Gauge (knitting)
Encyclopedia
In knitting
, the word gauge is used both in hand knitting and machine knitting; the latter, technical abbreviation GG, refers to "Knitting Machines" fineness size. In both cases, the term refers to the number of stitches per inch, not the size of the finished garment. In both cases, the gauge is measured by counting the number of stitches (in hand knitting) or the number of needles (on a knitting machine bed) over several inches then dividing by the number of inches in the width of the sample.
Compared graduation scale Gauge (GG) A versus B system:
A 30 GG (A) Cotton Fully fashion flat machine (30 needles in 1,5”) is comparable to a 20 GG (B) Electronic Flat machine, a 27 GG (A) is a 18 GG (B), a 18 GG (A) is a 12 GG (B), a 12 GG (A) is a 8 GG (B), a 7,5 GG (A) is a 5 GG (B) and a 4,5 GG (A) is a 3 GG (B).
, the size of knitting needle
s, and the tension of the individual knitter (i.e., how much yarn they allow between stitches).
Sometimes the gauge is deliberately altered within a garment, usually by changing needle size; for example, smaller stitches are often made at the collar, sleeve cuffs, hemline ribbing or pocket edges.
s of different sizes are used. The method is sometimes used when the knitter has a significantly different gauge on knit and purl stitches. It is also useful for producing elongated stitches
and certain specialty patterns.
or from a published pattern
, the gauge should match as closely as possible; significant differences in gauge will lead to a deformed garment. Patterns for knitting
projects almost always include a suggested gauge for the project.
For illustration, suppose that a sweater
is designed to measure 40" around the bustline with a gauge of 5 st/inch in the chosen stitch. Therefore, the pattern should call for 200 stitches (5 st/inch x 40") at the bustline. If the knitter follows the pattern with a gauge of 4 st/inch, the sweater will measure 50" around the bustline (200 st / 4st/in) -- too baggy! Conversely, if the knitter follows the pattern with a gauge of 6 st/inch, the sweater will measure ~33" around the bustline (200 st / 6st/inch) -- too tight! Generally, the gauge should match to better than 5%, corresponding to 1" of ease in a 20" width. Similar concerns apply to the number of rows per inch.
Luckily, the gauge can be adjusted by changing needle
size, without changing the pattern, stitch, yarn, or habits of the knitter. Larger needles produce a smaller gauge (fewer stitches per inch) and smaller needles produce a larger gauge (more stitches per inch). If necessary, further adjustments can be made by subtly altering the pattern dimensions, e.g., shortening a vertically aligned pattern. Ribbing
can also be used to "draw in" the fabric to the proper gauge.
Knitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
, the word gauge is used both in hand knitting and machine knitting; the latter, technical abbreviation GG, refers to "Knitting Machines" fineness size. In both cases, the term refers to the number of stitches per inch, not the size of the finished garment. In both cases, the gauge is measured by counting the number of stitches (in hand knitting) or the number of needles (on a knitting machine bed) over several inches then dividing by the number of inches in the width of the sample.
Gauge on knitting machines
There are two types of classification of Knitting Gauges or Unit of Measure:- A – Used for Cotton Fully fashion flat machines (Bentley – Monkey, Textima, Sheller etc..) where “Gauge” is measured in 1,5” Inches (2,54 cm x 1,5) and the machine's gauge is expressed by the number of needles needed to achieve that gauge.
- B – Used for hand, mechanical or modern Electronic Flat Machines (Stoll, Shima, Protti etc..), where gauge is measured in 1 inch increments (or 2,5 cm) and the machine's gauge is similarly measured by the number of needles required to achieve that number.
Compared graduation scale Gauge (GG) A versus B system:
A 30 GG (A) Cotton Fully fashion flat machine (30 needles in 1,5”) is comparable to a 20 GG (B) Electronic Flat machine, a 27 GG (A) is a 18 GG (B), a 18 GG (A) is a 12 GG (B), a 12 GG (A) is a 8 GG (B), a 7,5 GG (A) is a 5 GG (B) and a 4,5 GG (A) is a 3 GG (B).
Factors that affect knitting gauge
The gauge of a knitted fabric depends on the pattern of stitches in the fabric, the kind of yarnYarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
, the size of knitting needle
Knitting needle
A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold...
s, and the tension of the individual knitter (i.e., how much yarn they allow between stitches).
