Getting Gauge: Perfect Knit Fabric Every Time

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Get the look, feel and sizing you want in every project you knit! Master the essential skills for gauge, swatching and measuring.

Getting Started

Meet knitting expert Sarah Peasley, your guide to using gauge for better knitting. Sarah outlines the three swatches and three projects — a cowl, shawl and tiny hat — that you’ll work with in class. The patterns are included!

What Affects Stitch & Row Gauge

Many factors can affect your gauge and change the look of your project: the yarn’s weight, fiber or how it’s spun or processed; needle types and sizes; how you knit; and even your state of mind! Sarah explains them all.

Making a Basic Gauge Swatch

For a fitted garment such as a hat or sweater, you’ll want to swatch to make sure your gauge matches the pattern. Even for projects such as shawls and scarves, swatching will tell you how the material will drape, whether your needles are comfortable to use and how the stitch pattern looks.

Measuring Stitch & Row Gauge

You can count on Sarah to show you a variety of ways to measure your gauge for the most accurate results possible! Learn how to check both stitch and row gauge in stockinette as well as in other stitch patterns.

Washing & Blocking

For any project you plan to wash, you should wash the swatch, too. Sarah shows how to wash and block swatches with water or steam and how to pin them out. You’ll see how blocking affects a variety of stitch patterns and fibers. The changes are sometimes dramatic!

Altering & Designing Based on Gauge

Your gauge doesn’t match the pattern’s, but you prefer the fabric it creates. Now what? Sarah walks you through three ways of altering pattern numbers to make them work for your gauge. Or maybe you want to design your own pattern. Learn Sarah’s tips for getting started.

Questions Your Swatch Can Answer

A swatch can tell you a lot about your project before you even cast on: How does the fabric feel? Was the yarn pleasant to work with? Can you see the stitch pattern? Your swatch can help predict if your project will be a success, and help you figure out how much yarn you will need. Sarah shows you how!