Gauge

[Tash382]

Well I figured while I was on here I might as well get all my questions out.

 

What exactly is Gauge? I taught myself how to crochet from one of those books. My mom does some but sews more than anything and when i asked her about it she really couldn't explain it to me. I understand that certain amounts of stitches should be measured to what the pattern says. But I guess what I dont understand is how does one control it in crocheting? Is it how tight you hold the yarn? What hook you use? I guess im just confused.

 

Thank You!!!

[ReniC]

Tasha- The red link is a great explanation on gauge for you :

 

GAUGE

[magiccrochetfan]

more gauge info on this q&a page http://www.anniesattic.com/pages/yarn_faq.html

 

gauge is affected mainly by the hook size, and to some extent by how tight your yarn tension is. your gauge when you are relaxed may be different than when you are tense. different ways of holding the yarn can change your gauge somewhat.

[catlyn]

I'm glad this question came up.

I had posted on another thread that I was having trouble with my granny squares coming out different sizes. I thought it was the different colored yarns I had selected.

I know that the way you hold your yarn can affect your guage, one way today and different tomorrow from today and my moods have alot to do with it also.

So while working on my squares I started paying close attention to how I hold my yarn and the strength of which I let it feed thru my fingers.

I started noticing that as I was doing double crochet stitches that after I wrap the first loop on the hook, stick it in the next stitch, then I pull back on the thread a tiny bit to retighten the thread in my fingers before I wrap the next loop.

If I do this consistently and pay better attention than so much attention to the T.V. that my squares look better.

I've been crocheting off and on for about 35 years and just now see this in my work. Maybe I haven't crocheted enough to just now be discovering this.

[Roli]

I thought it was the different colored yarns I had selected.

 

This can be true also. I've noticed that different dyes can affect yarn in different ways so that even when you are using the same brand, you will find variations in the thickness of different colored strands.

[Tash382]

Thank you so much for the links and explainations! The "teach yourself how to crochet" kit - book, talks about Gauge as if I should have already known what it was. This helps a great deal! Thank you again for your posts!

[magiccrochetfan]

This can be true also. I've noticed that different dyes can affect yarn in different ways so that even when you are using the same brand, you will find variations in the thickness of different colored strands.

I've had several yarns where different colors were significantly different thicknesses, definitely enough difference to affect gauge.

 

 

So while working on my squares I started paying close attention to how I hold my yarn and the strength of which I let it feed thru my fingers.

I started noticing that as I was doing double crochet stitches that after I wrap the first loop on the hook, stick it in the next stitch, then I pull back on the thread a tiny bit to retighten the thread in my fingers before I wrap the next loop.

If I do this consistently and pay better attention than so much attention to the T.V. that my squares look better.

It is interesting to really notice and think about the tiny things we do while crocheting:yes I have a tendency to wind the yarn pretty tightly around my little finger, but have recently realized that I often get better results if I loosen that up or even omit that winding altogether. that little extra tightening that you describe would wreak havoc with my tension!

[Granny Square]

Slightly off topic, more about tension, but tension can affect gauge & consistency:

 

Many newbies (including me when I was one, mumble years ago) crochet tightly (partly)because they work with just the tip (throat) of the hook; you need to pull the yarn past the throat to the body of the hook for the best tension

[catlyn]

I've had several yarns where different colors were significantly different thicknesses, definitely enough difference to affect gauge.

 

 

 

It is interesting to really notice and think about the tiny things we do while crocheting:yes I have a tendency to wind the yarn pretty tightly around my little finger, but have recently realized that I often get better results if I loosen that up or even omit that winding altogether. that little extra tightening that you describe would wreak havoc with my tension!

 

And if I wrapped my thread tightly around my little finger I would probably never get a stitch done.

It is interesting to notice the little things we do......

I certainly found out that the tiny little things I do or don't do affects the appearance of my work.

I am such a perfectionist {I know that's obcessive} in everything I do , that I want everything to look just as neatly and perfectly as I can get it.....if it doesn't look just right I will do it over or throw it out.