Gauge Measurement vs. Finished Measurements

Yes, it has been quite a while since I've posted.  It was a busy spring.  Travel, getting Cast On out, developing a new certification course have all taken precedence.  Masters Day at the DFW Fiber Fest was a success.  We hope to go back next year.  The Spring 2019 issue of Cast On came out on May 1st.  Since then I've been working on the new Professional Knitter Certification Course.  It is basically the Masters Program without research, writing and design.  It is designed for those who want to improve their knitting skills but don't want to do the Masters and those who hope to work in the knitting industry as sample/test knitters or finishers.

Student News
I've been keeping up with my student's work.  I've been getting a lesson just about every day for review.  I will be one of the instructors for the new certification program.  I think the workload for just one instructor.  We announced the program at Masters Day and the response was positive to say the least.  There will be a team of us but the instructor will work with the student as a mentor throughout the process.

Tip of the Week

This is a request from several people working on Level 1 of the Masters.  One of the questions concerns measuring for gauge and measuring finished measurements. This has always seemed a no brainer to me but I've noticed that sometimes it is the simplest questions that cause the most concern.  The knitter over thinks it and makes it more complicated.

The majority of knitters I encounter do not calculate gauge in a way that is going to produce useful information.  Casting on 10 or 12 stitches, knitting an inch, binding off and then counting the stitches/row for an inch isn't the best way to do it.  For specifics on how to work a gauge swatch and calculate gauge, look at the index for this blog. I've discussed is many times.

Gauge Swatch

You do not want to measure the entire swatch.  Selvedge stitches and the cast on/bind off edges are not the same size as stitches and rows.  You want to measure a large enough area that you get a good average over four or more inches.  Nobody's knitting is absolutely perfect.  There will be variations in the stitch size even for knitters with good tension.  In the photograph below (which isn't a real gauge swatch, I was just lazy) I've placed markers to show exactly what I would measure and count for the gauge--no edges are included.  ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS block the swatch and let it dry completely before taking the measurements!  The gauge swatch is a snapshot of your garment.

Your gauge swatch for a project should be for the stitch pattern specified in the pattern.  If it is for a lace pattern, working a gauge swatch in stockinette isn't going to be helpful.  If is it a design with multiple stitch patterns, make sure you work a swatch for the predominant pattern.  If you look below at my current projects, I've just finished a sweater with a single cable panel.  My gauge statement is for stockinette.  If you are designing a project and it has multiple stitch patterns (as for an Aran design), do a gauge swatch for all the patterns.

Finished Measurements
In the Masters Program you have to provide finished measurement for all of the projects and that includes the swatches.  The finished measurements are exactly what it says.  The piece is measured after any finishing...seams, bands, blocking, etc.  The whole thing is measured and for swatches that means selvedge stitches and cast on/bind off edges.  If you look at any pattern you will see finished measurements include length and width.  For a swatch, this is simple.  For a garment, it can be more specific.  The photo below shows an old project.  The finished measurements for this piece is the length from shoulder to hem, circumference at the chest AND and the bottom since this is an A-line design. 

Finished measurements are different from schematics generally found at the end of patterns to show the "pattern pieces."  Schematics are particularly helpful for blocking.  Schematics can also help for items which might have an unusual shape, such as shawls.

I hope this helps clear things up.  Also, I'm working on the Fall 2019 Cast On and the On Your Way to the Masters addresses this.  Here is a video.  I know the sound is not great, some sort of technical issue but I don't have time to redo it today.


Knitting Salon
Salon will be on Sunday, the 16th (yes, I know it is Father's Day) from 2-4 pm.

Current Projects
I've finished two of the things I'm doing for Fall 2019.  This is the When the Snakes sweater.  The yarn is Miss Babs Yowza in color Oyster.  The cable panel runs diagonally from the hem to the shoulder.  It is slightly wider at the bottom.  I wanted a big old comfy sweater with extra long sleeves.

Here is the back. The cables meet at the shoulders, sort of.  I did saddle shoulders.

You can see the cable panel runs up the sleeves to the neckline.

The Special Topics in Finishing article is about cleaning up thumb/finger joins in mitten/gloves.  I decided to do fingerless mitts (to keep it simple) with a slip stitch design.  The yarn is Zealana Cozi.  It is lovely to work with and produces a rustic fabric perfect for these mitts.  I'm thinking of doing a matching hat for the Winter issue.

