why can’t i do this math?!
I just feel the need to say this – this subject must be threatening to my identity or something – but I’m very good at statistics. I can do a discriminant function analysis, structural equation modeling, whatever. But knitting math just makes my head hurt. Since I’ve written about this before, and you left such generous comments, I do know that I’m not alone; for some of us, the whole enterprise is just counterintuitive. I knit a swatch and have too many stitches per inch….do I use a smaller needle or a larger one? Even though I have already been through this, I still don’t know.
So after redoing my Peasy swatch in the wrong direction, I redid it last night in the right direction. The pattern gauge is 22 st and 30 rows = 4 inches. Going up a needle size, I get 21.5 st and 30 rows = 4 inches. Pretty dang good!
My problem is that I can’t figure out what that 1/2 a stitch difference is going to mean. In the gracious spirit of Amy Herzog’s Fit to Flatter series, last night I decided to just suck it up and take my real measurements, disregarding what the actual numbers were and just looking carefully at the relationships between them. Then I compared them to the Peasy pattern to see what size I really need to knit. Well, I’m exactly on the large. Exactly.
So does this 1/2 stitch difference mean the sweater will be ever-so-slightly larger or ever-so-slightly smaller? If it’s larger, that’s wonderful! I sit here and try to puzzle my through it and just get a headache.
note to self: you can do structural equation modeling! you are not stupid!
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It means it will be bigger. But let’s put this in perspective. Look at your total stitch count for the project at it’s widest point (and compare to yours).
Ok so it’s supposed to be 22st/4 inches. You are getting 21.5st/4 inches.
Say you’re knitting for a 38 inch bust. With no ease, the given gauge would net you 209 stitches. Your gauge would need only 204.25 (round down to 204) to achieve the same bust size. But if you disregard and use the stitch count for the given gauge, you’re adding an extra inch to the sweater, leaving you with 1 inch positive ease.
Take the total stitch count, divide it by your stitch per inch gauge (5.375) and you’ll get the total in inches of what you’ll end up with.
the best part of your comment: it will be bigger. that’s what i thought, but i can’t trust my guesses. i feel like i ought to be able to sit down and just work my way through this logically, as you did for me here, but i get started and my brain goes “what’s going on in the kitchen? maybe i ought to go see.” thank you for walking me through this!
Yes! Turtlegirl gave you great advice. I always multiply my per inch stitch count by the number of stitches I’ll have at the high bust (right under the arm) to calculate what my actual resulting fabric will measure. That way, I get my version of a 36, not the designer’s version, if that makes sense. It also takes the ambiguity out of the equation!
Just a general note, for C cup and bigger, it’s best to use the high bust measurement. If you decided on size based on full bust, you’d likely end up with a sweater that’s too large in the shoulders.
REALLY?! Wow – the subtle things that really make such a different in fit. Thank you for this extra detail; I think I’ll sit with my measurements, and the methodical approach you and turtlegirl laid out, and see if I can’t figure out how to make it fit me very well. Luckily, it’s not a fitted sweater — still, I don’t want saggy baggy shoulders. Thank you Kelly!
discriminant function analysis … structural equation modelling … totally impressed
ah yes, but i can’t do the simplest of maths. it’s amazing just how seldom one needs to do a discriminant function analysis, and how often one needs to know whether to use bigger or smaller needles. ;^)
My life would be easier if I understood stats. However, what I call “cooking and knitting math” isn’t usually a problem.
On her own blog, janna just wrote a post titled..Slow Progress