- For example, ribbingRibbing (knitting)In knitting, ribbing is a pattern in which vertical stripes of stockinette stitch alternate with vertical stripes of reverse stockinette stitch...
and cable patternsCable knittingCable knitting is a style of knitting in which textures of crossing layers are achieved by permuting stitches. For example, given four stitches appearing on the needle in the order ABCD, one might cross the first two the next two, so that in subsequent rows those stitches appear in the new order...
tend to "pull in," giving more stitches over an identical width than stockinette, garter, or seed stitch. Even the same stitch produced in two different ways may produce a different gauge; for example, a swatch of stockinette stitchBasic knitted fabricsA few types of knitted fabric are so fundamental that they have been adopted as part of the language of knitting, similar to techniques such as yarn over or decrease...
may not have the same gauge as one knit in reverse stockinette stitchBasic knitted fabricsA few types of knitted fabric are so fundamental that they have been adopted as part of the language of knitting, similar to techniques such as yarn over or decrease...
.
- Thicker yarnYarnYarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
s with less loft generally produce larger stitches than thinner yarns (reducing the number of stitches per width and length.
- Larger knitting needleKnitting needleA knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold...
s also produce larger stitches, giving fewer stitches and rows per inch; changing needle size is the best way to control one's own gauge for a given pattern and yarn.
- Finally, the knitter's tension, or how tightly one knits, can affect the gauge significantly. The gauge can even vary within a single garmentClothingClothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, typically with beginning knitters; as knitters become more familiar with a stitch pattern, they become more relaxed and make the stitch differently, producing a different gauge.
Sometimes the gauge is deliberately altered within a garment, usually by changing needle size; for example, smaller stitches are often made at the collar, sleeve cuffs, hemline ribbing or pocket edges.
Uneven knitting
Uneven knitting is a knitting technique in which two knitting needleKnitting needle
A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold...
s of different sizes are used. The method is sometimes used when the knitter has a significantly different gauge on knit and purl stitches. It is also useful for producing elongated stitches
Elongated stitch (knitting)
In knitting, an elongated stitch is a stitch that is longer than others. It may be created by wrapping the yarn around the righthand needle two or more times, or by placing yarn overs between stitches and dropping them on the next row.-References:...
and certain specialty patterns.
Knitting gauge in patterns
To produce a knitted garment of given dimensions, whether from one's own designSweater design
Sweater design is a specialization of fashion design in which knitted sweaters are designed to fulfil certain aesthetic, functional and commercial criteria...
or from a published pattern
Pattern (sewing)
In sewing and fashion design, a pattern is an original garment from which other garments of a similar style are copied, or the paper or cardboard templates from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric before cutting out and assembling .Patternmaking, pattern making or pattern cutting is...
, the gauge should match as closely as possible; significant differences in gauge will lead to a deformed garment. Patterns for knitting
Knitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
projects almost always include a suggested gauge for the project.
For illustration, suppose that a sweater
Sweater
A sweater, jumper, pullover, sweatshirt, jersey or guernsey is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms. It is often worn over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, or other top, but may also be worn alone as a top...
is designed to measure 40" around the bustline with a gauge of 5 st/inch in the chosen stitch. Therefore, the pattern should call for 200 stitches (5 st/inch x 40") at the bustline. If the knitter follows the pattern with a gauge of 4 st/inch, the sweater will measure 50" around the bustline (200 st / 4st/in) -- too baggy! Conversely, if the knitter follows the pattern with a gauge of 6 st/inch, the sweater will measure ~33" around the bustline (200 st / 6st/inch) -- too tight! Generally, the gauge should match to better than 5%, corresponding to 1" of ease in a 20" width. Similar concerns apply to the number of rows per inch.
Luckily, the gauge can be adjusted by changing needle
Knitting needle
A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold...
size, without changing the pattern, stitch, yarn, or habits of the knitter. Larger needles produce a smaller gauge (fewer stitches per inch) and smaller needles produce a larger gauge (more stitches per inch). If necessary, further adjustments can be made by subtly altering the pattern dimensions, e.g., shortening a vertically aligned pattern. Ribbing
Ribbing (knitting)
In knitting, ribbing is a pattern in which vertical stripes of stockinette stitch alternate with vertical stripes of reverse stockinette stitch...
can also be used to "draw in" the fabric to the proper gauge.
Measuring knitting gauge
To check one's gauge before starting a project, a sample of knitting (a swatch) is made, ideally in the stitch pattern used in the garment. The swatch edges affect the reading of the gauge, so it's best that the swatch be at least 4" square and more safely 6–8" square. Dividing the number of stitches used by the actual size of the sample gives the stitch gauge of that sample. Similarly, the row gauge is calculated by dividing the number of rows knitted by the length of the sample. Making a swatch also helps familiarize the knitter with the stitch pattern and yarn, which will lead to a more uniform gauge in the final garment.External links
- knitty.com article on gauge
- Measuring Gauge
- Needle Conversion Chart Shows conversion between current and past US and European knitting needle sizes.
- Yarn Weight and Gauge Chart Recommended needle and crochet hook sizes used to achieve gauge with various yarns.