Initiate Knit Design: Day 3

Day three was the first time we physically worked with the yarn, and honestly it was kind of difficult. I started off with yarn that matched the colors I wanted almost exactly but it was too thin. The YO's in the pattern weren't open enough, I was hoping for a loose beach effect but I just wasn't getting that with the lace weight doubled. I wanted the YO to really Pop but they weren't. So back to the yarn stash.

Decided on fingering weight wool and wool nylon blend for the swatch. They weren't the perfect colors but the weight was what I wanted and they were the same fiber. I also went up two needles sizes from a US 4 to US 6, six is my favorite needle size to work with! I started with a lace weight yarn doubled but it didn't really have the heft that I was looking for. I wanted to actually feel the yarn not just have some wispy piece of fabric!

I found actually knitting the swatch very difficult, surprising as that is. I didn't have a stitch pattern that I was following so I found placing the decreases and the YO in the right place harder than I thought. Having the YO sit on top of each other at the crest of the wave involved a lot of swearing.

Once I finished my swatch I realized I actually didn't love it. I was hoping for more subtle and shallow waves, to achieve this I think that I have to put two YO on top of each other before moving them over a stitch. For such an experienced knitter I found swatching without a pattern to read not very pleasant. Next time I'm designing without a stitch pattern I'll make my chart before starting my swatch. Another difficulty I was running into was finding the time to complete my daily challenge! Working full time really restricted my time; I have so much respect for the designers who work full-time, are mommy/daddy, and designer. Props to you my peeps, props to you.  --Sierra