This is an absolutely brilliant way to make patterns work for you instead of fighting with it! Makes much more sense to alter a pattern to your way of knitting than the other way around. I mean, trying to keep a gauge that isn't natural to you throughout a pattern is not an easy feat.
The You Tube police said I had to stop typing. I wanted to thank you, how kind of you to share. I am thrilled to find you. A Polish lady, now passed taught me to put together with a crochet hook. Your method is smoother on the inside. Although mine never looked as good as Jolanta's I believe your method looks more as a continuous piece of work. Bless you!
Wow! Brilliant Tutorial. I am about to knit my first gauge for my very first sweater project, and I am so blessed to have found your guidance. Thank you so much, Ma'am. 💖
I cannot thank you enough for this video. I am a new knitter but I remember my mother knitting and never using a pattern. however now she is gone I can not figure this out on my own. God bless you Cheryl
Thank you so much for making this video! I have a huge passion for knitting but here in germany I can't find anybody to take me by the hand and explain the basics to me. Books are not the same as a nice woman explaining while showing, which is making it easy for me to go along. The quality of this video is great and I enjoyed watching it. Thanks again.
Perfect timing for this video. I just started knitting a sweater out of my handspun yarn. I knitted a swatch, wet blocked it but now I realize I need to check in 3 different areas and average the sts @ inch. I just started reading your Sweater 101 book. I purchased the pdf book and had only scanned the information. I'm now reading it from cover to cover so to speak. I'm now reading Chapter 3, A couple of math skills. Loved the comment 'my brain downshifts ' when you knit.
This is much, much more organized and hopeful than the never-ending-gauge-swatch I get when I keep trying needle after needle to match the gauge in the pattern and never quite get it. The point about measuring near the top of the swatch for hand-knitters is especially good for patterns!
I have always struggled to get the gauge right. Now, all I have to do is a calculation to make it work with me - fabulous. Thank you and I will continue to view your videos - great information.
I had to make a swatch the other day and noticed that after I washed and let it dry my stitching looked more uniform and even then it did right after I had knit it. I was very happy to see that happen.
I've continuously avoided the gauge issue because I really didn't understand it. Thank you for putting the horse before the cart in this excellent video. I was a bit confused about the 4.7 stitches per inch, but read further in the comments and found my answer! Thanks so much.
You are so welcome Cinda and thank you for commenting. The vocabulary is confusing. We talk about "getting gauge" as if it's some magical thing . . . it's not. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us. That's where I share lots of good information and I have a detailed post or two about gauge.
Yes Joey. Washing (or, at least, "wetting") can really help to even out the stitches. I just finished an alpaca cowl. I have to sew it up, weave in the ends and put on some buttons, and I'm really looking forward to wet-blocking it because I think it will look better. It's already pretty nice but this is a gift for a long-time friend who admired the pattern, the Cowboy Cowl from Annie's. I want it to be great.
Yes Geeta, this method absolutely works for machine knit swatches, though it's usually not necessary to measure 3 times as the gauge is usually much more uniform than it is for hand knitting. I do, however, recommend that you measure more than 2 or 4 inches. I like 6 or 7 or 8 inch measurements on a nice big machine swatch. And you are so welcome. Thank you for your kind words. I performed those BOND videos 25 years ago this month with the help of a great professional producer.
I never thought to take multiple measurements an make an average from them to get true gauge. I felt like I was an accomplished knitter, but I'm seeing I can learn QUITE a bit from this. Looking forward to following this series Cheryl, I'll be following along. Thanks again for ALL the helpful advise.
Yes. Thanks for mentioning that. Pattern sts take a little bit to learn and we tend to be tense while learning them. And I'm glad you like this method. It seems like such a fool's errand to to the multiple swatch thing until you're blue in the face and STILL not make their gauge. This is actually pretty common as I talk to more and more people about it.
I have had it. I have knitted a sweater back and it is 5 “ too large. I have never been able to “get gauge” and so I have used the closest needles to the gauge given on the pattern with disasterous results. I knew there had to be a better way - thank you Cheryl I will practice this method by making the little sweater!
Hi Cheryl, Very fascinating concept, it sure makes a lot of sense. I have not knitted for 8 years, I had a sweater I needed to put together, wanted a refresher in techniques is how I found you. Your series on completing a sweater were great. The part you teach to bind off the sleeve so it is smooth rather than the traditional steps is so clever. Since I knitted the parts long ago I could not use that but I following your technique to sew the sleeve in. Very nice.
I'm so happy you were able to use some of the finishing techniques even on a sweater that's been around a while. And glad you could finish up an 8-year-old project. I have a couple of those. ;)
you are so informative and sweet. I'm a beginner and knew nothing about gauge. I just finished knitting my cap and was wondering why it dint fit so well. Im so happy to have stumbled across this video. Really motivated to watching more. and making a sweater as well. you've got yourself a student :D :D
I can’t begin to tell you how much I have learned from you..You explain things so clearly and logically..Thank you very much for these wonderful video classes!
You are an absolute angel! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to make this knitting series, and sharing it with all of us! I will start my first sweater soon, your videos have helped me! THANK YOU!
Great Virginia. The book isn't really meant for entertainment so much as it's meant to be a working reference book. It makes more sense to read it as you're making a sweater because then you see how things work step-by-step. Have a great time making this sweater. I'll be curious to know how it comes out.
