But I knit a gauge swatch!!!

"But I knit a gauge swatch!!!"

I hear this comment a lot. I knit the gauge swatch and my hat/sweater/socks/poncho is still too big or too small!!

Usually, when we dive into it a little bit more, we discover where the gauge swatch lied!

Situation #1: Knit the swatch with the proper needle size, but don't bind off. Leave the stitches up on the needle while you do your stitch count. Gauge is 24 stitches to 4 inches.

Situation #2: Knit the swatch with the proper needle size, but don't bind off. Slide the stitches to the cord and smooth out to do your stitch count. Gauge is 22 stitches to 4 inches.

Situation #3: Knit the swatch with the proper needle size, bind off and count your stitches. Gauge is 21 stitches to 4 inches.

Situation #4: Knit the swatch with the proper needle size, bind off and let it sit in the water for 15 minutes to relax. Roll up in a towel and squeeze out all the water but too impatient to let dry completely and do a stitch count when the fabric is still damp. Gauge is 19 stitches to 4 inches.

Situation #5: Knit the swatch with the proper needle size, bind off, let it sit in the water for 15 minutes, roll up in a towel and get all the water out, lay flat to dry then do a stitch count. Gauge is 20.5 stitches to 4 inches.

As you can see, each situation ends in a different result. When we are talking about a sweater, this could result in a very different sweater. If the sweater is 200 stitches around at the bust line, with a gauge of 20 stitches to 4 inches, this would be a 40" around. If you are situation #1 and you want a 40" sweater, but your gauge is smaller (24 stitches to 4") so you pick a larger sweater size (because you know how to run the numbers!) So you take your 24 stitches to 4 inch gauge, and decide on a sweater that is 240 stitches at the bust. If the math is mathing, this will give you a 40" bust. 

If your gauge was REALLY 24 stitches to 4 inches, this would work wonderfully...however...since you didn't complete the gauge swatch that number is a lie!!! Once you wash and block your sweater, it will probably be more like 20 stitches to 4 inches...possibly less if the yarn is superwash!!! This will result in a 48" bust sweater...which is a LOT of positive ease!

While we are talking about Superwash...let's talk about the type of fiber you are using. 

- If you are using acrylic, it will most likely stay EXACTLY like you knit it. Sometimes this can be a blessing, sometimes not. Acrylic doesn't block. I frequently will go up a needle size to knit in a little drape for the garment. I'm a fan of acrylic for hats because no matter how stretched out the hat gets, it just bounces back to where you put it!

- If you are using a wooly wool, it will also not move a ton, but it's important to know how it will react after blocking

- If you are using anything with superwash, bamboo or alpaca, it will probably grow a bit!

- If you are using a blend of all of the above...you just don't know what to expect.

I know I threw a lot of numbers and math at you...but the bottom line is: 

If you want your finished object to be the size you expect, you gotta swatch (AND WASH AND DRY!!!)

My last little PSA...I have found if a relaxing kinda fiber like superwash is knit at a tighter gauge, the less it stretches out...at a looser gauge it REALLY relaxes. This is why some knitters never have an issue with superwash and others have an issue EVERY time they use superwash. If you are having growth issues, consider knitting a firmer fabric by going down a needle size or two! Of course...this ALL depends on gauge (see top of article for more information about gauge).