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Substituting Fibers You can't
always find exactly the same yarn a pattern calls for - either
it's unavailable locally, or the pattern is old and the yarn is
no longer made. You can, however, successfully substitute
yarns if you follow these steps:
1. Consider the fiber type. If it calls for wool,
can you substitute another animal fiber, or a blend of fibers,
or even acrylic. Usually, the answer is yes. First
to consider is how the article/garment will be cared for - wool
can't be machine washed and dried, acrylic tends to pill and
lose its luster, blends of fibers may also create a laundering
issue. Does the recipient have an issue with wool against
the skin? Maybe wonderfully soft alpaca, or more expensive
but so soft Merino wool would be the answer.
2. Know the size of the yarn called for. Yarns
range from lace weight to super bulky. Read what the
pattern calls for, and examine the gauge information the pattern
gives you. Then read the label on your chosen fiber to see
if it will get you the correct gauge. You may know that you knit
tightly or loosely, so you may need a different needle size than
called for as well. This is where you SWATCH! That
pesky gauge swatch is a lifesaver at this point. You don't
want to complete the whole garment and then find out it doesn't
fit - let the gauge swatch help you figure that out first!
3. Now we need to figure yardage. The pattern may
have said 12 balls of the yarn they knit with, but your yarn
choice says it's not as many grams, or not as many yards.
AND, we all know how crucial it is to get enough yarn to
complete the project, AND of the same dye lot! Here's the
simple math:
If your pattern calls for 10 balls of Lovely Fluffy yarn and
this yarn has 210 yards per ball, you need 2100 yards
210yds/ball x 10 balls = 2100 yards
What if the yarn you've chosen has only 185 yards per ball?
2100 total yards needed divided by 185
yards = 11.35 balls!
So, you'd get 12 balls, and then even one or two more just
for safety's sake.
You can figure the same way with grams or ounces. You
can also check with the yarn store clerk as they have more
information on the yarn, and skill in this area. If all
else fails, try the internet for more information on the yarn.
But, say you already have the yarn you want to use, but don't
know how much you have. There's a nifty gadget out there
called the McMorran Balance Scale (available at
www.villagespinweave.com for about $22). It's a
plexiglas scale that weighs a small piece of yarn. You do
the math as explained in the accompanying pamphlet, weigh each
skein/hank/ball of yarn accurately (a good excuse to buy a good
kitchen scale, or go to your local post office outlet and ask
them to weight the yarn for you), and you know your yardage.
I've tried this with a lot of different yarns where I DID know
the yardage, and it's amazingly accurate.
To Slip, but How to Slip. . .
There are times when you are directed to slip a stitch.
This happens along edges for an even, neat finish, or when you
are decreasing as in SSK, and in certain stitch patterns called
Slipped Stitch knitting. So, how do you do this?
There's a simple rule of thumb that works every time.
If you are to slip the stitch, and
will not do anything else with it on this row, slip as if
to purl (grab the stitch on the left needle with the right
needle as if you were going to purl it, but just slip it to the
right needle); for example, in a slipped stitch pattern
If you are to slip the stitch, but
will work it again on this row, slip as if to knit (grab
the stitch on the left needle with the right needle as if you
were going to knit it, but just slip it to the right needle);
for example, a SSK decrease
Knit now, purl
later is a good mnemonic for remembering
Following these guidelines makes sure the stitches remain
untwisted as they are moved from one needle to the next.
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