A New Cast On

I’m afraid that monogamous knitting is not for me. I have knit a couple more inches on my Contiguous Drop Shoulder …

… but found myself wanting to try something else. So I cast on the 4 x 4 Rib Tank.

This is a Cabin Fever pattern designed by me, which I am happy to knit again.

I am, of course, not using the correct yarn. I’m using a sports weight yarn, Summer Silk by Shelridge Yarns: 65% silk and 35% linen.

Modifications are happening:

1. Sports weight yarn, not DK as suggested in the pattern.
2. Very small size. I’m going to knit a 31″ chest size. That’s much smaller than the smallest size in the pattern.
3. Much tighter gauge. Using a 2.75mm needle I get a gauge of 6.5sts/1″ (26sts=4″).

Because I will be knitting at a much tighter gauge I can use the stitch numbers for the smallest size in the pattern. Instead of a 36″ tank top I will have a 31″ top for my daughter.

Here’s how the math works using the stitch count for the smallest size. There is a little extra chest circumference for the ribbing:

208 sts at gauge of 5.5sts=1″ (22sts=4″) for DK yarn: 37″ chest

208 sts at gauge 6.5sts=1″ (26sts=4″) for sports weight yarn: 32″ chest

I don’t expect that the silk will be able to hold the ribbing. It will flatten out when worn so I’ve done my calculations based on a flat fabric.

All these modifications make this an exciting knit for me. I know this sort of idea, with all these changes, is not for everyone but it’s definitely got me going.

I hope your summer knitting is exciting you. Cheers, Deb

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb on ravelry: Debgemmellmods

Cabin Fever patterns on ravelry

Debgemmell435 on YouTube

Deb.gemmell on instagram