Getting accurate measurements from your gauge swatch. Measuring stitch and row gauge

[@mariehansen2534]

Thank you for sharing your video. I have to come clean and start swatching. I normally knit for myself but now I have a very little Great Nephew who has a very clever Mum and Grandma so its come time to do things properly. I understand the importance of the swatch but not having done it before, I would just nod politely and do it my way. The brilliant thing about you Suzanne Bryan is that you do everything properly and it is so easy to understand. Once again you have saved my life. I will do better. Thank you again, rest assured, I will be back, I enjoy my visits to you. Take care.

[@SuzanneBryan]

What a lovely thing to say, Marie, thank you so much! There is no shame in knitting, so please don't worry about not having swatched before; and your grand-nephew is going to be a lucky recipient of your lovingly created garments! ❤️

[@theastewart6721]

Hi Suzanne. Thanks for the 2 great tips! I’ll definitely manhandle my swatches and try your method. Anything has to be better than what I’ve been going through. Your technique seems so much better than the 4 inch way. I’m always off on gauge. And have to make multiple swatches and sometimes I don’t get gauge and give up. This may very well be the game changer I need! I’m definitely going to try this! Thanks again!💞

[@motzoh]

Me, too. I'm often off gauge by a fraction of a stitch, get frustrated with knitting multiple swatches and also with a different-sized end product!

[@theastewart6721]

Exactly! Very frustrating! I wish us both good luck!😀

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thank you so much for the great feedback, Thea, I always love hearing from you! Manhandle away and please let me know how it goes. ❤️

[@SuzanneBryan]

You can do this, Motz! 😊

[@theastewart6721]

Thank you Suzanne! It’s an honor to me! ❤️

[@i-love-baguette-and-curry]

Wow Suzanne, your video for swatch gauge measuring and manhandling the swatch is really refreshing and I no longer have fear of making swatches before I knit a garment. I have been avoiding knitting fitted items (garments, cushion covers etc) and been only knitting scarves and they don't really need to adhere to actual sizing. Now I can confidently use the method you have taught and start knitting cardigans and tees. ❤️

[@SuzanneBryan]

I'm so happy to hear this, Joanna; this is exactly why I love teaching and producing videos! ❤️

[@lindanewell5633]

How useful this will be going forward! You explain so clearly both the why and the how of swatching this way. Thank you.

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are very welcome, Linda! Thanks for watching!

[@Fiberchats]

That’s such a clever tip about manhandling the swatch prior to measuring it!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thanks so much! ❤️

[@ske1313]

OMG, game changer. I've been knitting for years, always doubting my gauge. I've been making large swatches and blocking them before measuring and yet, my gauge is always off. I finally understand why - I was counting the stitches within 4" - can't wait to try it this way instead

[@valeriea.gladstone6440]

I thought I was the only one that man-handled their swatch’s! thanks.

[@innerstrg1]

I find any of your instructions very helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of experience. As a beginner knitter, I advanced so much faster because I found so many great teachers on this platform. You especially!

[@debjewett7279]

The swatch is beautifully knit; plus, easy to follow Instructions make the whole process much easier to understand, and incorporate. Thank you Suzanne Thank you

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are very kind to say this, Deb, I really appreciate it! ❤️

[@reganmartin4126]

I'm about to knit my first sweater.....and this video is exactly what I needed to see! Thank you so much! I feel like I might actually have something that will fit when I'm done! Yay!

[@SuzanneBryan]

That's wonderful, Fegan, I know you will create a beautiful sweater!

[@nancyincanada5553]

Thank you, Suzanne, for another brilliant tutorial.

