Dusky Nor'easter - Swatching and Cast On

Another set of yarn that was in the same box as the leftover Coolfire was 6 skeins of Dream in Color Classy yarn in Dusky Aurora.  A quick Ravelry search revealed a likely pattern - Thea Colman's Nor'easter.  I do like Thea's patterns and I remember when this one came out.  The pattern calls for a US 7 needle, but I knew from the October Vest that I just finished that I would not make gauge with a US 7.  The gauge I ended up with on the US 7 was 18 sts and 24 rows in 4 inches and I needed 20 sts and 28 rows in 4 inches.  I started out knitting a swatch on US 5 needles, but that gave me 21 sts and 30 rows in 4 inches so I knit another swatch on US 6 needles, which gave me 20 sts and 28 rows in 4 inches.  Perfect.  You may wonder why the row gauge changed so much between the US 7 and US 6 needles.  Loose knitting expresses itself by increasing the length of the legs of the knit stitches, which reduces the number of rows you can get in your 4 inches.  Why?  Because the strands of yarn can only get so close together - giving you a maximum number of stitches that you can fit into 4 inches - and when the weight of the yarn starts pulling on the fabric the stitches will close up to a comfortable level of squish and any extra yarn will go into the legs, giving you long stitches and a lower row gauge.

The swatch on the left was done on US 6 needles, the one on the right on US 5 needles.

Once I had my gauge swatch done and knew what size needles I needed to use I caked up a skein and cast on. The pattern calls for a k1, p1 rib on the cuffs but I've never liked the look of k1, p1 rib so I worked a k2, p2 rib instead.  I used a long tail cast on and worked the first row flat in pattern because I like to have the side of the cast on that looks like purl bumps on the outside.  I split a knit rib across the join - so that first row started and ended with a knit one.  I don't like changing the stitch type across the join, I think it just looks neater when I don't.  I also find it easier to join neatly and easier to keep from twisting the knitting after working one row flat.  That wasn't really an issue with this cast on, but on longer cast ons it can be a bit of a challenge.  I use the tail to close up that little gap at the bottom.  After working that 1 row I joined for working in the round.  And best of all, pulling this yarn out of stash made room for some Blue Moon Fiber Arts Targhee Worsted yarn that has been sitting around in my recent purchases pile.

I made a little video that talks about my swatching process for this project.  I hope you find it useful.

Pattern:  Nor'easter by Thea Colman
Needle:  US 6 (4 mm)
Yarn:  Dream in Color Classy in Dusky Aurora