I started this on US 7 (4.5 mm) needles but I wasn't really happy with the fabric that I was getting and then I made a mistake while I was working the second repeat of the chart so I decided to rip it out and start over again on smaller needles. The pattern called for US 7 and I got the pattern gauge on US 7 needles. I had also swatched with US 5 (3.75) needles so I already had a good sense of the gauge, and I prefer US 5 needles with fingering weight yarn so that is what I went with. I cast on 103 stitches (basically went up a size) and figure that I'll have to do 15 repeats of the chart (total) to get the length required by the pattern. Knowing that I am using 6 grams of yarn per repeat, some quick math revealed that the front and back (30 repeats total) would use approximately 180 grams of yarn. At 50 grams per skein, that means I need 3.6 skeins for the body. I have a 6 skein set and have already set aside skeins 5 and 6 for the side inserts, which leaves skeins 1-4 for the body. Perfect. I decided to make it really easy on myself and just do 4 repeats of the chart in each skein. This uses a little less than half the skein and makes it easy to remember when to switch skeins. Here are the first 4 repeats using skein 1. I have already done the first row of the 5th repeat and you can start to see the electric blue in skein 2. I'll ravel the side inserts this weekend and get that yarn ready to be used again (skein it, soak it, and hang it up to dry).
Pattern: Open Eye Tunic by Deborah Helmke (Interweave Knits, Summer 2013)
Yarn: The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes in Electric Blue Flame
Needle: US 5 (3.75 mm)
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