Competitive vs. Normal Knitting

We have a lot of first-time competitive knitters in HAT ATTACK! 2, and the difference between competitive and normal knitting is hitting many of them much harder than I thought. Thus, I felt it merited a blog entry.

For those of you not familiar with such things, there are a slew of competitions that are one part swap, one part race, and one part knit-a-long. I believe Sock Wars was the first, and it is definitely the best-known in my circle, but there are many spinoffs and inspired-bys, and some of those have their own spinoffs. There are also quite a few for crocheters, and most of this would apply to them as well, I just don't feel like being PC and writing "or crochet" all through this entry. Sorry, hookers- much love, though! {waves}

Please note that this entry does not really address the many reasons why people do enjoy competitive knitting, just some of the potential downsides that seem to hide until someone is already hip-deep in a competition. Competitive knitting can be fun, diverting, and generally pleasant, and I feel that as long as people are aware that it is not quite the same as knitting on one's own terms, those aspects will keep knitters coming back time and time again.

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In my opinion, competitive knitting of any type is to normal knitting what a Fun Run is to your morning jog. Some people are in it for the fun, and don't care how they place, others are in it to win, and both are valid ways to approach the endeavor. There are some aspects that apply to everyone, however:

1. You might actually have to follow the pattern.

   Many knitters have a somewhat relaxed attitude towards following patterns. If we do not like some aspect of the pattern, we change it. If we inadvertently do something differently than is indicated in the instructions, it's not a mistake, it's a "design modification". If the gauge we get with the yarn is different than that intended by the designer, but we like the effect, we adjust for it by changing the number of rows or stitches.

   As most competitive knitting events require that the FO be made to a certain set of specifications so that it can be checked for compliance, none of this really works in most competitive knitting, and many knitters find this to be the most frustrating aspect of the experience. (This frustration has inspired the creation of several competitions that do not require participants to use a particular pattern.) If you make a mistake or your gauge is off, you need to fix the problem, and you will need to discipline yourself to follow the pattern as written, not as you wish it was written. Think of it as boot camp for knitters- if you can manage competitive knitting, your "civilian" knitting will be the better for it!
   

2. Someone will be checking your work.

   Again, most knitters work under the assumption that no one will be scrutinizing the finished object, and that any fellow knitters they encounter will tend to be generous about any design modifications they do notice. In competitive knitting, I have found that while the competitors are sympathetic to one another, they will still call foul if your FO is not within the specifications of the particular competition.

   Think about the Fun Run comparison- the same person who would not give you grief for taking a shortcut if you decide your usual morning jog route is a bit too long for you today is likely call foul if you do the same thing during a competitive event. It's not a judgment on you for wanting to take a shortcut, it's just that everyone needs to be following the same rules for it to be a race.

   This seems to be the aspect that stresses people out the most in HA, and one of the most misunderstood, especially combined with point number 1. No, your target isn't likely to be scrutinizing every millimeter of your work, looking for yarn slubs and minutely larger stitches- he or she is a knitter, too, and generally inclined to take into account how much effort went into your weapon. As long as your hat is worked to pattern and wearable, your target will in all likelihood cheer you on in the remainder of the game! However, he or she is also playing a game, and to some extent, probably wants to do well in said game. If someone overcharged you in Monopoly in a way that would cause you to lose the game, wouldn't you say something?

3. Competitive knitting is not relaxing.

   One of the main attractions to competitive knitting is that it is exciting. You have a moving deadline, in most cases your overall longevity in the game depends on factors over which you have little control, and at least one person is keeping an eye on your progress. For many knitters, this urgency and uncertainty is the entire point of the experience, but those who knit primarily for relaxation might not find it so much to their taste. If you don't want knitting that can get your blood pumping, that's fine; competitive knitting just might not be your thing.

