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Understanding Gauge

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After the garment size and materials, you will see a listing for the garment’s gauge. This is a critical piece of information because your understanding of gauge will have a direct impact on your final knitted piece.

In simplest terms, gauge is the measurement used to describe how many stitches are in an inch of knitted fabric. The number varies with the type of yarn and the type of needles used to knit the piece. Your personal knitting style affects your gauge as well. Some knitters knit more loosely; some knit more tightly.

Before you begin your knitting project, look closely at the gauge listed on the pattern. Note the number of stitches it takes to create the number of inches listed. For instance, it might say “16 sts and 18 rows to 4” using size 11 needles.” This means 16 stitches on a row, for 18 rows, will give you a 4” piece of fabric, if you use size 11 needles.

Before you begin your project, you should create a sample to check your gauge. See if your 16 stitches and 18 rows indeed yields a 4” piece of fabric. If it does, you are ready to go. If not, you need to increase or decrease your needle size or adjust your knitting to make your stitches tighter or looser.

These adjustments are not critical if you are creating a baby blanket or a scarf because being slightly off in the size is unlikely to affect the quality of the garment. But, if you are knitting a piece that needs to fit to size, correct gauge is crucial.

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