gauge question

[fritzerbear]

I have been crocheting for more than 25 years. (I'm 39 and my great-grandmother taught me to crochet when I was in junior high.) Only recently, I have discovered that my gauge is waaaay off on nearly everything that I do. I hadn't noticed before because I primarily made afgans, purses, pillows, etc. where the gauge didn't really matter.

 

I am trying to become more conscious of my gauge and have tried using smaller hooks but still can't seem to get the gauge right-enough to make things like baby sweaters or booties. (The last pair of booties I made would probably fit a 1 yr old as opposed to an infant, and I even went down two hook sizes.)

 

Please share tips or ideas for how to adjust my gauge so that I can increase the variety of items that I can make. Thanks!

[Twinsmom]

Oh my, we have the same problem. I don't usually have the patience to do a swatch in the pattern stitch to make sure the gauge is right for a project. You might try that for a while. IF you're always off on the large side, you could try using the next smaller hook size.

 

The other thing I've found is that I've gotten a little better with experience of making wearables. . . but I've still got my share of things I have to send to someone who is a different size!

[Croshay]

That's why I prefer making afghans & things that don't have to be an exact size. I'm too impatient to make up a swatch and try to get the gauge exact.

 

But to answer your question, that's the only thing I can think of, to make a swatch to match the gauge before completing the entire project.

[Momcrochets]

If you're still waaay over gauge after going down a couple of hook sizes (and you're already working with the weight of yarn indicated), you could possibly try finding a slightly finer yarn, and do a swatch or two with that. You may still have to adjust your hooks, but maybe that will be the difference you need. I find that different authors have much different tensions...some books I'm "right on" for gauge, others are either too loose or too tight and I get to adjust for that ( ) just like the rest of us, we all have our own comfort level with yarn tensions.

HTH

[jleinhauser]

First, work on the stitch gauge. Just keep going to smaller (or larger) hooks until you get the stitch gauge. When you get close to the stitch gauge, then you need to make a gauge swatch that is 6" square, because you want to measure the gauge over the 4" section in the center. You really can't tell if you have the correct gauge when you make a tiny little swatch.

 

Don't rely on the hook size specified by the pattern or on the yarn band.

Use whatever size hook works for you. I am a loose crocheter, and any pattern that specifies an I hook I will probably have to make with an F.

 

Also, you may be using yarns that are so different from that specified

in the pattern that you'll never get the gauge with it. And even the color of

yarn can make a difference -- dense colors are thicker usually.

 

Once you get the stitch gauge, you can tackle the row gauge. This is the

greatest problem for most crocheters but it does not have to be. Here's how to adjust your row gauge. Try it with dc, but the same idea works with

any stitch, even sc.

 

YO, insert hook in specified stitch and draw up a lp -- now STOP! This loop,

which I call the Golden loop, is what determines your row gauge. If you need to make your stitches taller, draw this lp up a bit higher, then complete the dc stitch. If you stitches are too tall for the gauge, don't draw this lp up so high.

 

Changing hook sizes doesn't do much to change the row gauge. The Golden loop is the answer. You may have to practice a bit to get the new height

even across the row, but it will come to you quickly.

 

Jean Leinhauser

http://www.creativepartnersllc.com

[sorefingers]

Hehe Jean you should add that to tips and tricks! That golden hoop is brilliant!

 

Sore