Who hasn't experienced it: starting a new knitting project full of anticipation, happily spending hours on it and after a while thinking 'Wait a minute, something's not right here...!'
Could it be because you didn't do a gauge swatch beforehand? Nooo, because that would mean that the measurements of the whole piece wouldn't fit and everything would have to be started all over again. Or maybe it would?
Let's be honest, very few of us have really enjoyed knitting a swatch from the very beginning. The joy of starting the new project that you finally want to get your hands on is too great. And how beautiful will the yarn look? You don't have the time to knit such an annoying little square.
Today's blog post from the #YarnWhisper series is all about this annoying square. I'll explain to you exactly what it's all about and why you really shouldn't do without it.
So what exactly is a gauge swatch?
Quite simply, it is a 10 x 10 cm | 4 x 4" square thath helps you checking whether you are knitting according to the stitch gauge given in the instructions. This is always given as two numbers, e.g. 22 x 28. The first indicates the number of stitches and the second the number of rows needed to reach a total of 10 cm | 4" each. The aim is, of course, to obtain exactly these numbers in order to do justice to the instructions with all the dimensional calculations. Because if instead of 22 stitches you actually need 27 stitches to reach 10 cm | 4", the whole piece will be too small if you don't correct it.
For the swatch, first use the needle size suggested in the instructions. No two knitters knit exactly the same. Therefore, it may well be that you do not achieve the desired result with the gauge. This means that you will have to use either larger or smaller needles to get exactly the number of stitches indicated.
It is also likely that you will not always want to use the suggested yarn from the instructions for the project. Even if you replace it with an equivalent one of the same yarn grouping, it is still not unlikely that the needles may need to be adjusted to get the correct stitch gauge.
How do I knit a gauge swatch?
Check the instructions and see exactly what they ask for. The gauge should be given for the technique used. This means that if the knitted piece is mostly done in stockinette, the sample should be knitted in the same way. The same applies to other patterns. For example, if the entire piece is knitted in a rib pattern, you work the sample in the same way. If the instructions do not specify anything, you can assume that the swatch is done in stockinette stitch.
Another factor that plays into the correct swatch is the process used in the instructions. This means whether the knitted piece is worked flat or in the round. Depending on the process, this may change your individual knitting tension. This is because in a stockinette round all stitches are knitted, whereas in flat worked knits you knit one row and purl the other to achieve a stockinette pattern. Most knitters knit purl stitches a little looser or tighter than their knit stitches, which can distort a gauge swatch for the round. If everything is worked flat in the pattern, it is also clear for the swatch. But what to do for the round?
Very simple: knit each row without turning and start again at the beginning of each row instead of knitting the back row. The working yarn is pulled loosely behind the work to the beginning until all rows have been knitted. Before moving on to the next step, cut all the threads in the centre of the back so that the piece lies flat again and is not distorted.
To begin the gauge swatch, find the right needles called for in the instructions. Now cast on the corresponding number of stitches. You should always cast on 2-4 stitches more than necessary. This will allow you to have 1-2 selvedge stitches on both sides of the sample. This is worthwhile in the sense that you can better measure the actual number of stitches you need, because no stitches curl up at the edge.
You can use the same principle for the rows in height if you want to. For example, just work a small border before and after you have worked the indicated rows.
After you have knitted everything as the instructions say, you can cast off the stitches. Unless otherwise stated, you should wash the swatch now! This is important because when you have finished your project you will also wash the knitted piece right after. With many yarns the measurement will change again in that process. It also makes measuring much easier as nothing curls up and everything lies flat. If you are not sure how to go about washing, you can read about it in my detailed instructions: How to wash knits?
Finally, you can measure your stitch sample when it is dry. You can now see whether the needle size given in the instructions helped you to obtain gauge. If this is not the case, you will need to adjust the needles. If you need more stitches to get to 10 cm | 4", use a bigger needle size. If you need fewer stitches, reduce the needle size.
It's also a good idea to attach small labels to your stitch samples for future reference. This way you can always refer to them and check whether the yarn might be suitable for future projects.
So why is it so important to take the time for a gauge swatch? Quite simply: for the correct size. Because as mentioned in our little example at the beginning, it's even more annoying to realise in the course of knitting that you're completely off the mark with the size of your work than it is to knit a small square in advance.
Even though it is often annoying, I have come to 'love' the gauge swatch. Too many times I've had to frog my projects over and over again and start again because I was too lazy to do it beforehand. Since I also design and write knitting patterns, the swatch has become indispensable for me.
Somehow there is something nice about a pile of stitch samples to look at...
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