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Another Way to Perfect Your Gauge

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an easy way to get gaugeI know, I know, knitting gauge swatches and getting gauge is a drag, but it’s totally worth it for projects that you really want to fit.

There are lots of tips and tricks you can try to get the right gauge, but a simple thing you can try if you aren’t quite getting the gauge you need with the needles the pattern calls for is to try using a needle of a different material.

The Noble Knits blog has a post all about why this can be helpful, which you should definitely check out if you’re having trouble getting gauge.

Incidentally, changing your needle type — switching from wood to metal or vice-versa — can also be helpful if you’re trying to get the right row gauge.

Do you have any tricks for getting gauge that have helped you? I’d love to hear them.

[Photo: Noble Knits.]

Comments

  1. I don’t have a tip, but like the tip about using a different needle if your swatch is really close, but not a whole size different. It makes sense the metal might have a smaller gauge.

  3. Don’t think of the swatch as a chore – think of it as a play-date with the yarn (potentially a new friend). Use different sizes and see what makes the best “feeling” fabric.

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Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork. 

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn. 

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look. 

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me. 

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. 

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.