For the love of swatching

I am between cardigans. With Something Blue off the needles, I find myself in the lovely position of contemplating what to knit next in terms of garments. Socks are on the go, a shawl is obviously still going but I'm ready for a new garment.

So I swatched for gauge. Just as an aside, growing up with an English knitter mother, I spoke of tension squares. I guess we don't say that anymore, do we? Anyone? I love our American knitters and all that they've contributed, but we, outside the US, do seem to have adopted pretty much most of the US terminology, haven't we?

So I dug out a ball of Grignasco Tango, which is basically Rowan Felted Tweed rebranded, so I'm told. The make up is certainly identical. Wool, alpaca and rayon.



I'm not entirely smitten with the feel of it yet. Scratchy is how I'd describe it but then my other project at the moment is the silk Myrtle Leaf shawl. Anything is going to feel rough next to that stuff, right?



I'm learning more and more to love swatching. I don't see it as delaying the joy of casting on. Well, it is a delaying tactic in a way, but not for the obvious reason.

For me, starting a new big project is a bit scary and I'm happy to hover for a while in the joy of anticipation.

I'm a bit nervous about what I'm planning to do with this yarn. It feels like a reasonable committment, not in time so much but in effort. So I'm happy to put off starting just for a bit. Here's what I'm building up to.

Tangled Yoke by Eunny Jang.

I didn't get gauge first go. I'm one stitch short. Ordinarily I'd accept that, go down a needle size and get going but I think I'm suffering from performance anxiety, so maybe I'll swatch again, just to be sure.

Or maybe I won't. Maybe it's time to just jump right in?

Bells