Row gauge is much more uniform in general than stitch gauge. Measure from the top of your pattern st to the bottom of your pattern st and count the number of rows. Divide the number of rows by the number of inches and round off to the nearest hundredth or 10th of an inch. Usually one measurement suffices.
Yes lovedove g. Very often people have a tight cast on. I want your cast on to be loose so that it does not distort the fabric you are making with your regular needles. The edge needs to be loose.
Thank you. Simply stated, sometimes you can never match the designer's gauge no matter how many times you change needle size. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters and I give out a ton of good information.
I definitely couldn't match my gauge with the designer's! It would render my yarn bulletproof, even though it was the correct weight for the project... I'll look up the site, thanks for the suggestion! :)
First off, thank you for making sense of gauge...you have great teaching skills & love the sense of humor! I"m working with an acrylic #4 yarn with manufacturer's suggested needle size of #9(5.5)...the first swatch, I used a #9 for the border & #7 for the body...halfway thru I found the swatch slightly stiff. So I started anew this time with the suggested #9 for the stockinette body. Swatch has more drape at same stop-off point...question? When you say "appropriate needle for the yarn" do you mean what the manufacturer suggests on the yarn band? I plan to disregard the gauge on the band & then follow your method of counting my own gauge. Long & winded, sorry! Lorraine El-Deiry
I'm only half way through your video and I can already tell that you really know your craft. Everything you are saying makes perfect, logical sense. Always a good thing. :-D You are an excellent speaker, explaining in a non-hurried way, why and how something is done, a sign of a great teacher. I'm also enjoying how you reverse the knitting process to conform to you, instead of vise versa. I haven't knitted in twenty plus years, and I'll be subbing and watching your videos to refresh my memory and learn a bit too. Many thanks!
GettingNailed Thank you for this thoroughly kind comment Mary. I started as a high school English teacher in 1968 and have taught many things in many places. Those youth challenged me to develop a style that worked for them. It's much harder selling poetry to teenagers than it is to sell good technique to knitters. Welcome back to this satisfying, creative and portable craft.
Hi Jake, I don't know where you live, of course, but I'd look at Craigslist for your area, Ebay, local newspaper. I might even run a "wanted" ad. If I were going to buy one used I'd want to see it first. As for new? I'd search on the internet for the best deal. Good luck in finding a great machine for you.
Ok! I figured out a way to get you there. I put a link in the description above. Follow that link to my web page. In the upper right hand corner is a blue box that says "How to Knit a Sweater" Workshop. Click on that. It will take you to a page of videos that make up the class. Under the first one is the link to the handouts. See if that works. Thank you for your kind words and I'm sure you'll become a very find knitter because you're dedicated to educating yourself and that's excellent.
I'm not really creating a part 2 for this video for some time. There is more to say about gauge but I want people to have more experience first. Maybe you're referring to the next series I refer to . . . a whole series of short segments in which we make a sweater together. I'm currently scripting them (the whole series before I shoot it) and hoping to start posting them next week. I want to post them every other or every third day until the entire "class" is up.
Cheryl Brunette I got I got your sweater 101 and love it and try to do what you do but became hard for me because I learn by visual and hear so I was taking a long time visualize what I was reading but when I saw you on Suzanne Bryan off the cuff and learn you had some class with the book so I join in these class now I am waiting to get the yarn I need by mail. I really happy to join the class because I always have trouble with gauge thank you very much for this videos i have watching your videos since i got the book
Thank you for the video. I've discovered my gauge is really loose compared to my knitting buddies and it's been so frustrating switching to smaller needles to try and get the right number of stitches per inch.
Catie F You are so welcome Catie. It really is frustrating to try to twist your hands into pretzels trying to get a particular gauge. That's why I build around my personal gauge.
Welcome Penelope! I'm glad you found me. You might also sign up for my very occasional newsletter at cherylbrunette.com or for my free 15-part class that will teach you how to make a sweater using my method. The class project is a child's size 1 sweater. It's at howtomakeasweater.com
Carla . . . you have cracked me up on more than one occasion! I love that you would knit a pattern and then find a victim to wear it. You aren't the only one. Oh dear . . . a "responsible knitter" . . . I'm trusting you'll keep your sense of humor. I'm betting you will. ;)
THANK YOU! After years of making swatches, measuring the sacred 4 inches and guessing how much of the final stitch to count ... is this a quarter of a stitch or half a stitch? Just look for the next line that includes a whole stitch! This was a true head-slap moment. So much more logical.
Glad it was helpful! My approach is very different and I started an advanced gauge teaching project at the end of last summer but stopped when I had emergency open heart surgery. It saved my life but I've had to recalibrate my life a bit and I haven't gotten back to it. I was finally feeling back to normalish when the pandemic came along and now I'm adjusting to staying in lockdown, essentially, for the long haul. I'm getting my routines down and my son lives only a few doors down so he can do shopping and other errands for me. I may get that gauge project done after all.
