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Gauge

Before you stan knitting an article of clothing. you should always knit a sample to check your gauge! This Ls absolutely necessaiy. because eveiyone knits

clifferently, and you might need morę or fewer stitches and rows for the same width. Even though it takes a little time, it will save you time in the long run—not to mention money and trouble.

Use the same yam as the one you intend to use lor your swcater or cardtgan. Pav attenrion to the inłormation on the tabel.

You should always work a sample that is at le;ist 5" x 5” $quare. Sch vcdge stitches and casting-on and binding-off rows genetally dont give reiiahle measurements. Ik-fore you mcasurc your sample, dampen tt slighrly. błock «r. .md lot it dry—in other words, treal it just likc your finished piece will be treated.

N’ow piace the sample piece on a smoorh surface; you might have to pin it down.

Ustni; a stitch gauge (availab!e in ncedlcwork stores), you can easily count the stitches and rows. But you can use a simple tape mcasurc. too; putting pins in at the appropriate locations will help.

It the number of stitches and rows matches rhe infhrmarion on the l.ibcl or in the instructiuns, you can go nhead and start knitting.

Ifyint countcd moro stitches and rows, you knit roo tightly. Then use a larger-si:e necdlc. lf you countcd fewer stitches and rows. you knit too liKisely. You should use a sm.ilier-$ize needle.

Pattern Samples to Check Gauge

For rhe gauge ol picccs in stockincttc stitch or reversc stockincttc stitch. the ratio of stitches to rows is aKiut

CUtblc fianems utul to puli logcther in comfkirism wtih stochmettc sutek Tluit a why you must wmk a separate sample piece for cadi pultem .nul check the gtmp.

Pkces worked 01 shuker knitting tend to jtretc/t u /ten uiom: Single shnker knitting lauh umretch laigthwtse. Double slutker knitting tauls to Jtretc/t suleways Stretc/t wirr sample piece correcńy before etiuntmg the stitches and n>u\v 2:3. The same holds true for textured pattems and fhr intarsia worked in stockincttc stitch.

For jacquard pattems, the numher ii ■■ 111 e 1 ies genctaiły the same as fot stockinctte sritch. but you need fewer rows in comparuon. For uniform jacquard p;urems. rhe ratio is netu-ally only 1:1 — i.e.. you need an cquul numher ot stitches and rows for a 4" squarc. Somc pattems havc to hc stretchcd slightly to mcasure them— tor cxamplc, you should strctch

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