Next up, thigh high lace socks.  When I was in Vegas this spring I saw a mannequin at a lux store with lacy thigh highs and I thought that would be fun.  You can see I have a LONG way to go. When the socks are on an actual leg, the lace pattern opens up.  The yarn is Wollmeise and the fabric is really stretchy.  Next up, two kid stranded sweaters.  I haven't got the yarn yet but it is Lornas Lace,

I have spent the week chained to the computer.  I am about halfway done with the handout for the finishing course.  It is shaping up quite nicely.  It has tons of photographs in it which will make it much more useful to the attendees but a pain to write.  Registration is now closed.  I'm asking the students to bring a binder and page protectors.  They will have a very complete reference guide to take home.  I decided to knit the swatches for the examples with size 11 needles so that the stitches are very visible.  I think this is very brave of me as it is REALLY hard to knit with decent tension on needles that size. 

STUDENT NEWS
I had lots of lessons to review this week which is great.  Keep them coming!  For those of you working on Lesson 3 and who want to do the extra credit, I can send you the pattern template we use for the Masters Program.  It is much easier to write a pattern when you have a specific format to follow.   Just let me know if you want the template and I can send you the link.

TIP OF THE WEEK--CALCULATING GAUGE
This is the last tip about how to measure and calculate gauge.  Once you have your measurements and stitch/row counts, you can do the final calculations.  I am a math idiot and even I can do this.

Stitch Gauge:  Divide the number of stitches by the width.  Using the Garter stitch example below, 23 stitches divided by the width of 4.125 is 5.575.  This is the number of stitches per inch.  How useful is this number?  Not all that much unless you are designing or adapting a pattern.  If you look at any pattern or at the ball band on a skein of yarn, it gives you the gauge for 4".  This is the "standard" (if anything is "standard" in the world of knitting).  By the way, this is a totally random number.  It could be anything.  So if I want to compare my gauge to the expected gauge for the yarn or the gauge required for a pattern, I need to multiply my gauge per inch (5.575) by 4 to get a more useful figure.  This gives  me 22.303.  Since I can't cast on .303 of a stitch, I round it down to 22.  My stitch gauge over 4 inches is 22.  Now have have something I can work with. 

Row Gauge: I repeat this for the row gauge.  32 rows divided by 2.875 is 11.130.  I multiply this by 4 to get 44.521 and since I can't knit .521 of a row, I round it up to 45.  How important is row gauge?  It depends on the stitch pattern you are working.  If the pattern is stockinette or garter or some pattern where there is no row repeat, you can always knit fewer or more rows to get the length specified in a pattern.  If the stitch pattern has a row repeat, row gauge is much more important.  For many patterns, you just can't stop in the middle of a repeat.  The stitch count might be wrong or it might look really unbalanced.

I've annotated the photographs of the stitch patterns I used for the marking and measuring tips with the final gauge.

Garter Stitch

Stockinette Stitch

Seed Stitch

Cable

I uploaded a video of me doing the calculations yesterday.  How exciting is that!  Gauge Video
That is the problem with gauge.  It isn't fun and exciting but it is SO important.  A great many of the knitters taking my Basics class do so because they'd like their projects to fit.  The solution to that problem is an understanding of gauge.  As soon as I finish up the handouts for the finishing course I am going to start working on a correspondence course for gauge.  It will cover (among other topics) how to use gauge to alter patterns and how to use gauge to design garments.

KNITTING SALON
The opera last week was wonderful.  I'd never seen Manon before and I wasn't familiar with the music but the French demi-monde always makes for great costumes and plots.  The final simulcast is this Saturday.  Another demi-monde story...La Traviata.  It was the first live opera I saw and it made quite an impression.  This should be a fantastic production.  Violetta is sung by Natalie Dessay who actually looks like she could be dying of consumption.  So Salon will be on Sunday like last week. 

CURRENT PROJECTS
I am so anxious to finish the Decoration Day jacket.  The sleeves are done and I am working on the front bands.  They are taking FOREVER!  This isn't surprising when I consider that I have over 600 stitches on the needles.  I was dreading figuring out the pattern for the bands.  I knew I wanted a the peony design with the borders from the bottom but I assumed I'd have to do some regraphing at the back of the neck.  I couldn't believe it when after I'd cast on the stitches that I was only 2 stitches off from my 31 stitch repeat.  No regraphing required.  I hope that is the case for the other sizes!  That would be nice. 

The front bands will have a facing but it will be in just one color.  I hope to have it completely finished by mid week.  We shall see. 

I intentionally did not mention the craziness that has been going on here in Lexington for the past few weeks.  I didn't want to jinx it.  I am not a sports fan but it was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement of UK's basketball championship.  I did try to talk my 80 year old neighbors into dragging their couch out into the street and setting it on fire but no such luck.  We've gone from basketball craziness to horse racing craziness.  Today is the first day of Keeneland's season (the local racetrack) and then it is Derby.  Kentucky is an interesting place to live in the spring. 

