Needle Materials and Gauge

Gauge is a devil, it is.  Getting gauge for Sweetie Pie has been an interesting challenge.

I mentioned the other day that I started my battle with gauge using the Cotton Stria yarn with the recommended needle size, size 6.  What I did not mention was the type of needle I was using.  I was using a beautiful pair of Lantern Moon hardwood needles.

Why? 

My original thoughts were something in this vein:  I prefer knitting on metal needles, usually Addi Turbo or Inox, circular, but straight on occasion, depending on project.  I knit loosely.  Usually I knit cotton more loosely than wool and cotton needs the support of a tighter gauge.  My gauge is usually smaller on wooden needles than metal.  Start with wood..  I prefer hardwood to bamboo.  Start with hardwood.  The Lantern Moon needles are pretty and short.  Good choice for a baby sweater.

When the swatch ended up considerably too small, we had an interesting discussion around the table on Claire’s front porch. 

Alexine, who is an accomplished and excellent knitter, tends to be of the opinion that you should get the same gauge on any needle of the same size, regardless of material.  I can certainly understand the logic of this.  Alexine may be such an accomplished knitter that this is indeed her experience.  I am not so experienced.  I will admit that in a nice smooth wool I do get the same gauge with any needle.  Branch out into other fibers, or unplied wool yarns and anything can happen.

I did have a pair of size 6 addis on me and thought I would try to swatch on those.  Eileen thought that since the metal is smoother and more slippery I would knit more tightly, trying to keep the yarn on the needle.  This is not usually the case with me.  The more the yarn sticks to the needle the more tightly I knit – probably due to pure frustration as I like my yarn to flow nicely and smoothly from skein to knitted fabric.

At any rate I did try the metal needles with no success.  It was very hot and humid Tuesday night.  We moved inside when the rain began, but there was no air-conditioning and, if anything, the heat was worse indoors.  The yarn stuck to my hands and I could not control the tension.  The needles however were perfectly slippery.  I had tight yarn in my hands falling off slippery needles.  The situation was impossibly frustrating and I gave up.    Lesson learned: do not knit this yarn outdoors in hot humid weather.

At home, in the AC, I tried several more swatches and did end up using turbo, size 5’s, not so bad really.  When I am cool the yarn slips over my hands and over the needles, It makes a nice, soft, fabric with nice drape.