I’m so glad to hear that you are doing well after your heart surgery! Yes, this pandemic has really made life a bit more ... thoughtful. You have to think about everything you do. Long ago I was a practicing nurse (I don’t like to say that I WAS a nurse because once you have been one you always feel like one) so working in isolation, having to wash your hands, and thinking about touching your face was second nature. Now it’s just exhausting. I have a husband so I don’t have to shop by myself and we have a store that lets us scan items as we shop so we can place them in our reusable bags in our cart. At the end we scan a monitor as we checkout and all of our purchases are displayed. We pay with a card, get the receipt then just walk out. We never have to stand in a long line or interact with a cashier. I used to think it was very cold and impersonal. Now I’m just happy I don’t have to breath next to anyone.😂 I am getting a lot of swatches and planning done for Christmas projects when I’m not chatting with our 2 year old grandsons on messenger. Their most favorite thing to do is play with the special effects so it’s light on conversation but fun to be a dragon or talking slice of pizza for a few minutes. Do take care and be sure to keep in touch with friends and family. The isolation is the worst part of this whole mess. Our family is spread out all over the country from Seattle to Atlanta to New York so we are not tempted to visit and contaminate each other but it is hard when you can only connect online. Take care and stay safe!
Thank you Terry. We live on an old family compound. My son is the 5th generation on this land that was settled by his dad's family in 1892. Between my ex-husband, my son, and me, we "have" (steward, really) almost 10 contiguous acres so there's plenty of room to be outside in the sunshine and wind together . . . several yards apart while talking. My daughter-in-love is a nurse who practices at a hospital and has been exposed (with PPE, but, you know) of course, because it's only Covid-19 patients who are in the hospital now. So far it's manageable where we live, but we are ultra-cautious about keeping me at a distance. I don't even pet the pup anymore, though I do feed him home-baked doggie cookies. I've lived in this small community for 40 years. Yesterday, one of my best pals brought one of my favorite meals that she makes, and tomorrow I'm taking them a freshly-baked loaf of bread . . . they have 30 acres. I'll place it on an outside table. I love that you can be a talking pizza slice or dragon, and your shopping situation sounds carefully thought out. This too shall pass, though I do miss the physical hugs.
40 years ago I was actually living in Bellevue and working at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in IICU. I do miss Seattle but I am happy to live in upper Michigan in a somewhat rural area surrounded by orchards and vineyards. It is at least closer to the east coast and the majority of our relatives. It’s nice that you have family and friends close by even though you have to arrange rendezvouses at a distance.
Soooo Good to see you back the last time I email you you were getting ready for surgery, Today I saw you on suzanne Bryan website, I love your knitted chair cover it there any way I can see the whole chair is the back also knitted? I would like to do that for my chair. Thanks
Hi Cheryl, Would you please speak on various needle choices. Straight, circular, bamboo, metal, is it worth the price for good needle as opposed to stock supply available in chain craft stores, etc. Working on my gauge I started with addi needles but the stitch was too big, then I switched to plastic needles. Right size but very hard to knit. I would love to learn you assessment. Thank you.
err...ok, so I have watched the video all the way through. I believe you have helped me try and figure. I thought that trying to gauge to myself was wrong. Have been told that repeatedly. So I'm loving your idea of gauging to ourselves. I don't do sweaters as I don't have that much time in any great length to do them. So..I'm off trying to get my perfect cowl circumference.
I've done quite a bit of pattern research on gauges and my conclusion is that you have about a 20% to 25% of matching the stitch and row gauge of any given pattern with stockinette st. I haven't studied garter st which has a more predictable width to height ratio. Crazy isn't it?
It depends on how important it is to you to get an exact measurement Loretta. I usually don't unless it's to see if I like the fabric. For example, I'm swatching for a scarf right now and the last one I made from this same yarn was too thick (though my son loves it). Now I'm making one for a woman and I want it lighter both is weight and texture. There's a lot of leeway in things like scarves and afghans. Thank you for watching and commenting.
Thanks so much Cheryl. Getting gauge right is a daunting task to me. I am a beginner knitter. The concept in your video is fascinating and I will check out your video on how to knit a child’s sweater. I would like to know more. Also is your book still in print?
Yes, my book is still in print, though I'm down to about 130 copies and I will not reprint this edition. It's available at sweater101.com The sweater-making class is available at howtoknitasweater.com Thanks for asking.
I'm a new knitter and found your brilliant video very helpful, however can you explain to me why you need the swatch done on needles two sizes bigger than the project please?
That's only for the cast-on Susan, then you switch right away to the needle you are going to use. You want it to be ultra-loose so that it doesn't distort the interior of the fabric. And I would change that recommendation now, to just doing a well-spaced cast on. Thank you for commenting and have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please consider joining us. You'll get lots of good information.
Dear Cheryl: Love your video. You are informative and entertaining at the same time :) Wondering what your suggested method is for finding gauge in a patterned stitch where you can't clearly see (therefore count) each stitch. I am yet to find a good one. Thank you. Aruna
Unless I missed something, I didn't notice where you mentioned how to find the number of rows per inch. Is it just that I simply count the rows within an inch on a ruler? Love the lesson; it has really taught me quite a bit in a short time. Thanks for putting it on TH-cam.
You didn't miss anything Kathleen. I did. You would count the rows the same way, over multiple inches. They tend to be more "regular" than stitch widths and sometimes we just work a certain number of inches rather than rows. It becomes more critical to measure row gauge when you are machine knitting because you can't measure that as you go along.
This looks like a great way to do a gauge swatch. Just wondering, though, what's next? Do you have to figure out whether you're going to use different size needles or adjust the number of stitches you cast on?
This is actually a complex question. 99% of patterns tell you to go up or down needle sizes until you get to the gauge called for in the pattern. For most knitters in most situations, that's an exercise in frustration because there is such wide variation in the shape of different people's stockinette sts. I change the number of sts and rows to fit my gauge and get the same measurements called for by the pattern. Another thing you can do is change needle size until you get the st gauge and then adjust only the number of rows, but again, you might not be able to get even that. That's why I wrote Sweater 101 (sweater101.com). I had too many students and customers at the yarn shop who simply couldn't match gauge no matter what they did.
