Let's Talk Knitting - How and Why to make a Gauge Swatch

[@Thegreatestmagicfish]

Been trying to teach myself in bits and pieces, and now I’ve found you I feel like I have a teacher! Super helpful videos, thanks so much

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay! If you have any questions or think of a video you'd like to see let me know. I am always looking for new ideas.

[@pollyclarke341]

Very full and clear tutorial. Thank you. Guage swatches tell us so much and let's us make a good decision about how to go about making our garments.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am so glad you found it useful. Thanks!

[@karoljelbert1996]

Just going to make my swatch because of this podcast!!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

YAY! Swatches rule.

[@Kayz6449]

Interesting to hear about the metal and wooden needles. Excellent tip. Thank you

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm so glad you got something useful from the video.

[@kimeckstrom2282]

You are an awesome teacher:)

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@pinkishhaven5158]

I am converted😂 It all makes so much sense now

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Woo hoo!

[@PCVKnits]

Another great benefit of a swatch is that you can wash it as you intend to wash your garment. I ran a swatch of superwash wool through the washer and dryer on delicate and it felted like crazy. Saved my sweater from a similar fate.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yep!

[@suzannefenton1589]

Super helpful instructions. I’m now knitting the Heart Shaped Shawl from your printed pattern. Thank you for such clear instructions.

[@IronEarthDesigns]

Working on designing, so thank you.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

If you have any questions that might make a good video, please feel free to ask! I'm not sure what kind of things an aspiring designer might want to know.

[@LindaCBMediaGroup]

Thanks for reminding me why I really need to restart making my swatches. As for saving them, I've known knitters who keep them in 3 ring binders, stapled to a page with all the pertinent info entered on that page. It made it easier to keep track of them.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am afraid that I am no where near that organized - but I try!

[@maylien]

Wow, lots of good stuff here. And rationale too. Thanks.

[@sosantoumachristenson1532]

Thank you Barbara. I’m a beginner and dying to learn knitting in COVID times.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

You can do it!

[@dr.c.c.1671]

Outstanding thoroughness. Thank you😃💖💐

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@karoljelbert1996]

I did my first gauge swatch last night, really helpful, I got a lot of information from it, thank you, going to frame it!!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That is absolutely fantastic to hear! It makes making the video worthwhile.

[@dawnkaylor5217]

Great info!!!! Thank you!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

My pleasure.

[@trinamechling5552]

Very interesting. I knit swatches for sweaters but hardly ever (yikes!) for shawls or hats.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I knit more swatches than anything else LOL.

[@KLD521]

I'm one not to swatch gauge, I avoid it at all costs. I find it difficult when I'm counting the stitch or row especially when I use different stitches whether I'm knitting or crocheting. I am most appreciative and grateful for this video, thank you for the clarification for the mathematical portion to get to that 4 inch swatch then counting the center section. I admit I just like to jump into a pattern and it becomes frustrating (even on a small projects). I will definitely make the time to start swatching and keep practicing this important step to improve my projects and style. Again, thank you so much. Respectfully, Donna

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am glad I might have changed your mind. The thing is - I love knitting and it doesn't matter what I am knitting LOL. A swatch is just as much knitting as working on the project. Of course, I am a process knitter, not a project knitter.

[@KLD521]

WatchBarbaraKnit: I guess I'm a little bit of both. I like some designs but I don't tackle them, I think outside the box. I am late bloomer and trying to put my creativity on paper / on the crochet hook and knitting needles. Thanks again.

[@brigittedhaese5184]

thank you Barbara for your good advice many greetings from Belgium sorry for the English , I speak it, but write I cannot as well

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much for taking the time to say hi! Your English is much better than my ability to write in any language other than English! LOL but we both speak Knitting!

[@muhlenstedt]

Very good, thanks,

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@norwegianmaid1186]

All good advice! Thanks

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Wonderful!

[@nolamcneely7857]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you for watching and commenting! :)

[@nolamcneely7857]

I'm just beginning knitting....can't put the crocheting down to really get the hang of it. Suggestions for a very new beginner Afghan!

[@StephanieSharp2]

Excellent advice. Could you do a video “Let’s talk about blocking” ? Because I’m intimidated by the whole blocking process. I don’t know why, I shouldn’t be. Thanks.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Hmmm, I teach a 3 hour class on blocking so I have PLENTY to say about blocking. Let me think about how I can boil down some basics to fit into 15 minutes.

[@StephanieSharp2]

WatchBarbaraKnit Thanks so much. The reason I ask is that I have seen your steam blocking Acrylic content yarn video and was intrigued by the idea. I have a piece in Lion Mandala yarn that is 100% Acrylic and some people are telling me I can just wash and dry it in the machine. I’m wondering if I should steam block or wet block, though, I’m too scared to just stick it in the machine! It’s that stockinette scarf with the garter border, so I really want it crisp and not curling. I also did a piece in Caron Cake which is 80% Acrylic and 20% wool. Again, not sure what to do. The sensible advice would be for me to do three swatches and see which method turns out best. Anyway, would love to see your thoughts on blocking.

[@christineguest5317]

Preach it Barbara!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

LOL. Try and stop me.

