GAUGE
How to measure knitting gauge, and what to do if yours is off
Gauge is how many stitches and rows fit in a set width, usually 4 inches (10 cm). If your gauge doesn’t match the pattern, your finished piece won’t be the size the pattern says.
How to knit a swatch
- Use the yarn and needles you plan to use for the project.
- Cast on enough stitches for about 6 inches (15 cm) of width, so you can measure 4 inches in the middle, away from the edges.
- Knit in the stitch the pattern’s gauge uses, often stockinette, for about 6 inches.
- Wash or block the swatch the way you’ll treat the finished piece, and let it dry. Many yarns change size after washing.
How to measure it
- Lay the swatch flat without stretching it.
- Put a ruler across the middle and count the stitches in 4 inches (10 cm). Count half stitches too.
- Turn the ruler up and down and count the rows in 4 inches.
- Measure in a couple of places and take the average.
In stockinette, each V is one stitch across and one row up.
If your gauge is off
- More stitches than the pattern: your stitches are smaller, so your piece will come out smaller. Try a larger needle.
- Fewer stitches than the pattern: your stitches are bigger, so your piece will come out bigger. Try a smaller needle.
Then knit a new swatch and measure again. Stitch gauge matters most for width, so match it first.
How far off will it be?
Divide the number of stitches by your gauge per inch.
Example: a sweater body with 200 stitches
Pattern gauge is 20 stitches per 4 in (5 per inch): 200 ÷ 5 = 40 in around.
Your gauge is 22 stitches per 4 in (5.5 per inch): 200 ÷ 5.5 = about 36.4 in around. That’s more than 3½ inches smaller.
Does row gauge matter?
If the pattern says “knit until the piece measures 10 in”, row gauge matters less, because you measure as you go. It matters when the pattern counts rows for shaping, like sleeve decreases or a yoke. If your row gauge is off, see how to space decreases evenly to work out new spacing.
Or change the numbers instead
If you love the fabric you’re getting, you can keep your gauge and recalculate. Multiply the width you want by your stitches per inch. For a 40 in body at 5.5 stitches per inch, that’s 220 stitches. Check that the stitch pattern’s multiple still works.