Knitters never really want to take the time to knit a gauge swatch, but we've seen a lot of sad knitters who skipped this step.
Gauge can have a tremendous effect on your knitting, as too few stitches per inch will result in a larger fabric than expected, while too many stitches per inch will result in a smaller fabric than expected.
For example ...
A typical ladies’ sweater pattern might give the following specifications:
Size: 40” bust
Yarn: worsted weight
Gauge: 4.5 sts per inch
Needle size: US8 needle
Stitches to cast on for front and back: 90 (20” x 4.5 sts/inch)
If your gauge when knitting with the recommended yarn and needle is actually 4 sts per inch, your finished sweater size will be 45” (90 sts/4 sts per inch = 22.5”). If your gauge is actually 5 sts per inch, your finished size will be 36” (90 sts/5 sts per inch = 18”). As you can see, even small changes in gauge can result in large differences in the finished size of your knitting.
The way to avoid unexpected and unpleasant results is to always knit a gauge swatch. The small investment of time and materials in knitting a gauge swatch can mean the difference between a sweater that fits and a sweater that makes you never want to knit again.
Gauge swatches should be knitted according to the instructions given in the pattern. If the gauge is given over stockinette stitch, the swatch should be knitted in stockinette. If the gauge is given in the pattern stitch used, the swatch should knitted accordingly. If your swatch reveals that you have too many stitches per inch, knit another swatch in a bigger needle. If your swatch has too few stitches per inch, try a smaller needle. Swatch your work until the correct gauge is obtained!
When measuring for gauge, it also advisable to measure your swatch on a flat surface over a number of inches, usually 4, rather than just one. This avoids the need to measure half stitches in the case of gauges such as 5.5 stitch per inch (22 stitches over 4 inches).
In addition to stitch gauge, knitted fabric also has a row gauge (number of rows per inch). Since most patterns call for a specific number of inches to be knit, row gauge is rarely crucial. If a pattern does require row gauge to be accurate, it will specify this. If your stitch gauge and row gauge do not match up, always choose the needle size that gives you the correct stitch gauge.
Happy Knitting!
