Feza--or Multi Textured Vest-- from Fiberwood Studio--Day 2

Oh, by the way, it's not called the Feza Vest, it's called the Multi Textured Vest.


Today explains why people of my creative nature should--or perhaps should not--marry engineers. 


No sooner had I boasted about the clarity of the mathematical explanation in my last post, than my husband peered at my pristine calculation with narrowed eyes and informed me that those were not, in fact, quadratic equations. 


"But they have four parts," I defended. "That's what a quadratic equation is, [insert pause of mounting doubt here] isn't it?" He made one of the sighs, the ones I recognize from days where I have left too many kitchen cabinet doors open (which would be every day), and told me what a quadratic equation really was. 


I have absolutely no idea what he said. It might as well have been Swahili. I should stick to yarn and words. 


Ah, but I can't, can I? I promised to give you the rest of the alteration math, non-quadratic as it may be. Of course, if you are always modifying patterns down in size, this won't really be an issue. But if you always end up making things longer or wider--if you're of the "more of me to love" sisterhood, then you need this in your toolbox. 


It's the exact same equation we used to calculate our stitches-to-inches ratio. Only now, we're calculating how much more yarn it will take to make what is essentially a fatter rectangle. Not all shapes work like this--scarves and non-triangular shawls are fine, or you might get a rough estimate for a very boxy sweater, but that's about it.

This pattern calls for a 60 stitch row and uses two skeins, or 460 yards. We need to know how many yards an 80 stitch row will require. Solving for x (feel free to feel smart when you say that), we discover we need 613 yards, so we definitely need another skein. 


It's SO much better to know that up front, don't you think? See? Math can save you grief. 


Of course if you're fishing for an excuse to go back to the yarn store, where you might see a few more things you simply can't live without, feel free to ditch these equations with glee. I'll back you up completely.

Feza Vest from Fiberwood Studio - Day 1

Well begun is half done...

I am so looking forward to this project.  I’ve always been a fan of vests--convinced they, like their scarf cousins, can upgrade a simple jeans and top to “outfit” status.  They fell out of fashion for a while, but are back.  A seasonless, artsy piece like this is going to become a wardrobe staple for me, I can tell.

The trouble with vests, however, is that they often come in “one size fits all.”  I’m six feet tall, and I’m here to tell you one size often doesn’t fit all of me.  Ah, but that’s the wonderful thing about knitting--it puts you in control.

This means, however, that you have to do....math.

Stop trembling, dear DestiKNITters, I’ll walk you through it.  Even the mathophobes among you can handle a simple quadratic equation.  If it can be tackled by a sixth grader, chances are you stand a shot a success.

For me, the problem is always, always length.  I am longer than the standard female (if such a thing even exists), so I have to adapt.  The pattern tells me the finished vest will measure approximately 18” from the back neck.  If I reach into my closet and measure the back length of a vest I know fits me well, I find it is 23” long.  As this vest is knitted sideways (left edge to right edge, if you will), I know this means I need to calculate how many more stitches I must cast on than the pattern’s stated 60.  Enter the glories of Algebra:

If I know 60 stitches gets me 18 inches, then I want to know how many stitches get me 23 inches.  That’s X.  Come on, reach back into those gray cells and remember how to solve for X (or find the nearest 6th grader--that works, too).

X is a bit over 76, so I round up for safety’s sake and cast on 80 stitches.  See, that’s not so hard.  It works in the other direction, too, if you need to shorten something.

My next step is to figure out if the standard two skeins of Feza Alp Natural I got from Fiberwood Studio has enough yarn for the larger vest.  This is an important consideration, and I’ll walk you through that calculation in our next installment.