Swatching in circles

It turns out my procrastination didn't last as long as I thought. I actually finished the top a few days after my whining post about all the finishing I had to do.

Once again I was kicking myself for mindlessly knitting a pattern without thinking, "why aren't they . . ." or "I could just . . .". First of all, if I had given the scalloped edge two seconds thought I would have done a provisional cast on or invisible cast on and then folded the edge over and knit two together to create the scalloped edge and not have to seam ever ^&%#& edge. PLUS why do I continue to mindlessly cast on for front and back when I could have knit this bad boy in the round right up to the arm hole, thus avoiding yet MORE seaming.


I'm not going to make that mistake again with the Classic Elite Cotton Bam Boo Smock Top, I am going to knit this guy in the round. I learned after my trauma with the Bluebell from Fitted Knits, if your going to knit in the round, for god sake, swatch in the round. BOY does it make a difference.

I first swatched the Classic Elite Cotton Bam Boo (which is supposed to get 6 st/in on a US 5) flat on US 5 and got the gauge perfectly. Then I swatched it knitting in the round and I had to go up to a US 7 to achieve that gauge. I really am a crazy tight knitter. The great thing about this is, my row gauge is now 30 row per 4" instead of 28 and I really need that, because I am about 130 yds shy of the yarn that I actually need to do this pattern. Hopefully between cutting a couple of inches off the length and the row gauge I will be able to eek by.

Does everyone know to cool trick for swatching in the round? Here's my sample (note the loosey goosey stitches on either side)


But that's not in the round you say. It's not! You just cast on the number of stitches you want on circular needles, making sure to cast on at least four more on either end, so you can have a good flat section in the middle to measure. Then knit a row, pull the stitches across to the other side of the needle, and then bring the yarn loosely around the back and knit again. The back of your swatch will look like this:

By knitting every row, you will be able to check your in the round gauge. I'm doing the same thing with the incredibly dreamy Alchemy Silk Purse, getting ready to cast on for the Lotus Blossom Tank. More about that another day.

In the garden, it is one battle after another. Following my triumphant defeat of the Katydids I am now battling powdery mildew. Our zucchini is barely hanging in there. We are picking more green beans, tomatoes and eggplants than we can eat, and the peppers are just starting to ripen, but the zucchinis . . . are rotting on the vine. GRRR

We are getting new and strange bugs arriving everyday. We now have these weird all black bees and black & red beetles, and these crazy dragon fly things:



Our dahlias have been joined by the glads



In our continuing effort to save some cash (eating all our home grown veggies helps), David found some old stale bread in the back of the fridge and turned it into:


Who's a lucky gal! He's a keeper

Speaking of keepers. I got a fantastic knitting magazine from my mother in law when we went on vacation. The cover tells you it's gonna be fun (check out the hair!)


and please note the almost, paper doll like pose, here's a picture from inside the magazine of the same model

Oh what wonderful things can be done with a crochet hook (eek)

Here's some equal time for the horrors that knitting needles can create in 1970





Here are my two favorite adds. The first one is one of those "not only little old ladies knit" adds but with a hip 70's flair


And, last but not least. . . everyone can have a yarn store in their home!