Whose Gauge is it Anyway?

I’ve been thinking a lot about gauge lately. I never seem to get it right.

The gauge on a pattern reflects the knitter who designed the project or knit the sample, the number of stitches per inch she was able to get with the yarn and needles she chose.

There are a lot of variables there that make it likely you would get a different gauge. Using a different yarn of the same weight, needles made of a different material, and just being a different person with a different knitting style all play a role in your gauge.

I’m used to using different needles, or even different weights of yarn, or knitting using the directions for a different size because with my gauge that number of stitches will work for me.

But when it comes to projects that don’t require an exact gauge, it gets even more personal. When knitting scarves or shawls or anything you’re designing yourself for yourself, the gauge listed in the pattern or on the ball band doesn’t really matter.

Yesterday I started work on a scarf (pattern coming soon) with yarn the ball band suggested should be knit on size 11 US knitting needles.

I tried that, but the resulting fabric stuck straight out from the needle, with no drape at all. I wish I’d taken a picture, because it was pretty funny.

I ended up trying four different needle sizes and eventually settled on size 15 — a big difference from what the ball band suggested but what gave me the look and feel I was going for.

The point of this is not once again to tell you to swatch, because you’re probably either a person who does or doesn’t and I’m not going to change your mind.

But I do want you to be open to the beginning stages of a knitting project being an experiment. You’re testing the yarn and needles (and the stitch pattern) to see how well they get along. Everything is subject to change and can easily be switched up if you don’t like the way things are going.

Because if you don’t like it on the needles you won’t want to wear it, use it or gift it, either.

End of lecture.

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More Tips on Getting the Perfect Knitting Gauge

I can’t resist a pattern that’s both useful and a little silly, and that’s exactly how I feel about the Rybka pouch pattern from the delightfully named Rat and Sea Witch.

I know you’re going to ask, because I did, too. Rybka means little fish in Polish. (And because you’re also probably going to ask, Rat and Sea Witch comes from people’s attempts to say the designer’s name, Ratasiewicz, which if you say it fast kind of sounds like rat and sea witch.)

It’s easy to make a little fish bag in different sizes to suit your needs. The pattern has specific instructions for an Airpods Pro case and a pencil case, but you could change the length easily to hold more stuff, and change the size in general by working with a different weight of yarn.

The pattern calls for sock yarn and mohair held together to make a fingering weight gauge, but you could try it with heavier yarn and see what size bag you end up with.

Whatever size you make it, this looks like a fun project for holding trinkets or everyday items. The mouth of the fish is the mouth of the bag, and it closes with a drawstring that is also the strap. I wonder, too, if you could make one of these with a small clasp frame that could be the fish’s mouth and then you could just work I cord straps that would attach to the sides of the fish.

I could also see stripes, or fish of different colors to use up your yarn leftovers. How about a sunglasses case with a little loop to attach to your bag? Once you start thinking about all the ways you could use a fish-shaped bag in your life, I think you’ll see that you probably need more than one.

If you make one of these I would love to know how it went!

You can grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Rat and Sea Witch]

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