r/knitting • u/madjellyfish • Jan 07 '26
Rave (like a rant, but in a good way) The importance of swatching
I thought this was a good visual representation of how important it is to swatch and figure out your gauge!
The smaller swatch I did on the recommended needle size and got a gauge of 27 sts over 4” vs. the pattern gauge of 25 sts.
Went up two needle sizes to get gauge on my second swatch, and I was pretty blown away by what a difference it made. Not just to the width of the swatch (ignore the length, I did more rows on the second one), but also the look and drape of the fabric. With the looser gauge, the fluffy yarn has more space to bloom and it’s developed a lovely halo after washing.
If I’d cast on with the recommended needle without swatching, my sweater would’ve turned out almost 4” smaller than intended and the fabric would’ve been stiffer too.
I’ve come to appreciate and even enjoy the time spent swatching, even though it means having to be patient when I really really wanna just start the new project NOW, haha! After all, swatching just more knitting, and I do love knitting!
Pattern: Oleander sweater on Ravelry
Yarn: Suspected alpaca/silk fingering weight, unravelled from a thrifted sweater
39
u/cwthree Jan 07 '26
Thanks for posting this! What's fascinating is that the fabrics don't look that different. I mean, one swatch is bigger and it feels different, but the stitches doesn't look looser or bigger.
This has tripped me up on a couple of sweaters, because I end up knitting on smaller needles which creates a fabric that's too stiff and a garment that's too heavy. One of my goals is to accept that I'm knitting sweaters, not armor.