[@arleneehrlinspiel5232]

Good morning Barbara! I found your channel yesterday and have been enjoying and learning a lot. I do have one question on swatching, why is it that I will get the correct number of stitched across but have more stitches in my rows? Hopefully that makes since. Thank You for all your videos!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Well gauge is a very personal thing and it all depends on your needle and personal tension. If you are on with stitch gauge but your row gauge is off you can try needles of the same size but made of different materials. For example if you swatched with metal try some bamboo. The top things to remember is that you need to be knitting the way the pattern is knit (round vs flat) and the gauge is assumed blocked unless stated otherwise.

[@arleneehrlinspiel5232]

Thank You for your reply, I figured out that I did not knit the swatch in the round just as the pattern is knit. 🙃 should have thought of that, live and learn.

[@sandygrogg1203]

Good information,❤️❤️😎

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I get excited about silly things don't I?

[@sandygrogg1203]

WatchBarbaraKnit It’s one of your charms, I’m the same 2ay...❤️❤️😎

[@doriseaster8043]

I have a pattern for a sweater that says with a size 7 and 4.5mm 18"=4" the yarn she used is a #3 I have changed needles and cannot come up with that guage. any suggestions? also that seem the size 7 needle would be too big for that yarn

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

#3 is Light Worsted or DK, a size 7 needle is what I would most likely be using, depending on what I was making. Sometimes you can achieve gauge by switching the material that the needle is made of metal vs wood vs acrylic.

[@sabrinasearsy1538]

In gauge should the number of stitches/inch be smaller than the number of rows/inch. For a cowl pattern I’m beginning I’ve been making swatches, but I can’t seem to get gauge. It says 23 stitches in 20rows over 4 inches square, but I keep getting the opposite no matter the needle size or material and have started to wonder if it’s a typo. Now it is an in the round pattern and my swatches are flat (just learned from you here to swatch in the round for that). Any suggestions? Thanks for your videos! I just discovered them a month ago.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It is very difficult to say "always" but I don't know that I have ever seen the row gauge be smaller than the stitch gauge. Have you tried writing the designer and seeing what they say? Also, you can check if there are other project pages on Ravelry and see if anyone has made a comment about the gauge. What is it that you are knitting? if it is something that has measurements you can check the measurements and see if they agree with the gauge. What I mean buy that is if it says that it's finished height is 20 inches you take that number, divide by 4 (inches) which gives you 5 and them multiply by 20 (rows per 4 inches) so it would take you 100 rows to get to 20 inches. Does that make any sense?

[@sabrinasearsy1538]

WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you that does make sense. I’m still learning the math in knitting and didn’t think of doing it to double check. I’m making the free Leaving Cowl on Ravelry. Now off to check the math.

[@doriseaster8043]

pattern calls for a 7 needle I used that and used 8 and used a 9 and still avnot come withe the gauage for the swaster whic is i8 sts.=4" and I assume that if I measured in a 2" it would be 9 sts per inch right or wrong

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

If you find yourself going up multiple different needle sizes and still not getting gauge you might want to look at the yarn you are trying to use (assuming you are substituting). The yarn might not be a good fit for the pattern. For a sweater I would not rely on gauge across 2 inches, a half stitch difference multiplied out across an entire sweater can cause fit problems. If it was a non-fitted garment I'd say have at it - but not a sweater.

[@doriseaster8043]

is it possible that a sweater pattern calls for a 7needle size and 18"=4" is it possible that I need to use a size 10 circular needle to get that gauge? I have tried a 7 ,8, 9 and still can not get the gauge HELP PLEASE

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

As I mentioned in my previous reply, if you are having to go up so many needle sizes the odds are that you are trying to use a yarn that doesn't work well with the pattern that you are using. I am afraid that I am not a sweater designer and I have pretty much exhausted what I can tell you about this. With the difficulties you are having I recommend that you contact the designer of the pattern that you are trying to make or visit a local yarn store for assistance.

[@doriseaster8043]

Thank you for inf.

[@claudettemonty4077]

What do we do when the artist doesn’t talk about a gauge to do?? Sometimes she show us the paper around the yarn with the gauge and needles! Do we take that one ?

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm afraid I've never run into the type of situation that you describe. If a pattern doesn't provide gauge and it is something that needs to fit, I would think long and hard about using that pattern.

[@deblobre6020]

What if you get the right number of stitches per inch and not the right number of rows, what then? Is the number of stitches per inch more important than the number per row?🤔

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That is going to depend on what you are knitting I am afraid, for many things row gauge isn't as important. This is where switching up the kind of needle you are using might be helpful. A metal needle is slick and you can get a tighter gauge with it, if you need to loosen up just a bit switching to a wooden needle might be the ticket. Sometimes you have to make more than one swatch to get it right. I have been known to make one big swatch where I start with one size needle and then work up through a couple of other ones just to see what happens.

[@13tatteredstitches81]

Terrifying 😈 AND wonderful 👼 advice. Thank you very much?! 😁

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

LOL. Sometimes people need some tough love. ;)

[@bookhuggah]

I keep gauge swatches until the project is done and I know that there’s no more information needed for making the item anymore. After a while, I sew them together for a very fun blanket

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Very cool idea!

[@doriseaster8043]

THEdesigner is using a 100% wool yarn#3 I am using a 100% merino wool #4

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

The number system for labeling yarns allows for a great deal of wiggle room in gauge. Substituting a #4 for a #3 will definitely cause you problems with gauge.