How to Knit Swatches

Choose a stitch pattern, choose a technique and knit a swatch AT LEAST 5" Square.
The larger the swatch, the better! For accuracy, measure in the middle of the swatch and avoid the edges.

Knit a Gauge Swatch in Less than 10 Minutes

Swatching in Pattern Knitting

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Swatching on the Double Bed

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Swatching Tips

Critical tips for machine knitting accurate gauge swatches.

The whole point of a swatch is to accurately determine how many stitches and rows you are getting with YOUR yarn on YOUR machine. For accuracy, you don't measure a swatch from edge to edge, you measure in the center of the swatch.

1. It's important to knit a swatch that is large enough to measure AT LEAST 4" square in the middle.
2. To prevent errors, knit the same number of stitches and rows on every swatch you knit on a specific machine.
3. Use contrasting color yarn of a similar weight to your garment weight to mark the center area of your swatch
4. Permanently record your tension setting on your swatch (eyelets or tag)
5. Let your swatch rest before measuring
6. Dress your swatch as you will treat your finished knitting.
7. Measure accurately - both flat and hanging
8. Swatch for every stitch pattern you will be knitting

BOTTOM LINE:

1. Unless you are using a gauge ruler, knit a swatch AT LEAST 5" square. (Just guess ... don't get hung up with rules) You want to measure the stitches within the middle of the swatch.  Don't try to measure from edge to edge, you WON'T get an accurate measurement.
2. Mark a section at least an inch from each edge of your swatch.  Use a contrasting color yarn and baste a quick square.
3. Measure the square and count the number of stitches and rows within the square.
   Divide the number of stitches by the width measurement (24 sts / 4"  = 6 stitches per inch)
   Divide the number of rows by the length measurement (30 sts / 4" = 7.5 rows per inch)

3 Types of Swatches

Tension Swatch

How does the yarn look and feel in your selected stitch pattern?

• Cast on and knit at various tensions.
• Take time to play with your yarn.
• Start at a tight tension and knit a few inches changing the tension as you knit. Marking the tension with eyelets as you go.
• When you take the knitting from the machine, you'll get a good idea of what tension feels best to you and looks best after blocking.
• Armed with that knowledge, you can knit a accurate "real" gauge swatch. No surprises here!

Gauge Swatch

A 5" X 5" (at a minimum) swatch used for establishing gauge.
Machine knitters mark a set number of stitches and rows to make it easier to calculate gauge. No counting needed!

Gauge Swatch (for MATCHING gauge)

I recently had an epiphany about swatching when I'm trying to MATCH gauge.  In the past I've knit my gauge swatches as I learned as a machine knitter.   I never use the gauge rulers that came with my machines, but I've always knit my swatches according to the "rules". (DUH)

On my standard machine, I've dutifully cast on 60 stitches and knit 60 rows between marked rows .  I marked off 40 stitches and got out my regular ruler, measured and did the math.

Being a total non-math person, I can't tell you how many times I've messed up the calculation of my gauge ... even when using a calculator. (Sound familiar?)

THE EPIPHANY:
I was hand knitting a HK pattern.  Hand knitting the complicated sections of the pattern was fun, but I decided that knitting a whole lot of stockinette (the boring stuff) by hand was dumb.  So I threaded up my machine and started to knit a swatch.

The gauge I needed to match was 24 sts and 30 rows per 4".

•  I cast 60 stitches (so I could easily measure 24 stitches in the center of the swatch)
•  I knit a few rows with my main yarn (marking with eyelets the tension gauge)
•  2 rows of a contrasting color
•  Knit 30 rows
•  2 rows of a contrasting color
•  A few main yarn rows and bound off
• AT THE SAME TIME I also marked  the stitches that were framing my desired 24 stitches.

In other words, instead of marking the traditional number of stitches and rows, I broke the "rules" and marked my DESIRED GAUGE  of 24 stitches and 30 rows as I knit the swatch.

I let the swatch rest, then wet blocked it and let it sit overnight.

The next day, I put my handy-dandy 4" measuring tool down on my swatch.  (see below about my DIY 4" tool)

As you can see, by the first photo, my stitch gauge was good, but my row gauge needed to be adjusted.  It was easy to see through my tool that I had too many rows to 4".   I adjusted my mast tension, knit another swatch and VOILA!  I was able to match my gauge EXACTLY --- with NO MATH!

