late sweater knitters

Hello All,
I'm new to this and I'm getting a late start on my sweater here. I have my yarn picked out and here - basalt gray with cumulus shimmer. I've started my swatch and having been reading many of the treads in this group. I read a bunch about swatches and have a couple of questions: Some of you wash and block your swatch and then measure for gauge. It seems to me that the pattern would assume gauge for an unwashed piece. Can anybody tell me if there is a "right" way? I have never steeked before and I read that someone else used their swatch to pracitice this! I think that is a great idea! But that goes back to this washed thing for me - I assume that the sweater is not washed before being steeked - so I would not want to wash the swatch either, right??? Any help here would be great. I'm terrified of the steek and am trying to prepare myself for the idea of cutting all that work...... Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on November 10, 2009 at 8:27pm: Peggy, I'd recently read that somewhere. I read about the meat cleaver handles, but it can be any large handled kitchen utensil or a large wooden dowel. It's like a homemade nostepinne.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2009 at 4:31pm: Before I got my ball winder, I guess I was just too dumb to think of it. I just wound my yarn around my hand, holding the start end with my thumb. It worked, but heaven help me if the phone rang or I needed to go to the bathroom! --P; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on November 11, 2009 at 7:01pm: Hmmm...., I think the latter probably posed more of a problem!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2009 at 8:26pm: For me, it's a toss up.--P; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Janet Carroll on November 12, 2009 at 9:30am: I wound another ball of sock yarn using a wooden spoon--doesn't sound an threatening as "meat cleaver," which is the term I often mistakenly use for "meat tenderizer." I am a psycho-knitter, so a cleaver in my hands could be dangerous! ;-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on November 12, 2009 at 1:45pm: You have me ROFL!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by robdob on November 12, 2009 at 9:00am: Wendy, I'm amazed at the progress you've made. I've had to put mine aside for a couple weeks because I'm getting ready for craft fairs and Christmas. I needed a short break because it was taking me forever to see progress on the body. I have about 6 inches done, so I'll be getting to the joining part of everything soon. Keep up your good work. Robin; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 12, 2009 at 12:57pm: Robin: We're here, cheering on the sidelines! Go, go, go!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by wendy carlsen 1 hour ago: OK! I've finished! I've done all the bands, and steeking, and seaming, etc! And it looks Fabulous, if I do say so myself! Now - do I HAVE to block? The shape is really good already! Comments? I'm going to go digging in the other threads too. Janet - how are you doing? Is yours a Christmas present? Mine is for my mom, so I had to get it done in time to ship. Hope yours is coming along well!; ▶ Reply to This