Struggling to get and keep an unnatural gauge is neither easy nor enjoyable. And why the heck are we knitting anyway? For the enjoyment of it. And now, with schematics a part of almost every sweater pattern, it's so easy to adapt a pattern. And thank you for this sweet comment.
Hi, I'm working on a sweater that calls for size 6 needles for the ribbing and size 8 needles for the body of the sweater. Do I make sure my gauge matches the size 8 needles as opposed to the size 6? Seeing as the ribbing stretches I'm assuming the body of the sweater which is stockinette would be the most important.
?? This is a statement of fact to which I have no reply. There is no mention of a "gauge sheet" in this video. I'm guessing you're remembering something I said in the first part of the "How to Knit a Sweater" series and are wanting me to help you access the Gauge Record Sheet which is included in the handouts to that class, but I cannot give you a link here because TH-cam forbids it. Search for it on my channel and you'll find the link in the description below the video.
Hope you enjoy it! Please note that I only have 50 copies of the hardbound left and I won't reprint this edition. It will continue as an ebook and I'm still looking for a print on demand printer.
Thanks for this! I tend to skip gauging because I'm lazy, which is why I end up with ridiculously large/small finished pieces. :/ No more! Going to learn how to do this for real. Loved the bloopers reel. I've noticed in my own knitting that the left half of the stitch tends to get skinny, and I see that in the swatch piece in this video. Should that bother me?! I think it's a tension issue, but not really sure how to correct this. Do you address this in any of your videos?
Rosa Garcia No, I don't have a video that addresses this specifically but it tends to happen with single ply yarns only. It's something about the twist. It would make for an interesting video but I'd have to play with it for a while to figure out what is happening and why . . . but thanks for pointing it out. It is a rather interesting little quirk.
Hi, thank you for your "How to....gauge swatch" video. my Q is.... I am knitting a beanie hat/cap and the with says it is 8" wide, of course this is a cap so it is actually 16" circumference... do I calculate my gauge for 8" or 16"? Thanks again for your wonderful videos.
You are so welcome Linda. Thank you for watching and commenting and I hope you'll come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you haven't done so already. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.
I have been trying to sign up for your newsletter but the page keeps saying that the address is invalid. I want to order Sweater 101 but I don't want to purchase it then find I can't access it. I am in Australia o hard copy is not an option for me. I have been knitting since late 1950's and feel I have been doing it all wrong, your videos are great for showing how to get a better finish on your knitting.
Sorry Joyce! They are actually on two different systems, the emails and the ebook so it shouldn't be a problem with downloading the book. If it is I'll just email you a copy from my desktop. Meanwhile, if you send me an email at cb@cherylbrunette.com I'll copy your address and add it to my list manually. I'm going to have to check in to why that happened because more than a dozen people have been added over the last couple of days, yet you're the second person to have this problem.
Hi Cheryl. I have never knitted and have been watching a ton of videos to get me started. I am starting with a baby blanket which seems to be the best pattern to do as a beginner. My question is I only bought one set of needles. Your video suggests to cast on with a needle two sizes bigger for the knitting gauge. Can I just use the needle I bought as I do not want to buy another needle set just yet.
+Michelle Morgan Yes. but do it carefully . . . Look at this: th-cam.com/video/JHVr_kU5Dqg/w-d-xo.html Have you joined my knitting newsletter group over at cherylbrunette.com yet? Please do. You get all the news that's fit to print.
Hi there, i'm a crocheter not a knitter i'm very confused with trying to figure out different hook sizes people should use to obtain different size sweaters. Stitch number for a 4 inch gauge changes when different hook sizes or yarn weight are used also finished chest measurement would turn out different. please help!
Hi Cheryl. I have just found your video. I am a kinda newbie knitter. I am at the point where I cannot figure adjustments to patterns. I would love to know the circumference of the cowl you are wearing. This is my idea of a perfect pattern. Not too long ...not too tight ...and perfect to wear alone as you are or tucked in your jacket. How can I figure circumference for different weight yarns? So.....by chance do you have a pattern available for the cowl? I knit for charity, just cause I love to knit and I want it to be worthwhile to someone. Thanks a bunch
Yes. You should easily be able to figure out your gauge for this. One of the reasons it's the perfect size is that it's tapered. It's 29.5 inches at the bottom and 24" at the top, and the pattern calls for various heights. It's a brilliant pattern, I think, and it's called Setzer by Jared Flood. It's 10.5" tall at rest. This is one of my most prized pieces of knitting because it was a gift from a dear, talented knitting friend who also spun the yarn. Are you on my mailing list yet Patty? Come to cherylbrunette.com and join us. That's where I am in closer contact with knitters.
Why have Cheryl’s Sweater 101 tutorial videos been taken down or made “private”? I used her whole series, in conjunction with her Sweater 101 book, to knit my first sweaters. Now that I’ve knit other sweaters in via other methods, I’d like to knit another sweater with drop shoulders, like Cheryl taught and get a refresher from her videos.
My intention from the beginning was to make the class free for a limited time, then make it a paid, downloadable class. The 3-hour class and the accompanying documents are available for $27 at cherylbrunette.gumroad.com/l/azyof
I'm really glad you asked this question Nancy. It has me rethinking my decision to make it a paid-only class. My BOND knitting frame classes are both free on TH-cam and available for paid download. Some people simply like owning them and not having to rely on an internet connection or be interrupted by ads. I think that's what I'm going to do here. I'm not sure when I'll get it done, but soon.
