Planning, counting and swatching

Plan, swatch twice, knit once, is that a saying?  If not it should be. I found a sweater pattern a couple years ago, I like the way it fits so I have knit it more than once actually this makes sweater # 4 for Brookings Crew by Marie Green, probably 6 or 7 if I count the do overs. It is top down, I like the neckline and the raglan sleeves. It is just a good basic sweater with a cable pattern . I have changed the cable pattern in the front panel on each and done the sleeves differently on two. Again I am changing the cable pattern but going beyond the 22 stitch center panel which required some thinking and planning because I need to start the purl stitches set up while the neckline is still being shaped.  It took weeks but I figured it out, it was a good thing to do on those bitter cold days, first on graph paper then I knit the beginning of the sweater to figure out where the purl stitches go to show off the cables and to plan the twists so I am doing all of them in the same row and my right and left twists are correct sounds like a candy bar commercial. Once that was figured out I printed off another copy of the pattern and made lots of notes, let’s not confuse these changes with past notes. And I’m out of yarn but I figured out the set up and neckline. I didn’t really want to knit half a sweater  to plan the front cables.  My graph paper probably only makes sense to me some of the c's are for cast one and some are for cables, my dots are for purl stitches  but also for purl rows.  A few months after I finish the sweater the graph probably won't make any sense to me.

Count the stitches in the front panel, cast on 46 plus two on each side, begin pattern and unravel my practice work.  16 stitches in the center for a stag horn or wishbone cable two 4x4 with a right and a left cable. Then I tried a variation which required a 2x2 right and left every other row with the cable twist moving in 2 stitches on the cable rows. I thought that looked kinda wimpy compared to the 3x3 cables on the sides. I also decided I didn't want to do that many cables. The center cable needs to be bold and the focal point. Back to the 4x4 with an 8 row repeat.  It doesn't bother me that the 3x3 cables and the 4x4 cables are not twisted on the same rows.  I like the 3x3 with a 6 row repeat, I tried a 4 row repeat but that was too dense. I also tried some different patterns between the cables. I like the knit-through-back-loop stitches with a purl between.  I believe I am ready to start with the new yarn.  This gray Kenzie yarn by Hikoo, I have used it on 2 other sweaters and love it. Neither of those sweaters have pilled. I just wish this grey had more flecks of color because I love tweeds but it will show off the cable better since it is more solid in color.  Ready, plan, set, swatch, knit, knit --Ann--