Gauge

Have you heard about checking your gauge when knitting? It's where you measure how many stitches and rows to get a certain size - usually in most patterns and on balls of yarn they measure it over 10cm (but depends on what country your pattern is from). I have had projects where I'm right on gauge and they don't really work out anyway (muckle mittens) but I seem to have bigger issues within my brain lately. 


I cast on for my Cobalt sweater and knit some of the sleeve to do my swatch. Measurements give me 21 stitches instead of 20, so in my mind I was like "Yea! Bigger!"




Only, if you have done a gauge you might already know that you actually want smaller numbers to make it bigger. So I probably shouldn't continue until I figure out how to increase a few stitches and make it even. Otherwise I will end up with a cardigan that is too small, not loose as I had thought. 


My sweater is more of a rich burgandy than brick red as in this photo, but it was taken late at night with lack of daylight, and on my cell phone!


I also have just received Deborah Newton's book Finishing School. Which obviously is to become my RULES OF KNITTING. And she talks about  seam stitches at the edges that are in stockinette so you can easily seam. I was worried about the seams in this project and think I definitely have to add these in to make my life that much easier!