My swatches

Ok, I knitted swatches of both the yarns I chose for this knit along. Both swatches were machine washed in a lingerie bag, and inadvertently put in the dryer. The TLC Cotton Plus can be dried per the yarn label, but the Elann Esprit was not supposed to be.

On the left is TLC Cotton Plus in Thistle. On US Size 8 needles, it swatched to 19 1/2 stitches x 26 rows to 4 inches. There was not any change in before vs. after washing/drying. On the right is Elanns Esprit yarn in Aegean Sea. The lower half of the swatch was knit on US size 7, and the upper half on US size 8. The finished size 8 results after washing is 23 stitches and 32 rows per 4 inches. It did shrink after washing. (Before washing it was 20 stitches and 30 rows in the size 8 section.) Before washing, the size 8 section seemed a little loose, but after washing it is very dense, but still soft. I think I will end up using a size 9 with this yarn, knowing it will probably get dried on accident at least once! And let me add that a little elastic (1.7%), goes a long, long way :)

FYI, the pattern calls for a gauge of 20 sts x 28 rows to 4" in stockinette.