The Whistler and Thoughts on Swatching

 After the hat that did not turn out as expected, I am a lot more thoughtful about swatching.   I don't like surprises, which are usually not great, when it comes to my knitting.  Truthfully, I really just don't like surprises.

For the Whistler, not only did I swatch, but a laundered the swatches.  I am very glad I did as the swatches told me a lot about what the yarn would do.....and I ended up with a project that both I..and the recipient.. liked.

At the end of last winter, one of my friends who has to shovel a lot was talking about what would make being out in the cold and flying wet snow easier.   Ravelry had a solution.   The Whistler Hood not only had a cowl that would tuck well into a coat...but a turtleneck to keep the wind from blowing down one's neck.  The best part was that the hood could be cinched in with a cord.   The Artic Chill, the hooded cowl I made before that did not have that advantage.  

Wool and Company had the yarn specified, Rauma Vams, in a great red heather, so I bought it...and put it aside.   

The weatherfolk predicted that we would have some hideous winter weather this week.   So, Christmas Day I got to swatching...and Friday I got to knitting.    

The swatch relaxed a lot more than I thought it would when I laundered it.  I went down a needle size and swatched again...and got gauge.

As I progressed through each stage of this project, I steam blocked the yarn.  It made a huge difference in the finished project.   The stitches were easier to pick up when I needed to do that.   Steaming the ribbing for the cord casing made sewing the casing down much easier...and easier to make look neat.  I even steamed the icord...which evened it out.

To thread the icord through the casing I used an old style stitch holder which worked great....and finally has given me a use for those holders I have not wanted to move along.

As I was steaming the parts of the hood, I kept thinking of all the things Mrs. Gaspar, my 4-H sewing teaching taught me.   I think she would be pleased, wherever she is, to know that I remember those lessons...and remember them fondly.