Swatching

As much as we knitters like to knit we don’t like to knit in vain, at least I get miffed when I realize that what I produced, in the end, serves no purpose. Yes, stitch count row count, super important information. But but but.

Never underestimate the beauty of a handknit item. You may not see it after having stared at it for hours on end, but it’s still there. Keep all those squares, rectangles, lopsided, not right yet, and over time turn them into a throw to grace a chair. You’ll love it every time you see it.

Centuries past girls were required to knit all sorts of patterns at school, one after the other. When they left school they had a strip, maybe 15cm wide and the length depending on their skill and speed. It held a variety of patterns they would likely go back to for the rest of their lives. Every one of them learned by heart, knitted over a few rapports to become thoroughly familiar with it. Occasionally these old pattern strips are found intact in old chests and given to local museums. They may look random, but they are magnificent. We can do the same today, pick a few striking patterns and try them out in soft (but not furry) wool, one after the other. And when you had enough of one pattern, you go to the next. Any little scarf will look spectacular with this method. Why? Because it is not something that is easily bought, the textile industry doesn’t do random, it only knows high yield. And our eyes feast on the unusual, anything that’s not run-of-the-mill. With each new pattern you know more and your experience will grow.