EZ V Neck Sweater: The Swatch.

(AKA: Jim's Sweater)

Begun....March 4, 2004
Sweater completed March 12, 2004
Page updated March 13

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I made a lot of ponchos. I wore them on vacation.

I love them. But, I really don't need another poncho, do I? What should I make next?

I've decided to write a simplied generator for a V neck sweater. The sweater is easier to knit than the ones drafted from the full generators. However, it also has some limitations. If you find you can not draft the sweater you want, visit the main site and find the full generators.

The easy generators will provide you a pattern that can be.

knit by hand or on a machine using real ribbing or mock ribbing.
The body should be knit in stockinet or any stitch that achieves a similar gauge ratio.

What do I mean by this? If you look on the yarn label for an HK yarn, stockinet might have a gauge of 24 rows = 18 stitches = 4". The gauge ratio is 24 rows/18 stitches or 4/3 = 1.33 row/stitch. Stockinet typically has a ratio in the range of 1.33 to 1.5. Many, many popular stitches fall in this range. However, garter stitch typically is "flatter" with shorter rows (so you need more of them). It can easily have and may have a range near 2 row/stitch. Ribbing typically is "taller" and can have a ratio near 1. If the ratio falls well outside the stockinet range, I advise using my full generators.

The body is a "straight" shape. The ribbing will draw generally draw the bottom in. The program will tell you how much, but it's up to you to make sure this fits both your chest and your hips.
The shoulders are fitted. However, you can lie about your shoulder width and drop them a little.
The sleeves use an "EZ Set In shaping". Many commercial sweaters do this. (The full generators have a more beautiful curved set in sleeve.)
The front neck is a V neck uses an "EZ" shaping. Stitches are reduced to make a straight line. (The full generators have a more beautiful slightly curved V neck. )
The back of the neck is unshaped. (The full generators let you shape it.)
The sweater has long tapered sleeves.
I give a smidgen of guidance about fitting. You can get more guidance by running the full generators to estimate fit.

Procedure:

Knit a swatch.

( You may use your own procedure for knitting a swwatch. In that case, you will need to calculate your stitch and row gauge. If you want a yarn estimate for the sweater, you will need to estimate the amount of yarn used per 1000 stitches.
My procedure is described below. It is more complicated than the standard MK swatch procedure, because it is designed to provide additional data. Additional details for using my procedure are provided on an additional web page.)

Design and knit sweater. (Described on Web page 2)
Wear.

The swatch.

You must knit a large swatch. I make you knit a swatch with both stockinet and ribbing portions. If you don't knit a swatch, and decide to guess the gauge and later the sweater doesn't fit don't blame me!

If you have a standard procedure for making a swatch, just follow it. You can enter your stitch and row gauge on the sweater design page. This page recommends a swatch size to ensure it is big enough to design a sweater accurately.

Design the swatch!

Ok.. I have no clue weather you are going to knit a chunky Icelandic sweater or a thin sweater MK. So, you've go to enter numbers to customize your swatch directions.

To customize the instructions, you will need to tell me the approximate gauge, which you will guess. Then you must tell me which type of ribbing you plan to do, and finally tell me if you are hand knitting for machine knitting.

Why do I ask you the extra stuff?
MK: If you are working mock ribbing, the rib is folded over. So, I make you knit more rows. (Also, please read the details on working mock ribbing. )
Everyone: The recommended swatch size is different for HK or MK. I find MK knitters tend to need bigger swatches.

Enter guessed gauge knit in stockinet: HK: Read the back of the yarn label. MK: Read advise from yarn manufacturer. If in doubt, enter a larger number of stitches per inch or rows per inch than you think you will achieve. That will result in a larger swatch and better fit for the final sweater.	stitches/inch and rows/inch.
Enter the size needles you will be using to knit the stockinet swatch. The knitting directions will advise one needles size smaller, or one tension dial setting lower (tighter) when knitting the ribbing.	Size needles (HK) or setting on tension dial (MK)
Specify real or mock ribbing. I make you a rib swatch so you know in advance how tight or loose the hem will be. I also use it to determine the number of rows of ribbing required, and to estimate how much yarn your sweater will use. You can read how to make mock ribbing on a machine here.	I will use ribbing.
You may hand or machine knit the sweater. Remember, the generators are best at providing shaping directions. You need to understand how to use your machine or how to hand knit. That means, you need to know how to increase, decrease etc.	I will the sweater.