@@CherylBrunetteTV Thank you. I will consider purchasing the class. I thought I had saved the whole tutorial series in my TH-cam library, but obviously it is not available anymore. I saw on your website that the book is out of print and goes for $138 (used) on Amazon. I’m glad I bought the book back then!
@@nancychapman1145 Well, that's a ridiculous price and I have no control over what others sell it for. I never inflated the price over $32. I'm 75, the good price point for profit on the hard bound book starts with an order of 2000 copies. I only sell/sold about 250 a year. I had to rent a storage place for it and frankly? the books are heavy, I can't schlepp the 26-pound boxes of a dozen each and I probably won't live long enough to see them all sold. Hence, the book is out of print but available by ebook.
I'm sure it would make it helpful to many people Sally, but it's a financial/time resource decision. I have to pay to have it done or do it myself which takes many hours as I am not a great typist. TH-cam does not pay well for videos. In some cases it would take years of views in order to pay for the captions.
Akanksha Kapur Thank you for this lovely comment and for watching. And come join my knitting group at cherylbrunette.com. It's free and you'll get newsletters with extra tips and news, of course.
I love your tutorial... I have a question, I am making a swatch but the stitches do not look like yours. Mine look like V. Yours look like a backslash ( I think you call it like this) ... Is it the same, for counting the stitches? Thank you
The reason mine looks like a backslash is that I used a single ply yarn. It's the spin that causes that "back slash" look. p.s. Are you on my email list yet? You can sign up at cherylbrunette.com or howtoknitasweater.com and get more information than I share on YT.
Hi Cheryl Thanks for the videos your making . I am new and just starting to learn how to knit and i have a question.Your video demonstrates how to make a gauge using stockinette stitch . I have been doing little samples of different kind of stitches and find it difficult to count and measure the stitches and rows in order to make a gauge. What shall i do?
No pippi and it's so easy. I am putting that down on my list of videos to make when I get back into the studio. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us. You'll learn a lot over time. And that's the first place I announce new videos.
Thank you Esther. This is a very kind comment and I'm glad this video helped you. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please consider joining us. That's where I give lots of good information and keep in closest touch with knitters.
I think I just forgot to include that. Measure the height of the whole stockinette section and count the rows. Divide the # of rows by the # of inches (or centimeters if that's what you're using) and you'll have rows per inch.
I took an average of the three numbers. I added the three and then divided the result by three. Sometimes the term "mean" is used. It's the same as an average. An arithmetic mean is calculated by adding several quantities together and dividing the sum by the number of quantities.
+Kimberly Crofoot Basically, yes. Rows per inch tend not to be as variable in a single piece of knitting but you can measure in a couple of places and from the top to the bottom of your pattern sts assuming you put an edge on it to keep it from rolling.
Hi thanks for ur wonderful video it was really helpfull but i still hv a problem, how i can apply the swatch to the pattern . I mean for example the edge differ than the middile of pullover in this case i will start my stich number depending on the edge swatch rather than the center , i hope u understand what i meant
I don't quite understand what you're describing. Is it that there are different stitch patterns in the sweater? I have another video about measuring the gauge of pattern stitches. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters.
Hi Cheryl, after more than 30 years of knitting I now know why my sweaters never fit me right. After making and measuring the swatch I began filling in the chart. I do not understand what you mean by tension..How do I measure that? Also , is it necessary to measure rows per inch?
Tension has 2 meanings: it's another word for "gauge," and it refers to how tightly you hold your yarn. In this case it is the same as "gauge." It is necessary to calculate the decrease sequence for the sleeves.
Cheryl, I'm a little confused about adding the cable pattern to a sweater. Since this pattern requires 16 stitches and result in a gauge of 8 stitches to an inch, how did you determine that 6 stitches needed to be added to the sweater pattern?
+Donna McGee Hi Donna. You are replacing a 2-inch wide section in the sweater. That's 10 sts of stockinette. To get the same 2" width with your cable panel, you need 16 sts, hence the added 6 sts. If you did not add the sts the sweater front would be 1.2" narrower than you had planned. Does that help?
My main question was why is it so important when a pattern is to make a gauge swatch and how do you know what way is to make the correct gauge swatch for the current pattern? Do you need to make a standard one or do you use the same stitch as the pattern? Sorry I am a beginner knitter and just questioning about the gauge swatch stuff. You may have already answered the questions in your video and I missed them. Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Do not apologize. Asking questions is how you will learn and understanding gauge is often a problem for people who have been knitting for years. Patterns will usually tell you whether you need to make your gauge swatch (which is just a sample of the fabric) in the pattern stitch or in stockinette. Gauge is simply the number of sts and rows per inch in a given piece of knitted fabric. Designers tell you what their gauge was to get the finished size of the garment you are making, but you might not be able to match that stitch size no matter what you do. See if this article makes sense to you: www.cherylbrunette.com/2016/02/why-youre-frustrated-with-gauge-and-why-its-good-news/
It's always prudent because yarns behave in curious ways sometimes. I don't ALWAYS do it . . . especially with a wool that I know well and it's going to be something like a scarf or shawl or blanket . . . but I SHOULD do it. . Please come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you're not already on it. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.