 

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For my tool, I cut a 4" x 4" square of quilters template plastic (readily available at craft stores) to create my Handy-dandy tool. Because it's see-through, I can see my marked stitches and rows on my swatch.

You could use a square of any material (cardboard, paper, clear plastic of any kind). You will be amazed at how much easier it is to measure gauge (for both hand and machine knitting).

Tips for Accuracy

There's more to swatching than knitting and measuring. Don't skip these tutorials!

Importance of Correct Gauge

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Gauge and Drop

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Tension Setting

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Hand knitters can change needle sizes to adjust the gauge of their knitting. Another of the many advantages of machine knitting is to quickly make tension changes with both the carriage tension dial and the mast tension setting.

• Quickly match a pattern gauge
• Change gauge while knitting for interesting texture and fabric
• Improve the quality of your knitting with gauge changes
• Troubleshoot knitting problems with gauge changes

Many machine knitters cause themselves problems by ignoring the mast tension. They often struggle matching stitch and row gauge because they haven't mastered both carriage and mast tension settings for their machines. This tutorial introduces you to the magical world of tension adjustments.

What Controls Tension?

Knitting Machine Gauge and Tension

Carriage and Mast Tension Dials

• Maybe you want to keep out the cold with a thick, tight knitted fabric for warm hats and mittens.
• A loose, open, drapey fabric may be just the ticket for a sweater or shawl

Think of the Carriage Tension Dial as the hand knitting needle size.

Think of the Mast Tension Dial as the tension a hand knitter would apply to the yarn with her fingers

The Stitch Dial on your carriage controls how the yarn passes through the carriage and is placed in the hooks of the needles. A smaller number makes a tight stitch, a larger number makes a loose stitch.

The Mast Tension Dial, along with the yarn guides/tension springs (antennae) control the tension of the yarn as it's fed into the carriage.

More Tips

Swatching can alert you to any number of yarn issues.

Prevent tears (and grey hair) by KNOWING what the yarn is going to do BEFORE you start knitting.

Have you ever had to resort to using your swatch to finish a project?

Yarn Bias

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How Much Yarn Do I Need?

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'I hate math' Tools

Gauge Conversion

Interested in using a different yarn than the pattern calls for?

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Gauge Calculator

Knit your swatch, enter your details and let us calculate your gauge.

Try the tool

These tools are designed for the "math impaired" (like me)

Course: Swatching, Tension and Gauge

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Complete Course with Exercises

Guarantee your success with swatches

Swatching is NOT optional
Dressing a Swatch
Let it Rest
Using Gauge Rulers
Matching Gauge
Let it Rest
Review
Knit YOUR Swatch

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Tension Settings

Tension Setting Essentials
Tension Setting Practice
Gauge Swatch verses Tension Swatch

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Yarn Usage

How much yarn do you need?
Practice - Yarn Estimate
Stitch Types and Yarn usage

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Helpful Tools from Knit it Now

Gauge Calculator Tool
Gauge Conversion Tool

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Accurate Gauge Measurement Methods

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This tutorial covers 2 different methods of measuring gauge: working with gauge rulers and using a standard ruler. It includes a discussion about the green ruler, yellow ruler and blue rulers.

The green, yellow, and blue gauge rulers were originally designed to "standardize" measuring gauge. DesignaKnit refers to gauge based on these standards. Charting Devices (Knit Leader, Knit Radar) use these standards as well.

• You don't NEED these rulers to measure gauge. A regular ruler works fine.
• It's the calibration of the ruler that is important, not the color. In other words, you could use a green ruler and measure 40 stitches and 60 rows knit on any gauge machine (although it might not be practical).
• No matter what method you use, be consistent to prevent mistakes.

Green (Standard Gauge)	40 stitches / 60 rows
Yellow (Mid Gauge)	30 stitches / 40 rows
Blue (Bulky/Chunky)	20 stitches / 30 rows

NOTE: you may find gauge rulers in other colors and shapes made by third-party manufacturers. The key is to identify the scale that the ruler is using. It should be printed on the ruler. If you aren't sure, you can't rely on that ruler to give you accurate gauge measurements.