Always Swatch Before You Start

Published: May 16, 2022  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Okay, so our title for this week’s blog post is a bit cheeky, but it’s still great advice. Seriously! We cannot overemphasize the importance of swatching. Knowing your personal tension with your chosen needles, hooks, etc. is crucial for any project. 

Most of us have a rough idea about our individual crafting tension (i.e. whether we’re tight knitters/crocheters or loose knitters/crocheters). This is a great start, but it doesn’t always paint the full picture. When you look at a pattern for a garment that you would like to make, the designer has a specific denoted tension that is required to achieve the optimal fit and look of that finished garment. This is actually really important to take note of, and in order for the garment to fit correctly and look like it does on the model, it is good practice to adhere to the designer’s requested tension. 

Now, even if you are using the suggested yarn, needles/hooks size, and have a good idea of your overall tension, it is still crucial to knit/crochet a swatch using your chosen needles/hooks. This is because even if the tools that you are using are the same size as those suggested in the pattern, not all needles/hooks (at least in our experience) are actually the same size. There is generally some slight variation between the various manufacturers and the materials used may potentially play a part in that. The photos in this post are an example of the variance between two swatches that were made using two different brands’ U.S. size 8 needles. Despite being knit with the same needle size, yarn, stitches/rounds, tension, and knitter the two swatches are noticeably different in completed size! These U.S. size 8’s are just that different from each other! This is admittedly a bit confusing, and sometimes frustrating. But, it’s workable if you go in eyes wide-open. Remember, even some seemingly slight variation (even if it is just a millimeter) between the needles/hooks of the same size can have a big impact overall. So, it is always good to make a swatch before tackling a project to get the best results!

Pro Tip

Published: October 8, 2021  ~   0

Happy Friday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association Family! This week we thought that we’d offer some words of wisdom to our crafting family; gauge is important. Having the right gauge for the project that you are going to be crafting can genuinely be the difference between having a nice, properly fitting garment that looks professional, and one that doesn’t look at all like the garment from the pattern that you chose. 

Before starting a project, work a gauge swatch. We know that gauge swatches can seem tedious and redundant, especially when you are raring to go on an exciting new garment. However, knowing that you have the right gauge for the project that you are going to be working on can offer great peace of mind and can make all the difference in the world! Knitting or crocheting a swatch can also save you a lot of time and heartache in the long run. 

If you find from measuring the stitches from your gauge swatch that you are a tighter knitter/crocheter than your chosen pattern calls for, consider moving up a needle/hook size. Conversely, if you find that you are a loose knitter/crocheter, move down a needle/hook size.