I'm confused. How are you supposed to use your specific gauge to match the one the sweater calls for? If I want to make an extra large sweater, what good does it do for me to find my specific knitting tension if it only matches for a medium sweater?
You don't. Your gauge is one thing. The gauge called for by a specific pattern is a different thing. My method of making sweaters as outlined in the book Sweater 101 is based on using your own actual gauge to knit a sweater and not the gauge that a pattern calls for. It is sometimes extremely difficult to match a particular designer's gauge. www.cherylbrunette.com/the-sweater-101-book/
Hi Cheryl, What is the stitch you are using for the top and bottom of this swatch? Is it with the same (2 sizes larger) needles or are those stitches being made with the size needles you are measuring the gauge for? Tom
+Tom Booth Hi Tom. at the top and bottom I use a simple K 1, P 1 ribbing made on the same size needles as the stockinette section. At the edges it looks like 2 garter sts though I usually do 3 garter sts at each edge. I sometimes use garter at the top and bottom but the ribbing seems to tame it better.
Betty, truth be told, I haven't made a sock in years. It seems to me back when I made stockings (yes, the ones up my thighs, held by a garter belt) I just followed patterns without swatching but I did adjust the length of the feet.
Only if you want it to turn out the size you want it to be. :D And the short answer is YES. Come join us at cherylbrunette.com if you like, for an infrequent newsletter that shares more things than I share on TH-cam.
![The secrets to getting gauge and knitting perfect swatches [5 common mistakes]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ntK-ICmol2E/mqdefault.jpg)
This is an absolutely brilliant way to make patterns work for you instead of fighting with it! Makes much more sense to alter a pattern to your way of knitting than the other way around. I mean, trying to keep a gauge that isn't natural to you throughout a pattern is not an easy feat.
The You Tube police said I had to stop typing. I wanted to thank you, how kind of you to share. I am thrilled to find you. A Polish lady, now passed taught me to put together with a crochet hook. Your method is smoother on the inside. Although mine never looked as good as Jolanta's I believe your method looks more as a continuous piece of work. Bless you!
Wow! Brilliant Tutorial. I am about to knit my first gauge for my very first sweater project, and I am so blessed to have found your guidance. Thank you so much, Ma'am. 💖
I cannot thank you enough for this video. I am a new knitter but I remember my mother knitting and never using a pattern. however now she is gone I can not figure this out on my own. God bless you Cheryl
Thank you so much for making this video! I have a huge passion for knitting but here in germany I can't find anybody to take me by the hand and explain the basics to me. Books are not the same as a nice woman explaining while showing, which is making it easy for me to go along. The quality of this video is great and I enjoyed watching it. Thanks again.
Perfect timing for this video. I just started knitting a sweater out of my handspun yarn. I knitted a swatch, wet blocked it but now I realize I need to check in 3 different areas and average the sts @ inch. I just started reading your Sweater 101 book. I purchased the pdf book and had only scanned the information. I'm now reading it from cover to cover so to speak. I'm now reading Chapter 3, A couple of math skills. Loved the comment 'my brain downshifts ' when you knit.
This is much, much more organized and hopeful than the never-ending-gauge-swatch I get when I keep trying needle after needle to match the gauge in the pattern and never quite get it. The point about measuring near the top of the swatch for hand-knitters is especially good for patterns!
I have always struggled to get the gauge right. Now, all I have to do is a calculation to make it work with me - fabulous. Thank you and I will continue to view your videos - great information.
You are so welcome Carolyn. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us.
I had to make a swatch the other day and noticed that after I washed and let it dry my stitching looked more uniform and even then it did right after I had knit it. I was very happy to see that happen.
I've continuously avoided the gauge issue because I really didn't understand it. Thank you for putting the horse before the cart in this excellent video. I was a bit confused about the 4.7 stitches per inch, but read further in the comments and found my answer! Thanks so much.
You are so welcome Cinda and thank you for commenting. The vocabulary is confusing. We talk about "getting gauge" as if it's some magical thing . . . it's not. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us. That's where I share lots of good information and I have a detailed post or two about gauge.
Yes Joey. Washing (or, at least, "wetting") can really help to even out the stitches. I just finished an alpaca cowl. I have to sew it up, weave in the ends and put on some buttons, and I'm really looking forward to wet-blocking it because I think it will look better. It's already pretty nice but this is a gift for a long-time friend who admired the pattern, the Cowboy Cowl from Annie's. I want it to be great.
Yes Geeta, this method absolutely works for machine knit swatches, though it's usually not necessary to measure 3 times as the gauge is usually much more uniform than it is for hand knitting. I do, however, recommend that you measure more than 2 or 4 inches. I like 6 or 7 or 8 inch measurements on a nice big machine swatch.
And you are so welcome. Thank you for your kind words. I performed those BOND videos 25 years ago this month with the help of a great professional producer.
I never thought to take multiple measurements an make an average from them to get true gauge. I felt like I was an accomplished knitter, but I'm seeing I can learn QUITE a bit from this. Looking forward to following this series Cheryl, I'll be following along. Thanks again for ALL the helpful advise.
Yes. Thanks for mentioning that. Pattern sts take a little bit to learn and we tend to be tense while learning them. And I'm glad you like this method. It seems like such a fool's errand to to the multiple swatch thing until you're blue in the face and STILL not make their gauge. This is actually pretty common as I talk to more and more people about it.