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Nancy! Thank you for the lovely feedback! 😊

[@nicib3820]

Everything you explained helped me a lot. thanks for that

[@SuzanneBryan]

Glad to help, Nici! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@leisa1495]

What great advice! I will manhandle my swatches from now on😊. Special thank you for telling how to do the math to figure it out! 👍🏻

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful to hear, Leisa! You are very welcome! ❤️

[@pamzumwalt2968]

This video is just in time for beginning my first sweater! Looks like a very accurate way to measure gauge.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Yay! I have every confidence that your sweater will be beautiful, Pam! ❤️

[@aliciahall7159]

This makes a ton of sense. I've been working on a sweater that uses a basketweave stitch (small blocks of garter and stockinette) and haven't been able to get an accurate swatch because the fabric is really stretchy and the mix of stitches makes it hard to tell where a stitch actually ends (if that makes sense). Great video-thank, Suzanne!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful, Alicia, I'm happy to hear that you are on the road to a beautifully knit sweater! ❤️

[@marianneknapp4846]

Thanks as always I Love it when my gauge is right 💜🍎

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Marianne! And I agree, having accurate gauge is the best! ❤️

[@marianneknapp4846]

Thanks for all I'm learning Awesome 💕🌷

[@marianneknapp4846]

I like to know what you think of my Shawl Rock my Shawl by Melanie Berg

[@evergreenknits]

So helpful! Going to do this next time.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful, EK! Please let me know how it goes. 😊

[@dorothywilliams8160]

Thank you. I'll definitely give it a go for my next project. It seems so logical.

[@SuzanneBryan]

I hope it works well for you, Dorothy! 😊

[@denisemaass]

Thank you, very useful video Susan 💐

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are very welcome, Denise! 😊

[@janegelberg2003]

Great advice! I've been having gauge issues lately. Thanks

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Jane! 😊

[@dorothyrainey1141]

Such a great tip! I will be doing this with my next swatch!

[@SuzanneBryan]

That's wonderful, Dorothy! ❤️

[@mjrdjr1]

Sounds much easier to do and less cumbersome. Will definitely give this a try! Thank you.

[@SuzanneBryan]

You're so welcome; I hope it works well for you! 😊

[@nwinning]

Great video ! Everything makes sense. I’m definitely doing all of this on my next swatch - knit or crochet. Thank you

[@SuzanneBryan]

That's wonderful, Nancy! Thanks so much for watching! 😊

[@athertonca]

My swatch gauge rarely matches my project gauge. I do two things different from you: I measure the 4” in the middle and I knit a garter stitch border around my 6” swatch. I am going to quit doing both of those things and follow your method. Thank you for this helpful video.

[@SuzanneBryan]

That sounds great, CFA, please let me know how it works for you! 😊

[@hanhvuong8898]

National treasure!

[@victoriapileski3966]

I hope this method will help me as I consistently struggle with correct gauge. Thank you

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Victoria! 😊

[@hanhvuong8898]

Thank you so much

[@brooke_reiverrose2949]

Makes so much sense!! Thank you!

[@shereewatson4735]

Will try this!

[@isawa6649]

I think I will enjoy manhandling my gauges from now on. Will use the second tip as well. As always thank you Suzanne

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Isa! Manhandle away, and let me know how it goes. ❤️

[@hanhvuong8898]

Helpful.

[@christineborgatti3760]

This is one I will use.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Awesome, Christine! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@feyannheim7790]

BRILLIANT! A knitting buddy shared this video with me. This came at the perfect time because I am preparing to knit a sweater. I had already swatched but I am going to start all over and do it your way. I always make multiple swatches using at least two different size needles. That way I can know right away which needle gives me gauge and how the fabric will feel! Thank you for sharing!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful, Fey Ann! I'm sure your sweater will be lovely, and thanks so much for the great feedback! ❤️

[@wombifritz]

Very helpful thank you

[@wonderwilly100]

Thank you. I always try to find the time to knit a larger swatch than 4 inches, and I block and measure. I find that when knitting a garment guage can also change as the project becomes larger and heavier, maybe you're hands tire and loose strength, maybe you are hurried...I'm still trying to figure out the right technique for me. I will try your method of measuring.

