Right As Rainbow Cardigan, Part II: We’re Off!
The Right As Rainbow Cardigan knit-along is humming along; Catherine and I have happily swatched and are casting on. You can read Catherine’s explanations of modifications she’s made in her second post about the knit-along.
First of all, I’d like to share with you one of Little Miss Feisty’s (and mine, and Mr. Trask’s) favorite songs. The band They Might Be Giants, a staple of my youth (who doesn’t remember She’s An Angel and Birdhouse in Your Soul?), have put out a few children’s albums. This song, “Nonagon,” is both silly and catchy. We have dance parties with LMF to this song; we all wave our arms and giggle. As designer Stephanie Lotven explains, the yoke of this cardigan is a nonagon. So this song will be the soundtrack to my knitting; what will yours be?
I finished my swatches yesterday and blocked them last night. I knit three swatches: on US 7s, US 6s, and US 5s (4.5, 4.0, and 3.75 mm). The winner is the swatch on US 5, I think. I measured the swatches before blocking, because I couldn’t wait, but blocked the swatches before making a final determination about the right needle size.
Two swatches. You can see the eyelets at the bottom of the lower swatch that identify the needle size.
I inserted eyelets (yo, k2tog) at the bottom of each swatch to identify the needle size I used – a trick I learned a few years ago from a blog reader. It does mean I have to measure far away from the bottom, because the eyelets will change the gauge of the material around them.
I measure 2-3 inches’ worth of stitches and rows when I check gauge, and I use a knitting needle to follow the “V” of each stitch as I count, because I sometimes get lost in the stitches if I don’t. I’m hoping to cast on for the sweater tomorrow; fingers crossed!
Edited to add one last resource: a pep talk on swatching, from Holly. Read it and swatch!
So. How far have you gotten in your Right As Rainbow cardigan? Let Catherine and me know in the comments, or post updates on the Knit Like You Mean It Facebook page, or tweet about them with the hashtag #RightAsRainbowKAL.
Knit Like You Mean It. 
The trick of using eyelets for needle size…do you mean you make 5 eyelets for size 5 needles, etc?
Hi, Consuela! So nice to hear from you. Yes, 5 eyelets for US 5 needles. Helpful when I remember to do it.
Thank you Kathleen. Your post also reminds me the importance of swatching. Now I know why my sweaters never fit, so I am inspired to SERIOUSLY swatch before I try the next one. And yes, I’ve heard about the importance of blocking before but this time I promise to do it. So your post was very helpful even if I’m not doing the knit-along this time!
Oh, thank you! I am a bossy blogger. Not good…
oops. I meant the “importance of swatching” instead of blocking. I’m pretty good with the blocking but now I will start right!
🙂
I’m following the blog and so excited to see your sweater! I officially have a new song obsession!
Hi, Stephanie! Thanks for such a great pattern. If you think Nonagon is addictive, try Seven Days of the Week. Mr. Trask and I cannot stop humming it, and Little Miss Feisty asks us to sing it by making a trumpeting sound with her lips. I kid you not.