Sampling cables and similar patterns

Good Night all!! lately when i try a new pattern , i also try it in a different wool and color , I found that it fgives me a better feeling if i really like this WOOL with That pattern... mirjam

What pattern ? i buy my wools [ like the one i lately found to match my new petrol skirt] , Than find myself a pattern and/or an idea how i want to knit/crochet it , than make samples to guague it , than calculate all the measurements ,, than make it ,,,,, But klately i felt a need to do the same pattern sample in another kind of wool , gives a new insight to probing .... Converting sizes is a learned ability , just like any other, the more you practice the easier it gets. Of course we here are very lucky in this matter , mostly when we have a American/European Knitting magazine we have no chance of finding the Mentioned brand of wool , thus we have to learn to adapt , available wools to seen patterns ,,, thus i quickly [YEARS ago ] lost interest in that and strated making my own pattern. Best of luck with you knitting ,,, mirjam

What a good way to test your own pattern! That way a good idea won't be lost if the wool doesn't look good.

I'm not sure I've ever used the wool specified in a pattern, but I usually use the same thickness of wool, or as close as I can get. Yarns vary so much, even within the same brand name, that it's hardly worth worrying about, just swatch and be done with it. Besides, I usually don't like the colorway and want to substitute my own, or don't care and want to use yarn I already have.

But I do like to look at the patterns and magazines, for ideas for USOs.

=Tamar