I have had it. I have knitted a sweater back and it is 5 “ too large. I have never been able to “get gauge” and so I have used the closest needles to the gauge given on the pattern with disasterous results. I knew there had to be a better way - thank you Cheryl I will practice this method by making the little sweater!
You are so welcome Carolyn! And thank for joining us.
Hi Cheryl,
Very fascinating concept, it sure makes a lot of sense. I have not knitted for 8 years, I had a sweater I needed to put together, wanted a refresher in techniques is how I found you. Your series on completing a sweater were great. The part you teach to bind off the sleeve so it is smooth rather than the traditional steps is so clever. Since I knitted the parts long ago I could not use that but I following your technique to sew the sleeve in. Very nice.
I'm so happy you were able to use some of the finishing techniques even on a sweater that's been around a while. And glad you could finish up an 8-year-old project. I have a couple of those. ;)
you are so informative and sweet. I'm a beginner and knew nothing about gauge. I just finished knitting my cap and was wondering why it dint fit so well. Im so happy to have stumbled across this video. Really motivated to watching more. and making a sweater as well. you've got yourself a student :D :D
Thank you for this kind comment and I am so glad this video helped you. I love having you as a new student!
I can’t begin to tell you how much I have learned from you..You explain things so clearly and logically..Thank you very much for these wonderful video classes!
You are so welcome Arlene, and thank you for your kind comment.
You are an absolute angel! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to make this knitting series, and sharing it with all of us! I will start my first sweater soon, your videos have helped me! THANK YOU!
Great Virginia. The book isn't really meant for entertainment so much as it's meant to be a working reference book. It makes more sense to read it as you're making a sweater because then you see how things work step-by-step. Have a great time making this sweater. I'll be curious to know how it comes out.
Row gauge is much more uniform in general than stitch gauge. Measure from the top of your pattern st to the bottom of your pattern st and count the number of rows. Divide the number of rows by the number of inches and round off to the nearest hundredth or 10th of an inch. Usually one measurement suffices.
Wow 👍 thats amazing. (Ive done the swatch & counted stitches. Now number of ROWS! Thank you for all your efforts
Thank you for your kind comment Dorothy W and you are most welcome. Good luck with that sweater!!!
Yes lovedove g. Very often people have a tight cast on. I want your cast on to be loose so that it does not distort the fabric you are making with your regular needles. The edge needs to be loose.
When is part two going to be posted? I have found this so very helpful! Thank you.
What an interesting way to view a swatch, I’d never thought of it as a way for me to change the pattern’s instructions! How clever.
Thank you. Simply stated, sometimes you can never match the designer's gauge no matter how many times you change needle size. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest
touch with knitters and I give out a ton of good information.
I definitely couldn't match my gauge with the designer's! It would render my yarn bulletproof, even though it was the correct weight for the project...
I'll look up the site, thanks for the suggestion! :)
First off, thank you for making sense of gauge...you have great teaching skills & love the sense of humor! I"m working with an acrylic #4 yarn with manufacturer's suggested needle size of #9(5.5)...the first swatch, I used a #9 for the border & #7 for the body...halfway thru I found the swatch slightly stiff. So I started anew this time with the suggested #9 for the stockinette body.
Swatch has more drape at same stop-off point...question? When you say "appropriate needle for the yarn" do you mean what the manufacturer suggests on the yarn band? I plan to disregard the gauge on the band & then follow your method of counting my own gauge.
Long & winded, sorry! Lorraine El-Deiry
I'm only half way through your video and I can already tell that you really know your craft. Everything you are saying makes perfect, logical sense. Always a good thing. :-D You are an excellent speaker, explaining in a non-hurried way, why and how something is done, a sign of a great teacher. I'm also enjoying how you reverse the knitting process to conform to you, instead of vise versa. I haven't knitted in twenty plus years, and I'll be subbing and watching your videos to refresh my memory and learn a bit too. Many thanks!
GettingNailed Thank you for this thoroughly kind comment Mary. I started as a high school English teacher in 1968 and have taught many things in many places. Those youth challenged me to develop a style that worked for them. It's much harder selling poetry to teenagers than it is to sell good technique to knitters. Welcome back to this satisfying, creative and portable craft.
Hi Jake,
I don't know where you live, of course, but I'd look at Craigslist for your area, Ebay, local newspaper. I might even run a "wanted" ad. If I were going to buy one used I'd want to see it first. As for new? I'd search on the internet for the best deal. Good luck in finding a great machine for you.
Ok! I figured out a way to get you there. I put a link in the description above. Follow that link to my web page. In the upper right hand corner is a blue box that says "How to Knit a Sweater" Workshop. Click on that. It will take you to a page of videos that make up the class. Under the first one is the link to the handouts. See if that works.
Thank you for your kind words and I'm sure you'll become a very find knitter because you're dedicated to educating yourself and that's excellent.
Excellent video - very patiently explained and a perfect refresher after years of not knitting! Thanks, Cheryl!
I'm not really creating a part 2 for this video for some time. There is more to say about gauge but I want people to have more experience first. Maybe you're referring to the next series I refer to . . . a whole series of short segments in which we make a sweater together. I'm currently scripting them (the whole series before I shoot it) and hoping to start posting them next week. I want to post them every other or every third day until the entire "class" is up.
Thankyou this was great as I've never knitted a gauge. You've explained it so much better than I read.
Glad it was helpful!
