Swatch Happy

Zora is not turning out as I planned. I still don't have the right needles and I am really not sure that I want to knit a sweater out of this yarn. The more I swatch, the more I think, "WTF am I thinking?" Well, I am thinking I should have ordered the yarn in a different base. Not because I don't like the yarn.....I just don't think I want a sweater made out of it. Then, of course, what will I do with 5 skeins of sock yarn in this amazing blue-gray colorway?? I don't know. Maybe a massive Pi-shawl? Or a bunch of medium sized ones? Or maybe I'll knit the sweater anyway once I decide to order needles.

Anywho. So I also have the gorgeous yarn for the Effortless Cardigan. And guess what? I *do* have the right needles to knit that sweater. So I swatched. The yarn is DK and the pattern calls for a gauge of 19 stitches/4 inches. So, I knit two swatches. One on size US 3 (3.25mm) and one on size US 4 (3.5 mm).

I measured the gauge both before and after blocking. (I'm a little OCD, and the yarn was expensive, so I want to make sure the project comes out just right.) I am thinking about sending it through the washing machine to see if that does anything to it also (just in case I ever want to wash it that way, it *is* superwash).

I think I am going to go with the size 3 needles. I got 4.64 stitches to the inch (it's an average from the 5 different measurements I took of the swatch, 3 four inch ones and 2 three inch ones). I played with the numbers a bit and I am happy with the results.

The two swatches are wonderful, btw. I am definitely buying more of this yarn. It is the softest and squishiest yarn ever, perfectly round. LOVE it. This picture here does it no justice.

Now the hard part - do I cast on? Or finish my February Lady Sweater (in Malabrigo, already separated for the sleeves)?