Word Problems
Ok - so the first train leaves the station at 8:00 AM, going 40 MPH, and the 2nd train leaves the station at 9:00 AM, going 55 MPH, so how much yardage will I need to knit my sweater?
No, I'm totally serious, let me try again..... I want to knit a certain sweater, the yarn it calls for knits to a gauge of 4.5 stitches on size 4-5 needles. The yarn I want to use knits to a gauge of 4.5 stitches on size 7-8 needles. So, which train gets to the station first.... wait, I mean, if I knit it to the 4.5 gauge on my 7-8 size needles, do I still buy the same amount of yarn that the pattern calls for, or do I need more, or less?
Remember, I was dropped on the "math section" of my head as an infant..... this type of figuring totally just makes me go.....uhhhhhhhhhhh (insert blank stare). I just don't get it. And, if you explain it to me, I still won't get it - so someone just tell me, and I'll believe you. Please... I don't even know which direction to start thinking to figure this out. Word problems..... argh! Hellllllp
meeeeeeee....My children were no help - either didn't care long enough to listen to my whole dilemma, or, like me, don't get it. And, no, I didn't drop them on their math sections.
On a MUCH happier note, look what is now living in my office. Kaity's new birthday present!!!! The UPS dude brought a large package yesterday, in the pouring rain, a gift from a far-to-generous friend! Really, you know who you are, and you shouldn't have, but we are SO happy you did! You should have seen the excitement - the running around looking for some hank of yarn, any hank of yarn, so we could make it spin. Kaity's even gonna let me use it! Wooo Hoooo!
And, last but not least, Kate over at Can't You See I'm Knitting Here is having a little contest. Show all the useless stuff you've got hidden in that useless cupboard over your fridge. Hey- there's a skein of Socks That Rock on the line, and I'm not proud- so here ya go! Hmmmm, it seems to be the leftovers from my "country" phase, a few candles the kids made, that littl
e piece of wood in the back is a goblet that my son made out of wood in shop class (why?), a tin canister set, a tin coffee pot, an old Easter basket? (I've never seen that before!), a tea pot - I should take that down and use it!, a cow paper towel holder, a carton of BB's (probably took it away from the boy for some good reason - he's probably been looking for those for years!), some crystal decanters that were wedding gifts (hey, I guess I could put my Trader Joe's Two-Buck-Chuck in them), and some paint as old as Methuselah, probably completely dried up. Now, did I clean out all this "stuff" or just shut the cupboard door and climb back down off my chair - I think we all know...
posted by Lynda @ 7:04 AM
5 Pair - hey, it's a start
First Place, Gospel Light
The Way of the Master
17 Comments:
Sorry, I can't help you, but I'm sure someone will come to your aid soon.
Now, I'm not a math whiz either, but I think you should get the same yardage plus one more skein to be on the safe side.
Interesting contest... May have to take a pic.
That's a very creative contest! Alas, I use that dang cupboard (I'm 5'9", so no chair is required). Oh well.
Ignore the needle size. If you're getting gauge, it doesn't matter what the needle size is. You're overthinking! But I always buy one more skein than recommended... just in case your row gauge is different than the designer's (and because row gauge is so rarely specified in a pattern).
i agree with chris - just make sure you make gauge, with *whatever* needle size. just as long as you get gauge, you're good to go. =)
and HEY... you got a yarn swift too!! (i recently caved and mine came in the mail a week ago too) =)
Math!!!???....argh!!!
I always just go over to Knitty.com and let the math freaks help me figger it out. (Notice I never asked YOU a math question?)
(runnin' and duckin')
I usually just get the same yardage. But I just learned something from a lady at the lys the other day. She told me always to get an extra ball (which I can bring back to exchange for something else if I don't need it) because she says sometimes the ball of yarn may not quite have the yardage it claims on the ball band.
Now this is more gut feeling than knowledge, but it does seem as though you would use the same yardage. The gauge relates to the total length of yarn over an inch, and the yardage of yarn is how much you need to cover the pattern's many "inches" at that gauge. Boy was that circular! Anyway, I say as long as you are at gauge, that's all that matters.
Hmm, I'm seeing your dilemna here. On one hand, it's the same gauge so you'd think that you could just substitute evenly. On the other hand, if it requires larger needles to get that gauge, the yarn would have to travel further around the larger needle for each st and so each st would consume relatively more yarn. I'm going to dissent here and say that you'd need more yarn. I just can't tell you how much more.
I just want to know what yarns could knit up to Aran gauge on needles you'd usually knit sport weight yarn on! Are you sure they mean US4-US5 needles and not 4-5mm needles? 4-5 mm needles are equivalent to US6-8 needles, and that seems much more likely to be needles you'd use to get aran gauge.
Lynda, I wasn't dropped on my math section but my mom did fall off the porch steps while I was "incubating" and undoubtedly, it affected my math section!! I'm sorta disappointed by all the simple answers - gee, I was expecting way more technical, than "if you get gauge" - weren't you?!!
Congrats on finishing Rogue and using the pic of you modelling it as your signature!!
Marsha
I'm blogless - don't have a teenager in the house anymore!!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Apparently, the fall affected my ENTIRE brain!! Sorry for the double posting :(
Marsha
You should be using that teapot, it's very cute! I hate the whole math thing, but it is the way I lure men into knitting as somehow they think the math part makes it more butch to knit!
Your Dad says it's the same amount of yarn, and George is still apologizing for that "math section" incident.
I always go by yardage, but I don't think the needle size matters. Lucky Kaity with her new swift. Such a great tool!
Your math question makes my brain hurt, and even scares me a bit.
Congrats on the swift, to you and Kaity. They are wonderful, aren't they? That was very generous of your special friend.
I like your cupboard contents! Mine has just basic stuff, like unused cups and huge plastic pitchers that we use in the summer, and the husband's travel mugs. The only thing is, they're all just thrown in there, because I can't reach so I just open the door and toss the stuff in. Heh.
I tend to agree with most that you should probably buy 1 extra ball just for insurance. I, too, am mathematically challenged.
I'm so dumb at math. I'm sorry to be of zero help in that arena! But hey, you have a swift! Or at least your household has one. =)
I'm going to post my useless junk cabinet right now. (Nice country cows...are you sure there aren't any bonnet-wearing ducks in there?)
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