Sådan rammer du den rigtige strikkefasthed

Gauge – how to hit it 

Have you ever knitted a sweater from a pattern – and then the size is wrong?

Maybe it turns out too small.
Maybe far too big.

In most cases, this is due to your knitting gauge.

Gauge tells you how many stitches you knit per 10 cm, and it is crucial for your knitting project to turn out the correct size. Even a difference of a few stitches can change the measurements of a sweater by several centimetres.

Fortunately, gauge is not as mysterious as many people think. Once you understand the principle, it becomes much easier to adjust.

In this guide, you will learn:

what knitting gauge is

how to make a gauge swatch

what to do if your gauge doesn't match

how to work with gauge when knitting with scrap yarn

What is knitting gauge?

Knitting gauge tells you how many stitches and rows there are in a certain measurement – typically 10 cm.

A pattern might say, for example:

20 stitches = 10 cm

This means that if your knitted piece is to be the correct size, you must also have 20 stitches per 10 cm.

If you have more stitches per 10 cm, your knitting will be smaller.
If you have fewer stitches per 10 cm, your knitting will be larger.

Gauge therefore acts as the translation that makes it possible to convert measurements into stitches in a pattern.

Why is knitting gauge important?

Knitting patterns are built around the gauge.

When a designer writes a pattern, all stitch counts and measurements are calculated from a specific gauge. If your gauge is different, the size of the finished project will also change.

A small example:

The pattern says
20 stitches = 10 cm

But you knit
22 stitches = 10 cm

So your stitches are smaller. If you follow the pattern exactly, your sweater will therefore end up being too small.

That's why it's a good idea to make a gauge swatch before you start a larger project.

How to make a gauge swatch

A gauge swatch is a small piece of knitting you make before starting your project. It shows whether your gauge matches the pattern.

Here's how:

  1. Cast on at least 4 more stitches than the number of stitches indicated per 10 cm in the pattern.

  2. Knit at least 10 cm in height.

  3. Knit in the same pattern as in the pattern.

  4. Measure how many stitches you have per 10 cm.

  5. Adjust needle size if the gauge does not match.

The gauge swatch shows how your yarn, your needles and your knitting style work together.

I can't match the gauge

That's perfectly normal – everyone knits a little differently.

Gauge tells you how many stitches there are per 10 cm. If your swatch doesn't match the pattern, you need to adjust your needle size.

If you have too many stitches per 10 cm

If you have more stitches than the pattern indicates, it means your stitches are too small.

Solution

Try using a larger needle.

A larger needle makes larger stitches, resulting in fewer stitches per 10 cm.

You can often continue on the same swatch. Just remember to knit a few more centimeters before measuring again.

If you have too few stitches per 10 cm

If you have fewer stitches than the pattern indicates, it means your stitches are too large.

Solution

Try using a smaller needle.

A smaller needle makes smaller stitches, resulting in more stitches per 10 cm.

The Bus Rule – an easy way to remember it

A good mnemonic is the Bus Rule.

Imagine the stitches as passengers in a bus.

If there are too many passengers on the bus (too many stitches), then we need a larger bus
→ i.e., thicker needles

If there are too few passengers on the bus (too few stitches), then we need a smaller bus
→ i.e., thinner needles

It's a simple rule, but it makes it much easier to remember.

Gauge when knitting with yarn scraps

When knitting with yarn scraps, gauge can be a little harder to match because the yarn is often of varying thicknesses.

Here, it can help to work with a reference yarn.

A reference yarn is the yarn – or the combination of multiple strands – that gives the correct gauge.

Once you have found your reference yarn, you can compare your other yarn scraps to it.

If a yarn feels a little thinner, you can add an extra strand.
If it feels a little thicker, you can use it in shorter sections or as an effect yarn.

That way, you don't need to make a whole new swatch every time you change yarn.

Do you always have to match the gauge?

Not necessarily.

If you are knitting projects where size is not crucial, you can often skip the swatch – provided you can live with a result that may deviate from the pattern!

This applies to things like:

  • scarves

  • shawls

  • blankets

But when you knit garments like sweaters, cardigans, or hats, gauge is important for achieving the correct fit.

Gauge gives you more freedom

Even though many find swatches a bit boring, gauge actually gives you more freedom.

When you understand gauge, it becomes easier to:

  • adjust a pattern

  • experiment with yarn

  • knit with yarn scraps

And then it becomes much easier to get a result that fits.

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