Evening star., 1949-02-22
Interchanging Yarn

Editors Note: This letter
tpds sent in to the Readers
Clearing House BY Mrs. F. S.
De M, Siluer Spring, in dnSwer
to a query OF Mrs. c. c. S.,
Vienna. 1t UaS too long to in
clude in the column, but 1De
felt Dds of general interest to
many Uomen tDEo 1DiSh to use
odd remnants of iDool and are
at a loss to adjust patterns to
varying heights, needles, etc.
Therefore, De obtained Mrs.
De MS permission to print the
letter as a separate drticle.J
To tell whether the yarn you
have is interchangeable with that
called for in a pattern you make
q swatch" which is nothing more
or less than a sample of knitting.
I suppose Mrs. c. c. S. knows
that wool yarn is sized by the
number Of phys" or single threads
that are twisted together to make
the final thickness. If she will
pull apart the end of yarn she
can tell whether it is 2 ply. 3 ply,
4 ply. etc. Knitting worsted such
as that used in afghans and
heavy sweaters is usually 4 ply.
Mostly it is marked on the ball
or hank when bought. Then you
choose your needles to go with
the yarn. Four-ply yarn usually
takes No. needles. Three and
2 ply are correspondingly smaller,
and so forth. Anyway you make
a swatch about 3 inches wide or
wider and 4 or S inches long.
When this is done you measure
with a ruler and count your
stitches to the inch" and rows
to the inch" These can be COM
pared with the figures given in the
pattern. A good pattern tells
what ply yarn is used. the size
needles used, the stitches to the
inch and the rows to the inch.
# the count of your swatch is
the same as the pattern you can
use them interchangeably. It is
a good idea, however, to get a
knitting book that also gives COM
plete measurements in sizes in
inches. I have seen several of
these books in years past. For
instance. for a size II the width
across shoulders, waist measure
and arm length from underarm
to wrist are given in inches as
we'll as other measurements are
given so that by measuring the
child you find you can use a
standard size such as 8, 10, II.
etc.
When your swatch comes out.
say, 10 stitches to the inch and II
rows to the inch and the pattern
calls for S stitches to the inch
and rows to the inch, then it is
possible to make the same sweater
Cor any sweater by the following
method:
First, be reasonably sure the size
needle is right for the yarn you
are using. Sometimes you can
find out by checking different pat
terms what size needle is used
with your ply yarn. or call the
knitting department Of a store,
ETC., because a too tight knit will
get hard and mat and shrink. and
a too loose knit will stretch out
Of shape.
Measure the child across shoul-
ders in back, get chest and waist
measure (used u for front. u for
back, armhole from shoulder to
underarm, length of front from
shoulder to bottom, back from
neck to bottom, sides from under
arm to bottom. sleeve length from
underarm to wrist. etc. Write 1t
all down. Or maybe you can use
O standard 8 or 10, etc.. as men
toned above if all measurements
are given.
Next you get a tablet of graph
paper and draw one-half your
sweater on the paper (fron0, u,
using / block in the graph paper
as one inch. If long sleeves they
will have to be drawn out full pat
tern to get the shape right Cbe
sure to measure the elbows. You
can study the patterns in the book
to tell, for instance. that one inch
Is usually taken off at one time
when you begin to decrease for
the armhole, then another inch is