1x1 rib, can you do a tubular cast on for a 2x2 rib? this is my first sweater for myself and i want it to look nice. thanks!

getting gauge & kicking off

hi all,

yesterday i started the back of this fabulous cardigan and can´t barely stop knitting - it´s such a fun!
i´m using 100%cotton-yarn (scarlett from ggh) in black (so it´s hard to take good pictures but i will do my best). my swatch was perfect and i really like the way the yarn looks like (it´s a little bit gleamy).
so have a great knitting time!
kiki

Swatch/Lace Pattern Challenges

Hi,

This will be my first sweater and, like Margaret, I've got questions about the swatch and lace pattern. I'm using the Reynolds yarn the pattern calls for. I'm doing the swatch in the lace pattern, and keep increasing the needle size to get the right gauge. I'm up to a 7 from the recommended 5! Is this unusual? I have to admit that up to now, I've only knitted scarves and hats, so never did a swatch first. So maybe I'm a tight knitter and didn't even know it.

The good thing about doing the swatch over and over again is that I get to practice the lace pattern, which I find to be very challenging. Trying to go from increase to decrease in each row, with some stitches going into the yarn overs in the previous row and others not. Whew! I can't get into a comfortable routine. And I keep either having one stitch too many or one too few in some rows. Is anyone else struggling with the lace pattern?

Thanks! And thanks for having this KAL.

The swatch

Time to dive in~~~I finally got the KP Options needles that I want to use, and the Soft Linen is ready to go. Now for the swatch. How did you all do your swatching? I've never swatched in anything but stockinette, so doing the lace is a bit daunting. Do you cast on and immediately start the lace or what? It is so tempting to make a sleeve as my swatch, but rarely do I get the correct spi on my first swatch!

ready to swatch

I don't want to wait any longer for the Soft Linen yarn to become available, even though it sounds like I will really like the yarn. Instead, I'm going to swatch with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. I'm thinking it will work out, or at least close enough that I can get away with it.