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Glamour Jacket Knit-Along: It’s Time for Gauge Swatching

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Glamour Jacket Knit-Along: It’s Time for Gauge Swatching

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Editor’s note: There’s still time to get your Knit-Along Kit, get your kit here now – there are four to choose from! Also we have a hashtag for this KAL, use #LBspringKAL2015 when you share your progress on social media. Have fun!

Hello my fellow knitters! It’s Kristy Glass here and I’m hoping you have all received your yarn and are anxiously waiting to get started!

As I have been studying this pattern, I want you to keep in mind a few things.

1) GAUGE. I have learned too many times that making a gauge swatch is WORTH YOUR TIME. This pattern calls for 15 sts + 30 rows = 4 in. (10 cm) in Ridge pattern. If you feel lost like I STILL do almost every time I am presented with knitting a gauge swatch, here is a link to help you understand what to do!

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A TIP! When you finish your gauge, instead of binding off or frogging it, take an opportunity to practice any new stitches you haven’t encountered yet, or brush up on stitches you haven’t done in a while. For example, after reading this pattern, I noticed a highlighted portion called EYELET PATTERN. Since the gauge was done in Ridge Pattern, I may practice the eyelet pattern on my swatch before I cast on FOR REAL!

2) Avoiding the TANGLE! Last year’s KAL leader suggested putting your yarn in plastic baggies and feeding the yarn through the snipped off corner of the bag. Let me know if that works for you!

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I prefer putting one of my skeins inside a ceramic yarn bowl or placing yarn on either sides of my body while I sit and knit. This may not be the best ON-the-Go project if you don’t have the tangle under control.

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3. Casting On. It’s time to get started! This pattern presents new challenges for me. Very often, after reading a pattern with new skills, I feel overwhelmed by the whole thing and need a little motivation to get me started. I found my motivation for this project by starting with the collar. It’s easy garter stitch stripes. Seeing the fabric work up made me so thrilled! It looks Bolder and Brighter than I even imagined it could be and now I want to see the whole jacket so badly, that I don’t want to stop knitting! I have been stopped by strangers working on this because the colors are so provocative!

4. Pattern Note: A few of you expressed interest in an alternate pattern for the back. I have investigated this and it’s not a pattern alteration the design team can offer at this time. One thought I had, after looking at it, was to tack up the back—-it’s just a small triangle that you can fold under and tack if you don’t like the mermaid look. I am so sorry we couldn’t accommodate the suggested pattern change! If anybody has a solution, please share it in the comments below or in our Ravelry group.

Let me know if you have any questions or issues and what colors you ordered! Is ANYONE out there doing pink with me??? I want to know! Post pics in the comments below! See you next week for a progress report!

UPDATE – Ridge Pattern demonstration:

If you’re having trouble with the Ridge Pattern, here is a little clarification for you!

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I am Kristy Glass and I am so thrilled to be infiltrating the Lion Brand blog to lead you in the 2015 Spring Knit Along! Even though I learned to knit as a girl, my passion for fiber arts has escalated at a very steep rate these past several years.

I returned to knitting and began crocheting about 8 years ago after I suffered an unexpected health setback leaving me feeling completely out of control. Hand work was a healing salve for my body and soul as I suffered through a long healing process. Thankfully I continue to use knitting to aid meditation, solace and a feeling of accomplishment. I knit year round, despite weather changes, and I am highly anticipating us all knitting together on this project.

I have completed over 100 projects including scarves, cowls, hats, hand warmers, phone cozies, afghans, pillows, sweaters and yarn bombing. My most recent passion has been making sweaters and actually wearing what I make!
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37 Comments

  • Kristy, what cast on method did you use for this Glamour Jacket?

    • I used a Long Tail. What are you going to use?

      • I’m not sure. I don’ t know the name or the method I was taught when I learned but it is kind of second nature to me. With long tail I’m concerned I will either pull out to much or not enough to start.
        I haven’t started the gauge swatch or the jacket yet. When I saw people had already started before the actual KAL start date, I thought, I’m already way behind everyone and the KAL hasn’t even officially started. I’m a little bummed about starting way out behind every one.

        • There are always early starters but there will also be people starting on time and some behind the group. That happens with every KAL/CAL. Some people just get really excited and jump the gate. Hey, but I’m here with you. I’m just now reading the pattern.

          You’re not behind.

          • Thank you Donna Jean. I guess I’m just having a tough time getting myself to start.
            My middle name is also Jean. I often run into people who have Jean in their name. It always gets my attention and wonder if it is part of a family name. My mother said she didn’t remember how she came up with my name. So I guess she just pulled out of the air.

          • Glenda, it is a family name for me. I am named after my great uncle Eugene. He ended up being my favorite uncle too. I’m pretty lucky with the name Jean because some of the other family names were not something I’d be sharing lol

          • My middle name is also Jeanne! After my Grandma!

          • How cool. The Jean team!