   One corollary to this is that competitive knitting can cause what Hat Assassins have dubbed "Package Paranoia". People tend to have a sense of anticipation about swap packages, and this does carry over somewhat to competitive knitting. However, receiving your competitive knitting item means you are no longer in the game, which can make mail time a bit more stressful as well, especially if you are trying for a particular goal you have not reached yet.

4. Competitive knitting is not swapping.

   While the underlying structure of most competitive knitting events is much like a daisy-chain swap, there are several aspects that are very different, largely related to how personalized the packages received are likely to be.

   While most competitors will do their best to make something their recipient will like, it's not guaranteed. You might not like the FO that you eventually receive, as many of the parameters are set by the rules of the game, rather than by careful selection on the part of the person making it. You're not required to keep it; as long as it was made to competition specifications, it should still be a well-made piece of knitwear suitable for re-gifting. Many people keep items they can't even wear, simply because they like being reminded of the experience, much like the shirt you get for completing a Fun Run race.

   You might not get much of a personal touch. Many swappers customarily send extras with their swap items. In competitive knitting, a note is customary, but extra items are completely optional, and if they are included, are usually less than the same person might send in a swap.
   

   On the bright side, the fact that it is a competition means that there is usually a much smaller proportion of "flakes" than there would be in a similarly-sized swap.

5. Competitive knitting patterns are meant to be challenging.

   As a designer, this is the one that bothers me the most when people don't understand it, probably because it translates into comments about the pattern being bad when it achieved exactly what it was meant to. The design specifications for competitive knitting patterns are very different than those for patterns in general. For HA, my design specs are:

• Easy enough that Advanced Beginner knitters can use the pattern
• Unusual enough that even advanced knitters can't make it on "auto pilot"
• Time-consuming enough that few if any knitters can make it in a single sitting
• Able to fit reasonably well on most heads with no modifications to the pattern
• Nice enough of a FO that I don't get several hundred knitters angry at me for wasting their time
  

I try to balance the need to keep construction simple for the beginners and the need to keep the advanced knitters on their toes by doing things that turn common design conventions on their head. In the first HA, I did a rib pattern that was close to a standard one, but not quite. In the second, I used a standard rib pattern, but offset it so that you can't just repeat the same row over and over. New knitters will likely be following the pattern closely, and are unlikely to be bothered, as they are still thinking in terms of each stitch, while advanced knitters will have to stifle the urge to go on automatic. That's not bad design, it's intentionally leveling the playing field, but a lot of more experienced knitters don't seem to be expecting it.

Each game has its own parameters, but as long as the goal is to provide a challenge to everyone who participates, expect there to be some twists to the pattern- part of the designer's job is to keep competitors on their toes, just as part of a race route designer's job is to make sure the entire route isn't downhill. :-J

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For those of you anxiously awaiting the list of increases and decreases, please be patient- I am currently bumming internet from a friend, and will need resources on my own computer to do that job properly. I didn't forget, it just got pushed back a little.

Making an Ass Of You And Me (in Knitting)

Okay, short rant courtesy of recent Hat Attack experiences.

I am getting really, really sick of knitting help sites that assume things, especially when they don't state the assumptions. The entire point of these sites is to help people who don't know how to do a particular technique, and they are largely frequented by knitters who are new enough to the craft that they are unlikely to catch the assumptions. Gah!

The particular example that currently has me pulling at my hair is the SSP decrease and knittinghelp.com, which is usually my go-to site for help when someone needs help with a technique, as the videos and descriptions are incredibly clear and concise. I still like them, but I suppose I should have vetted this particular technique before people started going there, as they have one major assumption that does not apply in my particular design.

According to knittinghelp.com, you can only do a SSP decrease on the wrong side of the work. Assuming you are working stockinette or otherwise want the purl bump on the wrong side of the work, that's sort of true. However, in this case, I wanted the purl bump on the right side of the work. It is helping to keep the ribbing pattern underway during the decreases.

