On Swatches . .

 

A 'practice' swatch is not a 'gauge' swatch. It is something I play with to see if I like a pattern: its appearance, rhythm, and whether I can do it with a minimum of frustration. After all, I do this for fun. 

This is a practice swatch of the Rose Trellis pattern found in A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, by Barbara G. Walker (Blue cover.)

It illustrates a 'half drop surface pattern' and was knit in finer thread than I usually do my practice swatches.

  A 'diaper' pattern is an all-over pattern and has nothing to do with baby's garments. "diaper: A pattern formed by small, repeated geometrical motifs set adjacent to one another, used to decorate stone surfaces in architecture and as a background to illuminations in manuscripts, wall painting or panel painting." . . . my note: also used in textiles.

Textured Eyelets is a 'gauge swatch' and serves as a 'practice swatch'. It is from one of the several stitch dictionaries I use.

I made this swatch using yarn scraps from the stash, to distinctly see the different sections.

When I start a new color, I tie the new yarn to the previously used yarn with a 'clove hitch' knot.

It's the Itbe Shawl from Laura Nelkins, but don't expect your shawl to look like this swatch!

I use a bulky or chunky yarn and big needles. My mind is 7 to 17 years old while my eyes are 77 years old. Like a kindergartner using big crayons, I use big yarn and needles. I get Knitpicks™ 'Bare' wool blend bulky yarns because they are good quality, and less expensive. For cotton yarns, I use Brown Sheep Company. 

  

The size of the swatch depends on the multiple number of stitches, and the all-over pattern repeat. If a pattern is a half-drop pattern I will do at least a set of pattern rows with 3 repeats, followed by a set of rows with 'filler' stitches and 2 repeats, then another set of 3 pattern repeat rows. I try to keep swatches small enough to place in an album. I use either a store-bought ring binder, scrapbook album or make my own if I need an odd size.

There are many examples of stitch patterns in the Stitch Dictionaries available. The stitch count I use depends on the pattern I am knitting, but I don't want to use any more than necessary. It is only a swatch, and has to fit in my album.

If I am following a published pattern that instructs "Work these 2 rows 23 more times" (for a total of 24 rows) I may work them 2 or more times, if needed, to end up on the RS (right-side-of-fabric) and to see the pattern interplay. The pattern calls for an even-number-of-repeating-rows, so that is what I want to do in my swatch as well, to maintain an accurate stitch count according to the pattern.

Note: if I mean 'right-of-center' I will indicate 'right edge' or ROC. Likewise, 'left edge' or LOC (left-of-center). RS always means 'right-side-of-fabric' in Knitting Standards.

This example of Zigzag A, Staci Perry Winter Chill, at VeryPinkKnits (used by permission) illustrates a definite Center, an ROC, and an LOC.