Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

How The Swatch Saved The Day, or At Least, The Bonsai

Knitting Daily — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:02:22 GMT

Sandi's Wise Swatch Thank you for the hilarious comments, and all the helpful suggestions, that were

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

Harpmary — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:11:25 GMT

Hi - This is good information. However, I was wondering if Knitting Daily could do an even more basic swatch lesson. Here is my dilemma. I am a fairly new knitter. Many patterns just say "make your swatch." or 10 stitches per inch, or something like that. I've found that experienced knitters seem to know something intrinsic about the swatch that they think every beginner knitter understands - but we don't. So, my question is where do I begin?

(1) The above says knit four inches of swatch. Is that four inches square? However, what if you're not knitting a sweater, and instead knitting a narrow scarf, or a pair of fingerless mitts. Four inches seems like an awful lot of swatch for a small piece. Right now I am working on a pair of fingerless mitts, and four inches in the round is half of one mitten!

(2) If the directions say 20 stitches per inch, do you cast on 20 stitches on the chosen yarn using the chosen needles? Do you cast on 25? 30? 50?

(3) How much do you actually knit? 1 inch? 2? Again it seems that the size a gauge swatch for man's sweater should be different from a gauge swatch for a child's pair of mittens.

(4) What do you do if your gauge doesn't match the directions. (Oh no, please do not say change the pattern or number of stitches on the swatch. For a beginning knitter figuring out where the pattern begins and ends is like asking a kindergartner to do algebra when he's just figured out how to count!) Do you increase/decrease the size of your needles? Change the size of your yarn?

Thanks for your help!

Mary M.

Gauge Swatch Strategies & Options

What's on Sandi's Needles? — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:27:26 GMT

Note from Sandi: Welcome to my little corner of Knitting Daily! Every Thursday, I'll be sharing stories

Waist Shaping: The Math, Hem to Hip

Knitting Daily — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:44:21 GMT

Don't be scared. I know it says "math" in the title, but it's knitting math, so we

Waist Shaping: The Math, Hem to Hip

Knitting Daily — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:44:21 GMT

Don't be scared. I know it says "math" in the title, but it's knitting math, so we

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

SuzannWelker — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:43:39 GMT

I knit a lot of socks. I have a sock I started and didn't care for the stitch pattern. Instead of ripping it out, I kept it to do swatches in the round. It is scarf length now. But so convenient to do swatches in the round. Just add the new yarn and needles and knit away.

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

Katherine — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:06:41 GMT

One thing swatching instructions usually tell you is to use needles one size larger or smaller to get the right gauge. I knit pretty tight and usually have to use needles at least 2 sizes larger than specified. I usually measure while it's still on the needles then rip it out because I'm always afraid I'll run out of yarn (although I never have). I like DebbyS's idea of putting the last row onto a piece of waste yarn. That way I can wash and block it and still rip it out if I need the yarn.

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

AprilC — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:36:18 GMT

I've never heard of frogging; does that mean pull out your work? I like the idea of saving uniform swatches to make an afghan. Guess I'll get into swatching now! I've always resisted it even though I've had some disasters. But this year I'm going to try some "fearless" knitting so I think I'd better swatch first.

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

ElaineB — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:09:16 GMT

Sandi - you asked me to vote among the 3 patterns and the rustic jacket won. But I did not vote because I didn't care for any of the 3. All were too way out or fancy for us to wear. Next time please put one pattern in the running that is blander - lace, cables fine. Your summer shawlette is gorgeous. Thanks Elaine B. Massachusetts

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

SusanD — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:56:00 GMT

I made the rustic jacket in a crunchy Missoni boucle when the pattern first appeared. It is great.

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

NancyK@3 — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:13:39 GMT

How can you block your swatch and then re-use the yarn? Doesn't blocking change the composition a little, so that you'd have a "double-blocked" area on your garment that didn't match the rest?

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

Marimoms8 — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:51:25 GMT

I see so many questions and so few answers. Why aren't people answering these important questions. If I knew an answer I certainly would or Sandi - do you have someone to respond to the questions. mp-k

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

Knit a bit — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:47:09 GMT

Yes, 'tis I, Gretchen K. I thought I could lurk, but you caught me, a practicallly non-knitter with more UFO's (not necessarily knitting) than any of you--includes spinning and weaving projects. I always sample the latter, but have never sampled knitting: I just trust the pattern and have yet to go wrong.

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

DeborahW@2 — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:31:10 GMT

I always swatch, but it wasn't until the last few years that I began to understand that you were supposed to "SAVE" your swatch. I always unwind it and cast on for my project. In fact I still do that! Why waste the yarn?

re: Swatching Checklist (And Boo To The "Swatch Police"!)

theprissysister — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:11:27 GMT

Question about swatching - does the yarn quantity called for include enough to make a swatch, or should I add extra yardage to accomodate one or more?