Now I have people getting very confused and probably assuming that I am out of my furry little mind because I am asking for an "impossible" decrease, and doing all sorts of odd modifications because a site has an unspoken assumption that you want purl bumps on the back, not the front of the work. :sigh:

Another example, which is nearly universal, is the use of the terms "front" and "back" to refer to sides of the stitches on the needles, without actually explaining these terms. The front of the stitch is the side that once you work it will end up facing you. The back is the side that will end up facing away from you once the stitch is worked. Alert readers will notice that it is possible to have the front of the stitch facing left or right.

Unfortunately, this is not usually mentioned to new knitters, and they are simply told that the left side of a stitch is the "front" and the right side is the "back", and this inaccurate description is used when explaining increases, decreases, and so on. It's not usually a problem in normal knitting, but as they get into lace, patterned decreases, and other even slightly complicated knitting, it makes explaining things much more difficult.

To make it even more fun, almost all sites assume that you are knitting Western style, even though there are huge populations of knitters that work Combination, Eastern, or other "exotic" styles. Many of these people have never even heard of Western knitting. If you use one of these styles, you have a good chance of the stitches facing the other direction on the needle, which makes correct usage of "front" and "back" even more important.

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Okay, I have been successfully stirred into action by aggravation. My next entry will be a nice, long list of how to perform various increases and decreases, using terminology that actually takes into account how your stitches lay on the needle beforehand and doesn't use terms that can mean more than one thing depending on how they are used.

Rant over, I feel better now.

Swatching 101 AND 201

Most knitters have been through "Swatching 101", but many still don't see the point of swatching on most projects, as their swatches are rarely accurate enough to be useful. "Swatching 201" aims to remedy that by explaining some of the whys and wherefores of various aspects of swatching. But first, the refresher course and intro for new knitters:

Swatching 101- The Basics

Swatch: A small piece of knitting created for the express purpose of measuring to determine the gauge obtained with a specific combination of needles and yarn

Gauge: The number of stitches or rows in a specified portion of a knitted (or crocheted) piece. Commonly called "tension" outside the US.

You create a swatch before you start on your full-sized piece so that you can check your stitch and row gauges, and avoid ending up with, for example, a doll sweater that can stand up on its own, or a whale-sized poncho that looks like lace despite being made with bulky yarn. Well, technically, you do. Many knitters avoid swatching because this shorthand description leaves out a lot of what I consider to be key concepts. So, we move on to:

Swatching 201- Comprehensive

First, let's start by dispelling some common misconceptions:

• "I need to use the same size needles as the designer/ball band/my knitting friend."
  
  This is the most common misconception I see, and it drives me nuts. Um, no, no you don't. The important thing with knitting is to get the fabric you want, and knitters work at an amazing range of different gauges. There are tight knitters and loose knitters and everything in between. I am a tight knitter. What I get with a particular yarn on size 7 needles can and has required size 0 needles for others. This does not mean either of us is "doing it wrong", it just means we're at opposite ends of the tightness spectrum.
  
  Until you determine where you tend to be on the tightness spectrum, and where you are relative to your favorite designers, consider the recommended needles a suggestion, a starting place. If your first swatch does not result in the desired gauge, it's not a big deal, you just need to move up or down until you get there


• "Only stitch gauge is important, don't worry about row gauge."
  
  I know where this one comes from; if your piece is the correct width, you can always adjust the number of rows to make it the right length. If you are fairly close, this works, but if you are severely off row gauge, it can lead to a piece that looks perfect when you make it, and terrible over time, and I suspect this has resulted in more knitting disasters than any other swatching misconception.
  
  Because the width and length of each stitch come from the same bit of yarn, and each stitch pattern has an "ideal" proportion that it will tend towards, if you are significantly off on your row gauge, as the piece ages, it will gradually change shape to match that proportion, distorting your overall piece. More on how to deal with this below.


• "As long as you can get gauge, the yarn will work."
  
