Advice for how to fix shirt panel dimensions/figure out correct gauge once started...

[dmcelroy23]

I'm working on a crochet shirt pattern and just finished the back panel to find that it's slightly narrower than the pattern suggests. Gah!

(Yes, I know I should have crocheted a swatch but I was worried about how much yarn I had and was using the exact yarn and hook size called for... I know, I know, not a good excuse...)

Useful context: It's a linen yarn (Erika Knight Studio Linen) being used for Tom Daley's polo shirt pattern which is mostly made of granny clusters in vertical rows. Both gauge dimensions are off but I'm mostly concerned with the row number (width of the panel), as the stitch number (height of the panel) will work well as is.

First off, I would welcome any advice about whether a linen yarn crocheted with granny clusters will likely grow with blocking or not.

If the only way to find out about the effect of blocking is to try, then I see myself faced with the following options:

1. Crochet a swatch now and block it to see if it will actually come out to the right gauge after blocking. If yes, all is good! If not, add rows to both sides of panel (but rows added to foundation chain will go in wrong direction... may be a necessary compromise).
2. Block the back panel as is to see if it will come out to right gauge. If so, great! If not, add rows to the blocked back panel and then re-block once added... is this even a thing??? Or should I toss that in the bin as a horrible idea?
3. Hail Mary and add a few rows to each side now as I should assume the gauge is off no matter what and will definitely need to riff on the pattern.

Would appreciate any advice! This is my first garment pattern and I am learning a lot!!

[Granny Square]

Ugh on your issue, yay on learning a lot, which unfortunately often 'the hard way' for most of us, like your project.

A gauge swatch can be unraveled and re-used, once you make it and measured it and wrote down what it said if necessary, just don't cut the yarn and unravel it and use the swatch yarn to start the project.  Or unravel it and re-make the swatch as many times it takes with different size hooks to hit gauge.  A gauge swatch is 100% required for a garment.  I have run into designers that have wildly different stitch tensions, in both directions (tighter, looser, taller, shorter stitches) than I do; everybody is human, and different.  Your idea of blocking your swatch and re-measuring is a good one, I'm rooting for it to work, but but I wouldn't hold your breath.

To the 'linen' issue, I'm not that familiar with it (I used a linen-cotton blend on a doily, but doilies get starched and just sit there, unlike a garment), but here is a link that discusses it https://toniaknits.com/knitting-with-linen-yarn/#:~:text=Linen is perfect for warm,soft with a beautiful drape.

In my personal opinion, to the 'add width by working 90 ° to the rest of the fabric' is more likely to look ghastly than great, but maybe not since the garment is made in the non-standard neck to hem direction; it might work.  On the other hand if linen has properties that would make it sag if worked in 1 direction and not the other, maybe not.

[Granny Square]

More thoughts on this, on the 'figuring out the correct gauge' part.

What I do, after making a gauge swatch that is 'off' (on a garment, usually a top), is to look at the pattern in the area where fit matters, usually the bust, and: (1) figure out the width of 1 of my (wrongly sized) stitches based on the swatch (2) multiply that measurement all the way around the body at the bust - meaning front + back. 

Many sweater patterns come in multiple sizes, like small, medium, large.  Example, let's say a fit of 40" around has a comfortable amount of positive ease for me, and that was a 'medium' on my pattern.  Lets say my gauge swatch ends up too big with the 'right' yarn and hook, and I calculate that 1 of my stitches is .25" wide following the hook and yarn call-out of the gauge swatch, and there are 100 stitches across the front bust area in the size that  'is supposed to fit' me, and also across the back bust area, so 200 stitches x 0.25" = 50 inches.  Per the pattern gauge requirement, 1 stitch should have been only .20" wide, so 200 x 0.20 is 40".  My stitches are too big, so before trying another gauge swatch with another hook, I look at what would happen if I followed the size small pattern with my 0.25"; and let's say that pattern had 80 stitches front and back across the back--160 stitches x 0.25" happens to be exactly 40 inches.  Of course I rigged the numbers for this example, but I just wanted to show the thought process that I go through to see if something will work for fit if my gauge is off.  It's possible that if I have to follow a smaller pattern I may have to add length to the sleeves and body, but most of the things I make  are for me so I can measure my new piece against a top that fits me well, or if you are lucky to be following a pattern with a multi-size diagram, figure out what size you need to follow based on your calculations.  I hope that all makes sense?

[blanketmakingwoahman5]

In terms of your question about whether linen yarn will grow with blocking, I think it's definitely a possibility. Linen is known to have a bit of stretch to it, and blocking can help the fibers relax and settle into their final shape. That being said, it's always a bit of a gamble, so it's good to be prepared with a backup plan.

As for your options, I think the first one is definitely the most logical. Crocheting a swatch and blocking it will give you a good idea of what to expect, and if you need to add rows, you can do so in the correct direction.

If you don't want to go through the trouble of making a swatch, you could try blocking the back panel and seeing if it comes out to the correct width. If it does, great! If not, you could add rows to each side and then re-block it. I don't think it's a horrible idea, but it might be a bit of a hassle.

And if you're feeling daring, you could always add a few rows to each side now, but it's hard to say how that will affect the final fit of the garment.