How to measure gauge in knitting and crochet
Make a swatch, wash it, and count the stitches and rows across 4 in / 10 cm in the middle. Then use the calculator below to see how your gauge changes the pattern.
Updated
Step by step
- Use the right yarn and needles. Swatch with the exact yarn and the needle or hook size the pattern suggests.
- Make it big enough. Cast on or chain enough for at least 6 in / 15 cm, and work in the pattern's stitch, not plain stockinette, unless the pattern says so.
- Work until it's square, then bind off or fasten off loosely.
- Wash and dry it exactly as you will the finished piece, and let it dry flat without stretching.
- Count the stitches. Lay a ruler flat across the middle and count the stitches in 4 in / 10 cm, including half stitches.
- Count the rows. Turn the ruler vertically and count the rows in 4 in / 10 cm.
- Compare with the pattern. Enter your numbers in the calculator above. It tells you what size the piece will come out, and what numbers to use instead.
Counting tips
- Knitting: each stitch on the right side is a little V. Count the Vs across, and count them up for rows.
- Garter stitch: each ridge is two rows.
- Crochet: count the stitch tops across a row. For rows, count each row of posts; single crochet rows are short, so measure over a larger area if you can.
- Textured stitches: measure across whole pattern repeats and divide, rather than counting single stitches.
Common questions
How big should a gauge swatch be?
At least 6 × 6 in / 15 × 15 cm, so you can measure 4 in / 10 cm in the middle, away from the edges. Edge stitches are often uneven and throw the count off.
Do I really need to wash my swatch?
For anything that has to fit, yes. Many yarns grow or shrink when washed, so an unwashed swatch can be a whole size off. Wash and dry it exactly as you will the finished piece.
How do I count half stitches?
Count them. Over 4 in, 18½ stitches instead of 18 makes a sweater about 1 in / 2.5 cm narrower. Write the half down, or measure over a wider area and divide.
My gauge is off. What should I change?
Change needle or hook size, not how tightly you work. Too many stitches: go up a size. Too few: go down a size. Half a millimetre usually changes gauge by about one stitch per 4 in.
What is row gauge, and does it matter?
Row gauge is the number of rows in 4 in / 10 cm. It matters less than stitch gauge for most patterns, because they tell you to work to a length. It matters for pieces worked to a row count, like raglans and charts.