Lesson 3: Your Success Depends on This
Knit a Swatch
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Knitting a "Proper" Swatch
The goal of a swatch is to determine how many stitches and rows it takes to knit a 1" (or 4"/10cm) square.
To do this accurately, you will knit a larger piece and mark off a set number of stitches and rows AS YOU KNIT.
After you dress (rest, wash, block) your swatch, you can easily measure and calculate your stitch and row gauge.
When you knit your swatch, you will cast on MORE stitches and knit MORE rows than shown. This prevents you from measuring edge to edge and allows you to measure only the isolated area.
- Garment yarn: Cast on 50 stitches with any method.
- Knit for 1" or so. Carriage on the right.
- Contrasting waste yarn: Knit 2 rows.
- Garment yarn: Knit 20 rows.
- Use a yarn marker or run a strand as you knit to isolate the stitches.
- Knit 20 rows.
- Contrasting waste yarn: Knit 2 rows.
- Garment yarn: Knit 1" or so.
- Bind off or drop the work from the machine.
- Dress the swatch (wash, block, and treat as you will the finished item).
