Amazon Banner

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

All 4's are not created equally

I have been working on a pattern. I was so excited to get results from testers before I released it. Even though it is intended as a free pattern for my blog, I am really becoming more determined to be sure the patterns work before I release them.
I specified the yarn, the hook size and even explained my crochet style as that of a lifter. I offered my gauge, and laid out the instructions to create the item.  the results from the tester were so far off, Even though all the instructions were followed. I scratched my head, and grabbed more yarn.  My results were different yet.  I tossed the whole project in the corner.  I have 18 ideas battling my brain cells for attention. I have a multitude of undone chores around my house, and a 5 year old who wants my attention.  Can you believe it, I cannot let this go.

I pulled the original out of the heap of "I should frog its" and began to look at it again. Had I missed a step when I wrote it?  I pulled the second one out.  I am wearing my glasses to count stitches, I am also noticing that the yarns feel really different. But they are both the same brand.  I dug out ends, and began to look at them. The color was a definite difference, but the textures  are off.


Where is my pencil and ruler?  Wrapping the yarn around the pencil, (My granddaughter is all shades of eager, She wants me to do this with all her pencils for school now, so she will be able to see hers easier.)
One is just over 13 WPI, one nearly 15.  That is odd. Neither of those falls in with WW yarn counts that I am aware of.

Off to do a google search. Perhaps I am measuring the wpi wrong. I have learned that so many of the things I learned as a kid are not done that way anymore.  Sort of like math.  I watched 3 dif videos, and read a couple blog posts. Naw, that isn't it.  CGOA yarn standards is the next stop. Great info, but not what I want.

  Craftsy? Well, If it is there, I didn't find it,but instead had to close the window after I spent 20 minutes staring lustfully at every sort of yarn imaginable. I wanted to share pictures, but which one, and too far off target.   Ravelry?   This is better, but it did not give me the results that I got from wrapping the pencil!


 

With all the variables within one brand of yarn, how can we say gauge does not matter?


Let's just say that it really does come down to getting the right number of stitches in the right amount of space. Even though steps are being taken to standardize the industry, the market for yarns has exploded, and there is no rhyme or reason to what I find, all with a silly 4 on the label. Even within Red Heart Super Saver, I got several different WPI measurements.

I will be sending the pattern to another tester tomorrow.  I Will modify the pattern if her results are different as well. It is too nice to just frog.  

No comments:

Post a Comment

I love hearing from you