More on Knitter's Graph Paper

Last week I showed you how knitter's graph paper works when planning colour work. Here's how it works for calculating shaping. This is the non-math way of calculating for the math phobic. It also gives you a visual check. 

Here's the sleeve schematic: 

Here's the sleeve instruction: 

This is a real pattern. (As an aside, how do you feel about being told to make two sleeves?) Take note, this is a very simple pattern, four sizes but only two lengths. I've marked in the shaping for all four sizes. The faint smooth red diagonal line is based on the stitch numbers the pattern indicated. On top of that I've overlaid the increase instructions. You can see the instructions follow the line fairly well, however the last straight section varies from seven rows to eighteen rows between sizes. This shaping works well when the sleeve has lots of ease but not so well if it is closer fitting or if you are changing the sleeve length. If you look at your own arm I think most of us would agree the angle of increase is not quite a smooth diagonal. Some of us have arms which are almost the same width from the elbow to the underarm. 

Now that you have read this you have a quick and easy way to recalculate if you need to modify the sleeve.

Knitter's Graph Paper

I often forget when I'm teaching that not everyone knows about knitter's graph paper. 

Knitter's graph paper is proportional, rather than providing the same numbers of squares per inch for both stitches and rows. This means if the ratio is 5 stitches per inch and 7 rows per inch, the proportion is reflected in the size of the graph paper boxes. They end up as rectangles rather than squares.

This type of graph paper was used in the past when knitting Intarsia but at the moment picture knitting isn't as popular as it once was. 

I use the graph paper when I'm designing. It's a quick way to lay out angles and curves. In many cases you get a more accurate shaping due to the constant rounding off when working mathematically. You can see lots of examples in my Design-a-long series which starts here.  

You can print this paper off here or just google other sources.

I've included some photos below that came from one of my very early design classes. 

This is what happens when you draw a shape on regular graph paper and knit it, the shape gets squashed down.

This is what happens when you draw a shape on knitter's graph paper and knit it, the shape maintains it's proportions.