  I'm not sure where this one comes from, but it usually goes away after a disaster or two. It seems self-evident, but in the heat of the moment, many knitters will choose yarn far heavier or lighter than that called for in a particular pattern. When this leads to the inevitable bulletproof sock or lacey winter sweater, the mournful cry of "But... I got gauge!" rises to the heavens.
  
  This is where the weight, needles, and gauge listed on the ball band of your yarn becomes relevant. If the pattern calls for a yarn that is expected to knit up to 5 stitches per inch on size 7 needles, and you substitute a yarn that is expected to knit up to 2 stitches per inch on size 11 needles, you are in for a rather solid piece of knitted fabric, and this is no fault of the design, the yarn, or the needles- it was just a bad combination. Likewise, if you try to knit a pattern intended for worsted weight yarn with sock yarn, it is going to come out lacey and floppy, even if your gauge was perfect.

Now, on to some useful truths:

When you knit, you are basically tying one huge knot with the yarn. Unless you felt the project, that yarn will be free to scoot around after you knit the piece, and the idea is for your swatch to help you make something that will be the right size and shape to start with and that will stay that way for the life of the garment. Yes, many knitters are middle-of-the road and will usually get the ball band gauge on the recommended needles, but what if the designer of a piece you want to make is not one of them? What if the design intentionally calls for a tighter or looser gauge than is generally recommended for the yarn? What if you're making a substitution? Then, even these "perfect" knitters should swatch, and it is a good habit to get into for everyone.

Tip 1: If you cannot obtain both stitch and row gauge, try to split the difference between the two. If you have too many rows per inch, try to get slightly too few stitches per inch. You can block the piece later to pull the extra yarn from contributing to width to contributing to height.

Tip 2: If you are working in a pattern with a known height/width ratio (for example, stockinette is about 3:4), and the gauge requested on a pattern is significantly off from that ratio, try to find out if the designer took it into account that the fabric will likely shift with time. Some patterns and yarns will deviate from the default values (for example, silk and cotton will tend towards longer, thinner stitches), and if the pattern was designed to accommodate that, you need to take it into account in any substitutions.

Tip 3: Always do your swatch on exactly the needles you plan to use for your project. Yes, this may mean doing a four-inch square on sixty-inch circulars, but it will be a more accurate swatch than if you use more "reasonable" needles.

Tip 4: If your piece will be worked in the round, work your swatch in the round (or work a "round" cheater's swatch, as described below), and vice versa. Most people knit and purl at slightly different tensions, and the effect adds up over time. If you work a flat swatch for a piece worked in the round, your row gauge, especially, is almost guaraneed to be different.

Tip 5: Check your gauge again once you are a little way into your project. Depending on the pattern, sometimes all you can really check is your row gauge, but it's better than nothing. Your gauge may change once you are working with more stitches on the needles, and it's better to notice this early on in the project.

And a tip I picked up somewhere: If you are making something that comes in pieces all constructed the same way, like a sweater, just start making the smallest piece, such as a sleeve. If the gauge is wrong, it was a swatch, and you learned something. If the gauge is right, you're already underway!

The Cheater's Swatch

This is the way I swatch, with all of my hatred for wasted time and effort. I believe it is a good balance between accuracy and effort. Keep the tips above in mind when working this type of swatch.

You need to know your desired gauge to set up this swatch- if you are just trying to see how the yarn works up, I recommend trying for the ball band gauge. If you are supposed to swatch with a pattern other than stockinette, just replace the stockinette portion with the pattern.

Flat Stockinette Version:

1. Cast on your desired number of Stitches Per Inch (SPI) x 4 + 10.
   
2. Work 4 rows in Garter Stitch (all knit).
   
3. Work 4 inches in this pattern: Odd rows K4, Purl Many, K4, Even Rows Knit Across. This creates a Stockinette center portion with a Garter edge.
   