I suddenly realized this week that I had not started the handouts for the course in Mackinac yet.  Since I promised to do a very complete handout for the students which will can be used as a finishing reference guide, I thought maybe I should start it.  I'm devoting my mornings to it.  So far it is coming along very well.  I am knitting the samples for the handout with very large needles so you can clearly see the stitches.  I'm debating about including samples of how NOT to do things....Sometimes that can backfire!

STUDENT NEWS
Another fairly slow week.  All of the lessons I reviewed this week came on one day.  It it my policy to review lessons the day I get them so that was a busy day. 

TIP OF THE WEEK--MEASURING AND COUNTING FOR GAUGE
This tip is a continuation of last week's tip.  If you haven't looked at it you may want to scroll down and read it first.

Once you have completed your gauge swatch and marked the width and length in the center, you are ready to take the measurements.  Most knitters measure gauge by placing a ruler on a swatch and counting the stitches and rows.  This method does not always provide accurate results.  In the Masters Program we measure gauge in a very specific way. 

• Measure the width and length within the markers to the closest eighth of an inch.  Write down the measurement converting it to a decimal (1/8 = .125, 1/4 = .25, 3/8 = .375, 1/2 = .5, 5/8 = .625, 3/4 = .75, 7/8= .875). 
• Count the rows and stitches within the markers and write down these numbers.

Your gauge calculations will only be as accurate as your measurements and your stitch and row counts.  If those numbers are wrong, so will your gauge calculations.  (Next week's tip will be about the calculations.)  By the way, I am a complete MATH IDIOT and if I can do this, ANYONE can.  For years, my gauge calculations involved casting on 10 stitches and working 4 rows and a tape measure which was older than me.  You won't be surprised to find out that I frequently had to rip out 4 inches of knitting and start again.  When I started designing, I starting taking gauge seriously as I didn't have the luxury of redoing things.

The photographs which follow are pretty self-explanatory.  I have provided photographs with the measurements and stitch/row counts.  When you measure, always use a metal or wooden ruler.  They don't stretch out.  Place the swatch on a flat surface.  If it is a slippery fiber, you may want to pin it in place. 

Garter Stitch Width-Stitches

It can be tricky to count garter stitches.  Remember, the "frown" is the stitch, the "smile" is the space between stitches.

Garter Stitch Length-Rows

Garter stitch rows are easy to count.  Each ridge is two rows.  Just count the ridges and multiply by two.  I didn't bother to mark them.

Stockinette Stitch Width/Stitches

Counting stockinette stitches is a bit trickier.  A stitch is a "\/".  The space between the stitches is a
"/\".  I cannot stress how important it is that you recognize the difference, not just for gauge but for finishing.   By the way, I apologize for the strikeouts.  I didn't notice I'd labeled as "Rows" until I'd saved the changes.  I just couldn't face redoing it!

Stockinette Stitch Length/Rows

I've numbered the rows as well.  What I do when I am counting rows is to use a tapestry needle and insert it into the center of each stitch as I count it.

Seed Stitch Width/Stitches

At least I am consistent with my mistakes!  It is easier to count the number of stitches in seed stitch.  The columns are easy to see.

Seed Stitch Length/Rows

It isn't hard to count rows in seed stitch if you mark it carefully.  Place the marker at the lower edge below the knit stitch and place the marker at the top above the purl bump.  Then you can count the purl bumps and as with garter stitch, multiply it by two.

Cable Width/Stitches

Counting stitches in cable patterns can be difficult.  It is much easier to count pattern multiples. 

Cable Length

If counting stitches in cable patterns is difficult, it is almost impossible to count the rows.  It is easier to count the reverse stockinette stitches between the cables.  You can always turn the swatch over and count the stockinette stitches if that is easier.

Cable Stitches on WS

When you are working gauge swatches, you can save yourself time if you carefully note the number of stitches and rows as you work them.  Remember, to subtract selvedge stitches and cast on and bind off rows in your counts.

Next week we will do the gauge calculations.

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Sunday (Easter) since Saturday I will be at the theater watching the simulcast of the Met's Manon which I have never seen.  I am looking forward to it.

CURRENT PROJECTS
I haven't bothered to take a photo of the Decoration Day sweater.  I finished the first sleeve and am half way finished with the second.  I hope to finish it up during the weekend and get started on the front bands.  Then on to the cable sweater in Vlad.