my gauge swatch lied!

As Emma is my witness, I am trying to just look at this as a bloggable moment.

My gauge swatch lied to me. I was supposed to have 2.25 sts/in on this cardi. Yesterday I made the entire back and because I am in such a hurry, I didn't bother to stop and measure. I kinda sorta measured, but not for real...and here I am, paying the price. As you can see, I am almost done with the right front today too, and I really needed to have it match the front, you know? So I did some real measuring (in several places) and what do you know, my gauge is off by a quarter inch. I am getting 2 inches per inch.

Some of you may think that this is not a big deal.

But it is.

I am writing this pattern up for publication, and everything has to be just right. No, it has to be perfect. Since I am on a deadline, ripping out is not an option. I simply cannot re-knit the whole thing. It is too durn hot today, and besides I cannot be swatching all over again to find the needle size I need to get the gauge I am specifying in my pattern. Besides, I like the fabric I am getting, so I am leaving well enough alone.

What I am doing instead is changing the size range. Ha! Being the author of a pattern entitles you to all kinds of liberties (freedoms? I am having another Vocab Moment). It also makes me wonder if a debbie bliss or a Norah Gaughan ever goes through this, but we are none the wiser because we don't get to see them go through the Process.

So off I go to change the size range in my pattern, in fact I am adding another size. It will now have 5 sizes ranging from a 36 to a 52, with 4 inch increments. Should cover a range of folks.

And as far as lying gauge swatches, I refer you to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's book Knitting Rules, pg. 100, where you'll find her list of Eight Things to Know about Swatches.

Items one and eight: Swatches lie.

Well, I am glad I am in good company.

And yes, Emma wears a size 40.