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To Gauge or Not To Gauge

To swatch or not to swatch? I am a terrible example. I don't swatch and rarely gauge. Tough to do one without the other though, truly. I can and sometimes do check my gauge from the actual project I am working on.. just so I know if the size I am making is on target, smaller or larger. To be honest, size hasn't been truly important as most of my work is on spec. I knit for the sake of knitting and learning new techniques or designs. If you're knitting FOR someone, something that has a specific fit, you should be more concerned about the gauge, and swatching to get a gauge.

Right now I am working on a delightful baby frock and am not using a yarn that knits to the same gauge as the designer's yarn. I'm meant to get 14 stitches to 4" .. and my gauge was 18-20 stitches on 7-9US. Just like how I guesstimate my long tail case on yarn length, I guesstimated that I would need a 10.5 or 11US needle to get to gauge. Since I didn't have addi tips for my circular needle set, I went with 11.. and so it might come out a little bigger than the 18-24 month size that I am knitting. Again, I am okay with that as this is on spec.



Now that I am knitting in stockinette stitch, I can check the gauge (even using a regular ruler.) I am working right on gauge, at 14 stitches to 4" so I should use the skein and a bit I anticipated. Nice guess work, eh? Not ideal - so I encourage anyone to check gauge so you're not stressing out that all your hard work won't reveal an item that is sized properly. Nothing worse than having to pull back or worse, start over.

Now back to the baby frock that I started in this GORGEOUS teal handwashed Madeline Tosh Superwash Merino. I'm in love..




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