LK-150 Fun

Gauge swatch verses Tension Swatch

Your Success Depends on This · Lesson 3 of 7

GAUGE SWATCH

The gauge swatch is the "official" swatch used when designing a garment.
It is knit at a specific size, marked for accurate stitch and row measurement and "dressed" as the final garment will be treated.

TIP: Whatever method you use to create a swatch, the key is to correctly measure it and calculate your gauge.

TENSION SWATCH

When I pick up a new cone of yarn, I can't wait to thread up my machine and see what the yarn looks like. From the initial cast on, I start guessing what setting on my tension dial I need to use. I knit a few inches and reach down and start to feel the resulting fabric.

Once I get a feel for the yarn (what machine, general tension setting at stockinette, etc) I create a tension swatch. This helps me fine-tune the tension needed to achieve the fabric I like and allows me to play with various techniques. I'm often very surprised that a yarn looks great in tuck, and awful in slip, for example. Adding a few eyelets here and there tells me if the yarn will work up in lace.

Let's practice knitting a tension swatch.

Play!

Start knitting stockenette at the tightest tension that will knit. (If the tension is too tight, you'll see stitches that don't form properly.
Knit 2-4 inches. Knit a marker row (change colors, work a few eyelets across the row or knit a sewing thread in with the main yarn)
Keep knitting sections, marking the tension dial number in each section. Knit the last section as loosely as possiblle, even if you think this will be too loose ... I'm often very pleasantly surprised at the result.
Transfer every other needle to out of work postion and knit a section - put all needles back into work.
Work a simple tuck, or slip, or any stitch pattern of your choice ... base your tension dial setting on the stockinette sections you just knit.

The point of this exercise is to put the yarn through it's paces ... ignite your creativity, and get a feel for what the yarn can do. If you don't have a huge cone, you can always re-wind this knitting. At this point, you probably know exactly what you want to do with this yarn. Knit your Gauge Swatch, dress it and and you are ready to design and knit your sweater.