Knit the swatch

You will be told to set row markers. I just hang a loop of yarn the the middle of a stitch in the previous row. Hand knitters, just pull it through the stitch. Machine knitters can lay a thread over a few of the needles and knit across the row. It doesn't matter that much how you do it as long as you can use it to measure the length between rows at a later time.

Using size needles (or machine tension) Cast on stitches. Knit rows in "rib" you chose.

MKers using mock rib: Fill empty needles with stitches. Hang hem. See details.

Set row marker 1.
Change to size needles (or machine tension.)
Knit rows in stockinet. Set a row marker 2.
Knit rows in stockinet. Bind off using the simplest method available to you. (This many be taking a thread and running it through the live stitches!)

Wash the swatch:

I highly recommend washing and drying the swatch using the method you plan for the garment. Afterwards, let it rest overnight before measuring. If you used memory yarn, steam the rib. Washing the swatch and letting it rest is always a good idea. It is extremely important if the yarn is cotton, which shrinks, or if you MK (machine knit). Knitting is always distorted on the machine, and washing and resting ensures the swatch ends up in its final, normal gauge.

If you don't wash the swatch or let it rest, and the sweater shrinks later on, don't blame me!

After the swatch has been washed and dried, decide if you like the swatch.

Feel the swatch. If you think the swatch feels too "floppy and lose" for your taste, pick smaller needles or a tighter tension setting and knit another swatch. If it feels too stiff, "card board" or worse, "bullet proof", pick larger needles or a looser KM tension and knit another swatch.
Look at the ribbing. If it seems too loose ignore the needle size I tell you and use one size smaller and reknit the swatch. Make a note in pencil on your pattern. (Oh... it's ok to take a short cut and just reknit the ribbing!)
If you don't like the swatch, unravel and make a new one!

Measure the swatch:

Try to measure all lengths and widths to a precision of 1/8th inch or better. If your gauge does not change when you knit the sweater, and you knit a sweater for a medium sized adult, this precision will result in a sweater whose width is within 1.5" of your design value. Machine knitters should do even better.

I advise measuring twice and knitting once. (Know any carpenters? Same advice.) So, do double check your numbers, then enter them here.


If you used your own method for making the swatch, toggle to "my own method". Note that if you use your own method, you will need to enter the number of rows and stitches in your swatch.
Main: Rows/Inch: Enter length of the swatch between row markers 2 and 3 in inches. If you used your own swatching method, enter the number of rows.	rows	inches long.	rows/inch.
Main: Find two straight pins. Insert then at the edges of the stockinet portion of the swatch, leaving 2 edges stitches on either side of the pins. If you knit "Lucia's" swatch, you want stitches between the two pins. Measure width between pins.	stitches	inches wide.	stitches/inch.
Rib: Measure the length between the cast on (or hem fold) and row marker 1. Enter the number in the box to the right. If you used your own swatch, enter the number of rows of ribbing you actually knit. (The program will account for folding if you knit mock rib or a hung hem).	rows	inches long.	rows/inch.
Rib: Find two more straight pins. Insert them at the edges of the ribbing leaving 2 edge stitches outside the pins. Measure and insert the number in the first box to the right.	same as stitches for main.	inches wide.	stitches/inch.
Optional: Weigh the swatch on a postal scale. If you do, I'll provide an estimate the total amount of yarn required. It may or may not be a terrific estimate, but it's a good start. To estimate, I've calculated that the swatch has stitches.		ounces.	ounce/1000 stitches.
Based on your input, the gauge ratio is = row/stitch. This should fall in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 to use the simplified shaping in the "easy generator". Otherwise, the some features of the sweater may be distorted. (Although, it may not distort tremendously badly. I coded more flexibly than I anticipated when I first wrote this page.)

Record results from swatch.

Record these following 6 items from this page. (Or print the page out, highlight then and staple the swatch to the print out.)

Stockinet stitch and row gauge in st/in and row/in.
Rib stitch and row gauge.
Weight of yarn per 1000 stitches.
Needle size and/or KM tension setting. (This is input.)

These will be used to chart your sweater and create the directions. You will enter them on the EZ sweater design page.

I also advise you to start a notebook including this information for each swatch you make. You should also record the yarn brand, type and information about how you treated the swatch. I usually also staple the swatch to the page so I can refer to it later.

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All images, programs and text at this site is copyrighted. Permission is given to knit sweaters and swatches from the directions provided.
@copyright 2004, Lucia Liljegren