4. Work 4 rows in Garter Stitch (all knit) and bind off.
   

You now have 4 inches of nice, measurable swatch, surrounded by a garter stitch edging to keep it from rolling as you measure, and a little bit of leeway to allow for the transition from garter to stockinette. Measure the center portion of the swatch, and do not twist, pull, or otherwise distort the stitches if you can help it, and you will have the most accurate gauge it is possible to get without just starting your full piece.

If you are feeling motivated, you can wash and block your swatch before you measure it, but unless you have reason to believe it will change significantly with blocking, you don't absolutely have to. If you do this, you won't be able to use the yarn again in your finished piece.

Also, as you can fudge slightly on row gauge, if you want, you can work only half the length (2 inches), and as long as you are on track for a nice proportionate row gauge, call it good and just check again on your actual piece. This is one reason this is a Cheater's swatch.

Round Stockinette Version:

The downside of swatching in the round is that you need to work twice as many stitches (or steek the work- yikes!) in order to get the same size measurable swatch you would get working flat. This method saves time and effort by only properly working half the "tube". This is the main reason this is a Cheater's swatch.

This ends up looking much like the flat version, but it is worked all as "right side" rows. You should work the swatch with whatever needles you plan to use on your actual piece, whether it be DPNs or a circular needle. You can work the all-garter rows at the beginning and end flat, if you like, but work the main body of the swatch "round".

How to work "round": If you have ever made I-Cord, you have already basically done this- just don't pull the yarn tight when you switch sides. When you reach the end of a row, instead of turning your work and knitting back, drape the yarn loosely across the back of the work (I wrap it a few times around my finger so I don't accidentally pull it tight), scoot the work to the other end of your needle, and begin again at the right end on the same side.

The first few stitches will get horribly wonky when worked this way, but those are your garter stitches, so you wouldn't be measuring them anyway. Just pull the floats snug to hold the stitches tighter once you get the first couple of stitches done on each row so that the looseness doesn't make it into the body of the swatch, and it's nothing to worry about. If it bothers you, add a bit more width to the garter stitch edge by casting on more than 10 extra stitches and working more than a 4-stitch border.

When you are done you should have a nice normal-looking piece of knitting on the front, and a bunch of loose floats across the back that look terrible. That is the other half of the "tube", which you don't need anyway, so why bother knitting it?

1. Cast on your desired number of Stitches Per Inch (SPI) x 4 + 10.
   
2. Work 4 rows in Garter Stitch, flat (all knit)
   
3. Work 4 inches "round" in this pattern: Odd rows Purl 4, Knit Many, Purl 4, Even Rows Knit Across. This creates a Stockinette center portion with a Garter edge.
   
4. Work 4 rows in Garter Stitch, flat (all knit) and bind off.
   

Congratulations, you now have a nice, measurable four-inch swatch with a garter edge that will give you accurate gauge as if it were knitted in the round, and you didn't have to knit twice the size or cut your yarn to do it!

Final Words

It is my hope that now that you know more about swatching, you can see why swatches sometimes "lie", how to keep them truthful, and are more inclined to swatch voluntarily. Yes, it is kind of boring. Yes, it is less exciting than just casting on your newest project. Yes, it means doing knitting you are probably going to just salvage for the yarn five minutes after you finish. But let me tell you, there is very little as satisfying in knitting as having every piece you make come out the exact size you wanted it to on the first try, because you got all the gauge mistakes out of the way on a tiny little scrap of knitting you weren't emotionally invested in.

Inaugural Post

I am a member of the wonderful yarny site known as Ravelry, and I have discovered that certain concepts which I find very important to my chosen yarny craft of knitting seem to be missing from the reference blogosphere. Thus, I enter the realm of Knitting Bloggers {imposing music here}.

I will attempt to post at least once a week, but I am not certain that I will come up with knitting concepts that aren't already covered that often, so we'll just have to see. You might get the occasional post about Libertarian politics, annoying friends, or cakewaffles in there, too.

On to the first real post: Swatching 201!