Such a simple concept, gauge. Stitches per inch. How quickly it can trip you up, though!
I used to think that "close" was "good enough," as in: "The pattern says 8 stitches per inch and I have 7, so that's close. Good enough!" Ha, I say, and ha again. So we know now that one's gauge must be exact, or one knits a sweater that will either fit Dirk Nowitzki or Gary Coleman, but not at all your target recipient. So I know that. I do.
But... socks? I mean, who knits a swatch for socks? Especially toe-up socks. You do the toe, then when there are a few rows, you measure your gauge, then you go looking for a pattern or a repeat that will give you a nice sock and by "you" I mean "me," of course. So when I have a gauge of 9 stitches per inch (that's MICROSCOPIC, for you non-knitters) then of course I increase out to 72 stitches for my 8" diameter foot, and then I realize the pattern I wanted has 60 stitches. So phooey, and I cast on for a sock for the girl who reminded me in no uncertain terms that she asked for one months ago and I was never going to knit her any (we'll call it them Guilt Socks) and I use larger yarn and needles so I have a gauge of 7.5 stitches per inch and I have 60 stitches and I pull out the pattern and.... Gauge. Equals. NINE. Stitches. Per. Inch. Right there, in present-day English. Did I not see it? Did I see it and forget? (Highly likely.) Should I decrease back down and knit the first sock on 60, leaving some sort of bunionesque toe there?
Insert sigh.
So I start the Guilt Sock with the desired pattern and oh. That's why it seems like it would fit a tiny foot. The pattern opens up with a leaf motif, and it gets rather expansive. Now this sock is really roomy-feeling. I refuse to frog, though, because these suckers will fit someone, somewhere, so now I have three socks-in-progress. The Guilt Sock is on the right (aka Leaf and Tendril from Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.)
I used to think that "close" was "good enough," as in: "The pattern says 8 stitches per inch and I have 7, so that's close. Good enough!" Ha, I say, and ha again. So we know now that one's gauge must be exact, or one knits a sweater that will either fit Dirk Nowitzki or Gary Coleman, but not at all your target recipient. So I know that. I do.
But... socks? I mean, who knits a swatch for socks? Especially toe-up socks. You do the toe, then when there are a few rows, you measure your gauge, then you go looking for a pattern or a repeat that will give you a nice sock and by "you" I mean "me," of course. So when I have a gauge of 9 stitches per inch (that's MICROSCOPIC, for you non-knitters) then of course I increase out to 72 stitches for my 8" diameter foot, and then I realize the pattern I wanted has 60 stitches. So phooey, and I cast on for a sock for the girl who reminded me in no uncertain terms that she asked for one months ago and I was never going to knit her any (we'll call it them Guilt Socks) and I use larger yarn and needles so I have a gauge of 7.5 stitches per inch and I have 60 stitches and I pull out the pattern and.... Gauge. Equals. NINE. Stitches. Per. Inch. Right there, in present-day English. Did I not see it? Did I see it and forget? (Highly likely.) Should I decrease back down and knit the first sock on 60, leaving some sort of bunionesque toe there?
Insert sigh.
So I start the Guilt Sock with the desired pattern and oh. That's why it seems like it would fit a tiny foot. The pattern opens up with a leaf motif, and it gets rather expansive. Now this sock is really roomy-feeling. I refuse to frog, though, because these suckers will fit someone, somewhere, so now I have three socks-in-progress. The Guilt Sock is on the right (aka Leaf and Tendril from Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.)
We don't know what we're going to be yet
Yes, I spend more time unwinding yarn than knitting. I get to cut the nylon reinforcing thread soon, though. Better be soon.
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