I hope that everyone had a fun time with last weeks post and learned something about swatching.  Today we will discuss how to determine which size you will make, adjust your garment in length (just in case you didn't get gauge) and how to insert a lifeline.

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/08/olgas-vest-kal-week-18/">Last week we discussed how to check your bust measurement properly</a>.  So what if you measure in between sizes? This happens more often than you may think.  Patterns are usually written for a range of sizes and not for each individual size, otherwise designers would be buried in math and numbers for eternity (my version of hell on earth.  Lol)!

I measure at 43" the size options for me are 40" &amp; 44."  This particular garment is to be worn with negative ease, so I will go with the size 40" - but if you notice in this pattern I give you the option to make modifications to fit your bust measurements exactly (we will discuss the details of this a little later - towards week four).

If you don't get gauge you can always adjust the length of your garment by casting on more or less stitches.  For example, last weeks reader Zara got 21 sts over 4.185."  This comes out to a stitch gauge of 5.017 sts per inch.  How did I come up with that number?  The cast on number of the swatch (21) divided by the width of the swatch (4.185).  Lets say you are going to make the 36" size and want a finished length of 23.5", so simply take the desired finished length and multiply that by the stitch gauge (23.5 x 5.017 = 117.89).  If you want your garment even longer or shorter than the finished length simply apply the same method to the desired finished length.

For this particular pattern you need to have an odd number of stitches for the stitch pattern to work out.  So simply round up or down to the nearest whole odd number.  So in the case above where the math worked out to cast on 117.89 sts I would round down to 117 sts.  You are now ready to cast on!

I used the invisible provisional cast on method for this particular garment.  I chose this cast on because I LOVE IT!  It's easy to do (once you learn it), it's faster than any other cast-on, it takes the least amount of waste yarn than any other provisional cast on and it pulls out very easily.  Make sure you choose a smooth solid waste yarn in a contrasting color from your working yarn.

Another thing to know about this cast on is that most people (including myself) tend to work it on the tighter side.  So what I do to counter the tension in the cast on is go up in needle size.  One needle size never seems to be enough... for a garment knit on a size 9 U.S. I went up to a size 11 U.S. for the provisional cast on.  I also like to work this cast on onto a straight (single point) needle because it makes it easier to count your stitches (on a circular needle they tend to start twisting over each other- which makes it difficult to tell one apart from the other).

So lets get started.  The following link is to a video for the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp235zEZEkQ">Invisible Provisional Cast On</a>.  In case you would like to start with some visuals here I have step-by-step photos to help you out a bit.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1854" rel="attachment wp-att-1854"><img class=" wp-image-1854 alignnone" title="Olga-1-1" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-1-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1855" rel="attachment wp-att-1855"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1855" title="Olga-1-2" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-2-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1856" rel="attachment wp-att-1856"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1856" title="Olga-1-3" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-3-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>
<ul>
	<li>Tie the waste yarn to the working yarn, make sure to leave a minimum of an 8" tail of the working yarn</li>
	<li>Position the waste yarn in front and the working yarn in back and hold your needle above the yarn</li>
	<li>*With your needle, come in front of the waste yarn and underneath</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1857" rel="attachment wp-att-1857"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1857" title="Olga-1-4" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-4-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1858" rel="attachment wp-att-1858"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1858" title="Olga-1-5" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-5-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1859" rel="attachment wp-att-1859"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1859" title="Olga-1-6" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-6-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>
<ul>
	<li>Come over the working yarn and grab it with your needle</li>
	<li>Come <em>back </em>underneath the waste yarn and up</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1860" rel="attachment wp-att-1860"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1860" title="Olga-1-7" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-7-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1862" rel="attachment wp-att-1862"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1862" title="Olga-1-9" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-9-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1863" rel="attachment wp-att-1863"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1863" title="Olga-1-10" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olga-1-10-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /></a>
<ul>
	<li>With your working yarn, work a yo stitch onto your needle (in the usual way)*</li>
	<li>Repeat from * to * until you have the total number of co sts needed</li>
	<li>Turn your work and begin to knit (in pattern) off your larger needle with your smaller needle</li>
</ul>
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At this point you are ready to get rockin' and rolling through this pattern.  I know that this stitch pattern is a it tricky- but I can tell you that will all the people I have assisted with this, most knitters have memorized the Linen Lace stitch pattern by the time they approach their first armhole.

Because of the complexity of the pattern I recommend inserting a lifeline into your knitting at the end of every repeat until you get more comfortable with the stitch pattern and then maybe you can put in a lifeline every 2-3 repeats.  Here is a very helpful <a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/using-a-lifeline">instructional video</a> on how to insert and utilize a lifeline in your knitting.

Next week I will discuss how to work your armhole in pattern and inserting a slit into the side of your work if you would like.  If you don't reach that point- don't worry, the blog post will still be here by the time you do.  Please let me know if you have any questions- you can post them here, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/grace-akhrem-fans" target="_blank">Ravelry</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GraceAkhrem" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or email them to me@graceakhrem.com.

Please keep in mind that I am out of the country right now and there is a huge time difference.  I will still answer all questions within 24 hours or as soon as I can.  Happy knitting!!!