          • WOW!! This is the first time I’ve had any interest in taking part in a KAL or CAL. Something, I couldn’t figure out what, kept pushing me to take part and let my presence be known. Now, I have at least one answer. I’m meeting more people that share *Jean* somewhere in their name. That’s awesome!! A friend I’ve known since we were we were four years old, goes by her middle name Jean. My hairdresser of 25 years is Jeannette. My daughter’s middle name is Jean after me and my youngest granddaughter’s middle name is also Jean. A real *Jean Team* for sure. It’s REALLY is COOL sharing a name with even more people!!
            I must confess, I haven’t started my jacket yet. No valid excuses, just doing some sewing but working on the jacket in my head.

        • you are right on time, no worries. Here is a trick to getting the right amount of yarn. You can wrap the working yarn around your needle any increment of the cast on number. For mine, I cast on 50 to begin, so I would wrap my yarn around the needle 10 times, and then use that to measure how much I needed, I would do that amount 4 more times to total 5 ( 10 x 5 = 50 ) and then I know I have MORE than enough for a long tail cast on.

          Make sense?

          • Thank you Kristy. Your tip the cast on is great. It really simplifies the math for me and it sounds so much easier than I was thinking. Need to do my gauge swatch so I use the right needles for how I knit. I remember reading somewhere to cast on more stitches and do more rows than the gauge to make it easier to measure what your gauge actually is.

  • I didn’t think I was going to be able to participate because of my health. Seeing what you wrote about handwork helping with healing got my attention because I know it does. I mostly crochet because I’ve been crocheting since I was 6 and it takes no effort for me. So days when I can’t don’t feel well I can still crochet because it is second nature. I liked knitting because of the challenge and then had to take a break from it because my meds make it so difficult to concentrate. I mentioned this KAL to my husband when he came home and I was surprised when he said he could drive me up to get the yarn this evening so I wouldn’t have to wait for yarn to ship. They didn’t have the colors I wanted but I bought the colors my husband liked, Sapphire and Onyx.

    • We are so glad you decided to participate and we’re here for you if you need help! Love that color combo too! 🙂

    • Donna! That is AMAZING…those colors are going to be great—which one is going to be the main color? I hope sapphire!? But of course either way will look awesome. I seriously attribute my mental health to fiber arts, and the great thing about this jacket is that each piece is so repetitive, you really only need to concentrate when you first start a section, and then it gets into your hands really quickly! Keep me posted!

      • Oh yes, the sapphire is the main color. I love it. Thanks for the info too. That makes me feel better.

    • I love love love that color combo! when is the start date, I am really tempted here, I have never done one of these…….

      • You can start now. This past week we were checking gauge. We should be starting tomorrow but you can always join at any time!

        • so that means, I can skip the guage, lol!

  • Kristy, help! Can you do a video or something to explain how to do the ridge stitch? My brain isn’t comprehending how it should work and I need to work my gauge. So knit two strands and then one strand? so I started with my color a & b together, then knit one row with one color… so then I’ll have to purl that one back. Then knit with both again…. then do I switch to the other color?

    • Yes you got it! Except…..ALL one stranding or single color is the SAME YARN. You will notice the kit came with 2 colors, and they have a different number of skeins. The one with MORE skeins is your single color always. Don’t worry, you will totally get the hang of it. I wish I could get a video up, if you are still struggling I can probably do one on Saturday and get it published!

    • I see that sapphire is your main color, so THAT is the one you do all your one stranding with for both Ridge and Eyelet pattern.

      • Okay, thank you so much for the quick reply and for taking the time to look back and see what my colors were. You’re da bomb! I didn’t buy a kit. I just bought the yarn locally so I could get going asap. Okay, so I’m going to start swatching now.

  • Love the sweater in the bottom picture (granny square). Is there a pattern for it?

  • I think the back is the coolest feature of the sweater, I wouldnt change it’s appearance at all.

  • Started with right sleeve as per pattern. Gauge is correct but sleeve seems much too wide for me. Having trouble reading sleeve diagram but I think it shows 12 1/2 in at start for smallest size. That’s what mine is but please let me know if I’m wrong.

    • That sounds right. My sleeve that hasn’t been seemed yet is around 13″ The sample I have measures 6 1/4 on one side (It’s already seemed, so this would be YOUR piece folded in half and measured). The sleeve is generous, it’s a nice affect. I have put a few pix up in my project page on ravelry showing just how much give there is. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kristyglass/glamour-jacket-l10351-2-color

  • Did my swatch today and plan on using a cable cast on. I always feel like it provides more stability for the base of the work.

  • My social media skills are somewhat scattered….so where is the main place to gather online, here, or FB or where? Thanks much.

  • I just got my kit! I knitted the swatch – love the color combination – I picked Gold for primary shade and topaz for my secondary color

  • When you gauge swatch with this yarn do you wash and block according to the directions on the label? or does this yarn not change shape much when you wash it?

  • I am having trouble with the gauge. I have made three swatches, the last with size 11 needles. 15 stitches = 4″ 30 rows = 5″. Is this going to work?

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