As you might have guessed, I have decided to frog my latest project. It’s a lot easier to just consider it a large test swatch that didn’t work out.

Commentary On A Large Test Swatch

If you know me, you know I’ve never been a big fan of swatching before I knit anything. In fact, I had to create the feature photo today with AI since I clearly didn’t waste yarn on a test swatch for Waterline before I started it. My theory is that the worst thing that can happen is that I need to rip out the project. There are a few exceptions to this for me.

1. If the project involves a lot of colorwork and an I’ll be cutting my various yarn colors into a lot of shorter lengths, I’ll do a test swatch to make sure it looks okay before I get fully into it.
2. For sweaters, I’ll often knit a sleeve first as my test swatch…especially if I’m trying to match a designer’s gauge.
3. If I’m using a delicate yarn or a yarn that is difficult to rip out without damaging it, I might consider a test swatch.

But for most projects, I jump in without testing if it will work. Which sometimes results in ripping out.

Thank you for all your valued commentary on my latest project (the Waterline Shawl). I wanted to address my full reasoning for why this project didn’t work for me. So I published the 17th episode of Knitting With QueerJoe (it’s 16 minutes, in case you don’t want commit to a long video podcast).

If you’d like to sit through 10 minutes of me unraveling Waterline (and see me with “winding” face), have at it.

Current Knitting

As mentioned in the video, I’ve begun a new sweater project and a pair of socks. The “High V-Neck Patterned Pullover” pattern was never published for sale.

It’s a DK weight sweater with a shallow v-neck. Since I’m test-knitting the smallest size, it should move along pretty quickly. If anyone would like the pattern as-is, just contact me and let me know how to send it to you.

Since recording the episode of Knitting With QueerJoe, I have started the pair of helical striped socks.

I’m liking this one already. Not as vibrant as many of my knitting projects, but I think it’s going to look great. And I don’t think that’s magical thinking either.