The Rain Gauge

It rained all day Saturday and Sunday - something only a knitter could love. I wanted to start on my vest from the Rowan Summer Tweed book and I swear, I spent half of the day trying to figure out my gauge.  We all know that GAUGE is the invention of the devil - but once you start to spend considerable $$$ on yarn (who, me??) or unless you are only going to make scarves and purses (not a bad idea, mind you) - the devil is in the details - and the detail is in the gauge. So my Monday Knitter's Poll is all about gauge. Do you go the whole 4 inch by 4 inch routine, hoping to save those little squares to make a quilt for Fluffy? Are you more like Noah - taking the "two by two" approach? Perhaps you're like me - and feel quite vindicated just for actually making a swatch that I usually cast on 20 stitches and knit three rows - only to discover that for some unknown reason no matter what needle I start with -  or switch up to - or size down to - it's always the same GODDAMN 3.5 stitches to the inch???? So, here's the gauge-old question: what size do you really make your swatch? And please - if you also wash it and block it, you might be reading the wrong blog. ;-)

Comments

[Estella]

I do a 4 inch wide by 2 inches long. No, I don't wash it, block it or bind it off...after a measure I rip it out and reuse the yarn! So far, it has worked for me.

[maryse]

i'm with estella. i make a 4 inch wide swatch. i don't worry about my row gauge as much. and i dont' wash the swatch. depending on the yarn and how much it cost, i just rip it out and use it again.

[Theresa]

I do make a 4x4 swatch and wash and block, and yes, I will do *something* with the lot one day, but for a yarn and pattern I'm familiar with, I'll often just start with a sleeve and skip the swatch all together. Swatches lie.

[Karen]

For scarves, socks, stuffed animals and even baby sweaters I don't swatch at all. When I do swatch, I don't really worry about how big I'm making it, I just cast on a bunch of stitches and knit for a while. I then measure two inches in the center. Most of the time I rip it back out and knit with the yarn, but if I'm really concerned about the yarn blooming I will wet and block it. So basically, I guess I just wing it and do whatever I feel like doing at the time. LOL

[Nurse Shar]

I've wondered what other knitters do as well. I usually do 4 inch wide by 2 inches. I never wash or block, then I rip and knit it up. Why would anyone waste that precious yarn?

[Betsy]

I knit a 4x2 swatch and never wash it. I then rip it out and use it. I love the way your sweater turned out-looks great on you!

[Jennifer]

I do a 2.5 by 1/5 swatch, don't bind it off, then rip and reuse. So far nothing really horrible has happened. *knocking on wood*

[Chris]

I try to cast on about 10 stitches more than the number needed for 4". The only time I've ever knit a 4" long swatch is when I was having a beast of a time getting gauge... And I know that I should wash and block my swatches, but... :)

[Betsy]

Who does gauge?????? Honestly, until recently and a strong hiddy hoo from my knitting group I never did. Now if I get pressure I do as small a one as possible and I never had a problem. I probably just jynxed my mojo.

[scribblesnbits]

I knit a swatch for whatever the pattern calls for, but then I rip that yarn and reuse it in the pattern. I don't normally read comments on others' blogs, but I had to know if I was the only one ripping my swatch. I feel so normal now!!!!

[Daniel]

I like to do atleast a 6 by 6 inch square and round up to the nearest pattern repeat count. Yes, I wash and block it, then measure. I save the swatches in a scrapbook with the details. I make it this large so I can have am accurate 4 inches to measure without running into selvage and wash & block so I know what I'm getting in the end. I am not going to spend the kind of money wool costs and not do everything possible to get the garment I want. So, I buy one extra skein to play around with. That one skein can save my sweater from being a tunic, the money & time I invested and the lives of those around me.

[Mama Cat]

I only swatch if I'm using a different yarn than the pattern calls for. If I'm using the same yarn as the pattern, I almost always knit pretty close to gauge so I don't worry much about it. Sometimes I'll do a measure after I've knit a few inches up the back just to be sure, and if I'm just a little off I'll adjust the needles right then & there rather than rip & re-do.

When I use an alternative yarn, I'll swatch. I do enough stitches that it ought to be 4", knit up as far as I need to for the width to, um, stabilize I guess. Maybe 2 or 3". Then I rip & reuse the yarn - I am VERY glad so many others admit to this, as I thought I was being really bad!

[hanne]

not so long ago, I thougt " life's to short for swatching" but since I've made several sweaters too big, I have changed my mind... Now I look at the gauge ang I make a swatch adding 10 stitches too the amount of stiches called for, in a swatch 4 x 4 inches ( in denmark all patterns are written in cm, and the gauge is always 10 x 10 cm . Do I make my self clear??? I start the project with another ball of yarn and in the end I frog the swatch and use that yarn tooo, I never save it!!! And I still think my life is too short for washing and blogging the swatch, before starting the project!!! If I wan't to start a project, It's now and not tomorrow!!!

Hanne

[Cynthia]

Well, I have a love/hate relationship with gauge swatches. I do do them - and depending on the yarn, either 16 or 20 sts and knit for 4 inches, or if the yarn label says something like cast on 20 sts and knit for 16 rows or whatever to get the gauge, then I'll do that. But I just figured out that your gauge changes with the pattern you are knitting - which was news to me. And I don't ever wash and block them - that's news to me, but probably because I am mostly self-taught. As far as what I do with them? I attach a label that tells what yarn, how many sts cast on, how many rows or inches knit and what size needle and I save it so I'll have it if I am using that yarn or pattern again. I plan to put them all in a binder, right now they snuggle together in a gingersnap tin!