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Denise! I hope this method works for you, best of luck! 😊

[@eunicecracknell841]

Hi Suzanne. I have knitted myself a nice big cardigan to wear at home, in 'Ice' superwash Merino worsted. I always handwash and allow to dry over an undercover line, with 8 thicknesses of thick towel underneath. It is now so long that I'm considering a machine and dryer wash to shrink it, or give to tall son. Knitting FB sites advise the dryer to re-shrink it to original size, multiple people on multiple sites. I'm 80 and don't think I could bear to use the dryer for wool. Did you notice that the blue swatch changed colour?

[@hanhvuong8898]

I love your video

[@rq1264]

great video.. thank you...

[@SuzanneBryan]

Glad you liked it, Jojo; thanks for watching! 😊

[@Pine-uc7pm]

Great info

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thank you, Pat! 😊

[@firefirefire786]

Thank u

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are very welcome, Sabira! 😊

[@dominikaz.9264]

Where are you Suzanne???? We really need your an amazing knowladge.

[@cerenademe9433]

Thanks for this! I don't think many people really manhandle their swatches the way you do, but it's an awesome idea. I do have one question - Do you also take a gauge measurement before you block, so you can measure the changes that might happen during blocking? I want to be able to anticipate and plan for any "growing" that the fabric might do after it's blocked - and somehow calculate the percentage it may or may not change post-blocking, so I can knit that percentage smaller/bigger than I want the finished object to be, but I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around how to calculate that percentage, whichever direction it goes (if any). Do you happen to have a video on how to calculate that?

[@SuzanneBryan]

You can knit a second swatch, to remain unblocked, or what I do is, take a photocopy of the original swatch before it is blocked. And yes I do use that information in my knitting. But another thing you can do, is using your stitch and row gauge of your blocked swatch, calculate how many stitches and rows you get per inch. Then use rows and stitches instead of inches. This does mean you need to keep track of your rows for length. For example, if the garment instructions say to work for 11”, and I am getting 7 rows per inch, then I know that I need to knit 77 rows.

[@cerenademe9433]

@@SuzanneBryan Ah - that makes sense - and is probably a lot easier than doing math ;) Thank you!

[@mila7807]

Thank you so much for your tips Suzanne 💓 I am just a bit confused because I count in centimeters so cannot figure out how to calculate this for a 10cm gauge... maybe my brain is frozen, sorry.

[@nicoletacoconcea7383]

Hey Mila, you can divide the number of stitches by the number of centimetres measured, then multiply by 10 to get gauge per 10 cm. So (no of stitches/no of cm) x 10. Same for rows

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thanks so much for the info to help Mila, Nicoleta, I appreciate it! Thank you both for watching and for the feedback! ❤️

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

One problem I have is often I relax once I have learned the pattern, as I knit then the gauge changes as I kint faster. Any recommandation ?

[@SuzanneBryan]

That is one reason to make larger gauge swatches, so that you get a chance to relax while you are knitting the swatch. this swatch was 6" wide. I make mine anywhere from 6-8" wide and about 6" tall. It makes a big difference.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

@@SuzanneBryanThanks, I will remember, big swatches !!!

[@elaineflo01]

My horizontal gauge is perfect, but I am about 1/2 stitch short on my vertical gauge…what do I do?

[@SuzanneBryan]

Are you off by ½ stitch over 4"? Or off by ½ stitch over 1"? It makes a difference. If by 4". that is not significant unless your stitch pattern has to fit in a certain number of rows per inch, such as a stranded or fair isle design. In most work, being off in row gauge is not as important as being off in stitch gauge. That being said, if you need to get the exact row gauge. i would try going up or down a needle size or changing the material of your needles such as using wood instead of metal or vice versa.

[@elaineflournoy5022]

@@SuzanneBryan Thank you! I hadn't thought about the difference by inch or 4 inches...so yes, it's more over the 4". But I also know that I have gone down a needle. Also didn't know about changing needle material. Wow it's complicated...thank you

[@fel944]

Hi Suzanne how are you doing today iam doing fine today thanks for information stay safe 😊 ☺

[@SuzanneBryan]

Hi Angela, I am doing well and doing my best to stay safe. I'm glad that you are well, thanks for watching! ❤️