Why gauge changes the chart
On a knitted fabric, a stitch is wider than it is tall: at 20 stitches and 28 rows per 10 cm, each stitch is 5 mm wide but only about 3.6 mm tall. A heart drawn on square graph paper therefore comes out short and wide. The knitting chart maker draws cells in the true proportion of your gauge, so the chart looks like the knitting and the finished motif keeps its shape.
- Charted on square paper16 × 16 squares
- Knitted at 20 × 28 gauge8.0 × 5.7 cm: squashed
- Charted for the gauge16 stitches × 22 rows: 8.0 × 7.9 cm
Knitting a swatch
- Cast on enough stitches for at least 15 cm of width, using the yarn and needles for the project.
- Knit about 15 cm in the stitch you will use: stockinette for plain areas, or a band of colourwork if the project is stranded.
- Bind off loosely and wash and dry the swatch as you will the finished piece.
Measuring
Lay the swatch flat without stretching it. Place a ruler across the middle, away from the edges, and count the stitches in 10 cm, including half stitches. Then measure vertically and count the rows in 10 cm. Measure in two or three places and take the average. A swatch with 22 stitches and 30 rows in 10 cm has a gauge of 22 × 30.
Using the numbers
Enter the stitches and rows per 10 cm in the knitting chart maker. The chart’s cells take on your stitch shape, and the finished size shown beside the chart is calculated from the same numbers. If you change needles or yarn, swatch again: even half a stitch per 10 cm adds up over a sweater.
Worked example: how big will a chart knit up?
Divide the chart’s stitches by your stitches per 10 cm, and its rows by your rows per 10 cm, then multiply by 10. Here is the same 40 × 40 chart at the middle of each standard yarn weight, with rows at 1.4 times the stitch gauge:
| Yarn weight | Stitches × rows per 10 cm | 40 × 40 chart knits up as |
|---|---|---|
| Super fine | 30 × 42 | 13.3 × 9.5 cm |
| Fine | 24 × 34 | 16.7 × 11.8 cm |
| Light (DK) | 22 × 31 | 18.2 × 12.9 cm |
| Medium (worsted) | 18 × 25 | 22.2 × 16.0 cm |
| Bulky | 14 × 20 | 28.6 × 20.0 cm |
| Super bulky | 9 × 13 | 44.4 × 30.8 cm |
Two things stand out. The same chart ranges from a coaster to a cushion depending on the yarn, and at every gauge the knitted piece is shorter than it is wide, because rows are shorter than stitches are wide. That is exactly the squashing the chart maker corrects for.
Getting gauge
If your numbers are far from a pattern’s gauge, change needle size: larger needles give fewer stitches per 10 cm, smaller give more. In a chart you design yourself, you can simply use your own gauge instead.
Colourwork tips
- Keep floats loose; tight floats pull the fabric in, so you get more stitches per 10 cm than you planned. The floats guide explains how.
- Knit the colourwork swatch in the round if the project is in the round; tension often differs from flat knitting.
- For small motifs added after knitting, duplicate stitch avoids floats entirely.
Gauge for different yarn weights
The Craft Yarn Council’s standard gives these stockinette ranges, per 4 inches (10 cm):
| Weight | Yarn types | Stitches per 10 cm | Needles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Super fine | Sock, fingering, baby | 27–32 | 2.25–3.25 mm (US 1–3) |
| 2 Fine | Sport, baby | 23–26 | 3.25–3.75 mm (US 3–5) |
| 3 Light | DK, light worsted | 21–24 | 3.75–4.5 mm (US 5–7) |
| 4 Medium | Worsted, afghan, aran | 16–20 | 4.5–5.5 mm (US 7–9) |
| 5 Bulky | Chunky, craft, rug | 12–15 | 5.5–8 mm (US 9–11) |
| 6 Super bulky | Super bulky, roving | 7–11 | 8–12.75 mm (US 11–17) |
The standard gives stitch counts only. Row gauge in stockinette usually comes out at roughly 1.3 to 1.4 times the stitch gauge, which is why the default of 20 stitches has 28 rows. These are guidelines; your own swatch is the number to use, because hands, needles and yarns all differ.