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.

Looking to chat about Knitting and Patterns? Check out our Facebook Knitting page and our Facebook group dedicated to Knitting and Knitting Patterns.

Looking for more amazing shawl patterns? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use.

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make.

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!).

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn.

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart.

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern.

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.

Have you read?