We talked recently about tension when stitching. One way to figure out if you have the correct tension for a project is swatching to meet the recommended gauge. Most patterns will suggest a particular hook size and gauge to make sure your project ends up the same size as theirs. This also helps to make sure a wearable item will fit the person it is intended for.
Just for the record, I absolutely hate gauge swatching.
The way it works is that the pattern will tell you what to do and for how many rows. For example, it might say, chain X amount and do rows 1-12. Gauge should measure 4 inches. This example is made up, but it’s usually something like this. If your swatch is too large, your tension is likely too loose. If it’s too small, then your tension is likely too tight. You can play around with different tension and hook sizes until you get that swatch to be the size called for in the pattern.
If your project is going to be blocked at the end, you should also block your swatch before measuring to see if it fits the gauge. We’ll talk about blocking later, don’t worry.
After a while, you’ll get a feel for it, and gauging won’t be as crucial. You’ll start to know how to adjust to make sure everything works the way you want. You’ll be able to whip up a single swatch to check gauge, make a few adjustments if necessary, and move on the to real thing. You’ll also start to get a feel for when you don’t actually need to make a swatch.
Have you ever done this before? Did you feel that it helped with your final project?