The answer to this question changes depending on who you ask. Some knitters feel like a test swatch is a tiny soul-sucking piece of knitting. And other knitters feel like the same small piece of knitting is the most important first step to any knitting project (especially large ones like a sweater). I fall very firmly in the second group of knitters. I believe every gauge swatch stitch is worth my time and effort. If I’m going to have trouble getting the same gauge as the pattern with my chosen yarn, I want that information right away after knitting back and forth on 20 or so stitches for 20 or so rows…..instead of 600 yards into a sweater that doesn’t fit me the way I like when I try it on.
Too philosophical? I’ll try again. A gauge swatch is a tiny piece that you knit in the yarn you intend to use for a project. It can be as little or as big as you like. I generally cast on about 20 stitches and knit about 20 rows for my gauge swatches.
Once knit, you lay it flat and measure the heck out of it. How many rows per inch did you get? How many stitches per inch did you get? Do these numbers match what the designer called for in the pattern? How does the fabric feel?
If your swatch fabric feels too loose or the stitches lack definition, you likely need to go down a needle size and swatch again. If your swatch fabric feels too dense or the stitches are hard to work, you likely need to go up a needle size and swatch again. You see three swatches of the same yarn in the pic above. Each swatch is 20 sts knit over 20 rows. The only difference is the size of knitting needles used to knit the swatch. The largest swatch on the left was knit on US Size 9 needles. The middle swatch was knit on US Size 6 needles. And the smallest swatch on the right was knit on US Size 3 needles. You can see what a difference that makes in the swatches! The largest swatch is messy, loose, and too large. The middle swatch still has a few messy stitches, but it is much more uniform and the fabric feels nice. The smallest swatch is soooo tight and the fabric is stiff.
Yes. I just said that doing another test swatch might be a good idea. And I’m going to say that doing another, another test swatch might be a good idea too. Remember we are still talking about a tiny amount of stitches compared to getting 600 yards into a sweater only to find that you are not getting the fit you need. It is absolutely worth the effort to start a project knowing you will achieve the results you want.
Once you have this information, you can make informed choices about how to move forward. If the gauge and row gauge match, you are good to cast on your project. If your numbers do not match the pattern, you’ll want to make some adjustments to your plan.
In my recent blog post “Why do designers REALLY want you to get gauge?“, I explain that when a designer includes the text “in Pattern after blocking” in the Gauge section of a pattern, it is our way to let knitters know exactly how seriously we take the gauge of a design. Not only would we really like for you to knit a test swatch, but we would also love for you to knit the swatch in the exact yarn you plan to use, with the size of needle you plan to use, in the design pattern…and then we would like for you to wash and block it before taking your measurements.
So, there you have it. My opinion on gauge swatches.
