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Tension square problem
Posted: 17 May 2008 09:10 AM   [ Ignore ]  
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Hello everyone, I’m new to the forum. Logged in to Lets Knit as I have a problem with the Sugar and Spice pattern on page 12 of Issue 7.  Sadly, no mention of it in the pattern corrections and wondered if anyone out there was experiencing the same problem. 

The pattern states 12 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm square over the pattern stitch.  I cannot see how I am going to get 12 stitches for 10cm and am wondering how I work out what the correct tension should be.  I have divided the stitches around the bustline by the measurement around the bustline and come up with 28 stitches - but is this correct?

Having invested quite a lot of money in the yarn (which is lovely I have to say) I want to get this right as I can’t afford to go wrong and I don’t have a spare skein to practice with.

Thanks for any help
SueK

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Posted: 17 May 2008 10:16 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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12 sts doesn’t sound an awful lot, I take it there isn’t anything on the ball band about the tension?

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Posted: 17 May 2008 10:31 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
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I hate to go into GRANNY mode but you really should do a tension square. You can always undoe it and use it at the very end of the project to sew up with.

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Posted: 17 May 2008 10:34 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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No, nothing on the ball band. I did look.

I always do a tension square and reuse the yarn.  This is silk and only 2ply though, so it isn’t going to like being played around with too much!

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Posted: 17 May 2008 10:36 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
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I forgot......WELCOME to the forum. grin

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Gillxx

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Posted: 17 May 2008 09:13 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
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I wonder if it isnt transposed and should be 21 not 12? or 12 rows and 28 stitches? How frustrating! I hope you can get a solution soon!

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Posted: 18 May 2008 11:48 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
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Thank you so much everyone for your help and fast replies.  Thank you especially to Gayle who I am sure was on the right track by suggesting the rows and stitches have been transposed.

I do believe that I MAY have cracked it!

When I knit up my tension square, I have 28 stitches and 32 rows to 10cm knitted in pattern stitch on 4mm bamboo needles.

Looking at the pattern more closely (now much calmer and with sensible head on!) I see that the measurement given across the bust unstretched, pattern stitch - is 77cm.  This would give two pieces, back and front, of 38.5 cm.  The number of stitches across the bust is 108. 

108 stitches divided by 38.5 x 10cm = 28 stitches

I had already thought this as mentioned in my first post, but I was thinking the rows were correct and I don’t believe they are.  And I have never seen a tension square where both rows and stitches were the same.  This threw me totally.

I missed a bit at the beginning of the pattern where it says knit a further 21 rows or until knitting measures 7cm.  This is in addition to the two initial pattern rows and therefore gives a tension of 23 rows = 7cm which means 1 row = 3.2 cm and therefore 10cm = 32 rows. 

I think they have got the rows and stitches the wrong way round, but I also think they may have also made a typing error and the 12 should read 32.

I have emailed the magazine as well and will let you know what they say.

Thank you everyone.

Sue

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Posted: 05 June 2008 03:48 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
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Just to update, Sue and I worked this out between us and we believe the correct tension to be 28 sts and 32 rows. It was my fault it was wrong in the first place - I won’t divulge the ins and outs of it but anyway, it was all my fault and I take the blame! I have put up a pattern correction in the usual place so hopefully anyone who is foxed by it will look there.

Sarah
(LK Ed)

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