Cheryl Brunette I got I got your sweater 101 and love it and try to do what you do but became hard for me because I learn by visual and hear so I was taking a long time visualize what I was reading but when I saw you on Suzanne Bryan off the cuff and learn you had some class with the book so I join in these class now I am waiting to get the yarn I need by mail. I really happy to join the class because I always have trouble with gauge thank you very much for this videos i have watching your videos since i got the book
I'm so happy you have found the class and I hope will help you, and thank you for commenting, Olga.
Thank you for the video. I've discovered my gauge is really loose compared to my knitting buddies and it's been so frustrating switching to smaller needles to try and get the right number of stitches per inch.
Catie F You are so welcome Catie. It really is frustrating to try to twist your hands into pretzels trying to get a particular gauge. That's why I build around my personal gauge.
Thank you for this suggestion LindaLouise. I will make such a video at some point.
You're so welcome Barb . . . and I'm always learning new things too . . . or, at least, new perspectives.
Just discovered you and I am so excited to go through your videos and learn how to make gauge my tool. Thank you!
Welcome Penelope! I'm glad you found me. You might also sign up for my very occasional newsletter at cherylbrunette.com or for my free 15-part class that will teach you how to make a sweater using my method. The class project is a child's size 1 sweater. It's at howtomakeasweater.com
Carla . . . you have cracked me up on more than one occasion! I love that you would knit a pattern and then find a victim to wear it. You aren't the only one. Oh dear . . . a "responsible knitter" . . . I'm trusting you'll keep your sense of humor. I'm betting you will. ;)
THANK YOU! After years of making swatches, measuring the sacred 4 inches and guessing how much of the final stitch to count ... is this a quarter of a stitch or half a stitch? Just look for the next line that includes a whole stitch! This was a true head-slap moment. So much more logical.
Glad it was helpful! My approach is very different and I started an advanced gauge teaching project at the end of last summer but stopped when I had emergency open heart surgery. It saved my life but I've had to recalibrate my life a bit and I haven't gotten back to it. I was finally feeling back to normalish when the pandemic came along and now I'm adjusting to staying in lockdown, essentially, for the long haul. I'm getting my routines down and my son lives only a few doors down so he can do shopping and other errands for me. I may get that gauge project done after all.
I’m so glad to hear that you are doing well after your heart surgery! Yes, this pandemic has really made life a bit more ... thoughtful. You have to think about everything you do. Long ago I was a practicing nurse (I don’t like to say that I WAS a nurse because once you have been one you always feel like one) so working in isolation, having to wash your hands, and thinking about touching your face was second nature. Now it’s just exhausting. I have a husband so I don’t have to shop by myself and we have a store that lets us scan items as we shop so we can place them in our reusable bags in our cart. At the end we scan a monitor as we checkout and all of our purchases are displayed. We pay with a card, get the receipt then just walk out. We never have to stand in a long line or interact with a cashier. I used to think it was very cold and impersonal. Now I’m just happy I don’t have to breath next to anyone.😂 I am getting a lot of swatches and planning done for Christmas projects when I’m not chatting with our 2 year old grandsons on messenger. Their most favorite thing to do is play with the special effects so it’s light on conversation but fun to be a dragon or talking slice of pizza for a few minutes. Do take care and be sure to keep in touch with friends and family. The isolation is the worst part of this whole mess. Our family is spread out all over the country from Seattle to Atlanta to New York so we are not tempted to visit and contaminate each other but it is hard when you can only connect online. Take care and stay safe!
Thank you Terry. We live on an old family compound. My son is the 5th generation on this land that was settled by his dad's family in 1892. Between my ex-husband, my son, and me, we "have" (steward, really) almost 10 contiguous acres so there's plenty of room to be outside in the sunshine and wind together . . . several yards apart while talking. My daughter-in-love is a nurse who practices at a hospital and has been exposed (with PPE, but, you know) of course, because it's only Covid-19 patients who are in the hospital now. So far it's manageable where we live, but we are ultra-cautious about keeping me at a distance. I don't even pet the pup anymore, though I do feed him home-baked doggie cookies. I've lived in this small community for 40 years. Yesterday, one of my best pals brought one of my favorite meals that she makes, and tomorrow I'm taking them a freshly-baked loaf of bread . . . they have 30 acres. I'll place it on an outside table.
I love that you can be a talking pizza slice or dragon, and your shopping situation sounds carefully thought out. This too shall pass, though I do miss the physical hugs.
40 years ago I was actually living in Bellevue and working at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in IICU. I do miss Seattle but I am happy to live in upper Michigan in a somewhat rural area surrounded by orchards and vineyards. It is at least closer to the east coast and the majority of our relatives. It’s nice that you have family and friends close by even though you have to arrange rendezvouses at a distance.
Soooo Good to see you back the last time I email you you were getting ready for surgery, Today I saw you on suzanne Bryan website, I love your knitted chair cover it there any way I can see the whole chair is the back also knitted? I would like to do that for my chair. Thanks
Thanks! It's good to be back. Really good. It's actually just an afghan folded and draped over the back of the chair.
Hi Cheryl,
Would you please speak on various needle choices. Straight, circular, bamboo, metal, is it worth the price for good needle as opposed to stock supply available in chain craft stores, etc. Working on my gauge I started with addi needles but the stitch was too big, then I switched to plastic needles. Right size but very hard to knit. I would love to learn you assessment. Thank you.
Gertrude! Thank you! You are so kind. And I'm glad the videos help you.
err...ok, so I have watched the video all the way through. I believe you have helped me try and figure. I thought that trying to gauge to myself was wrong. Have been told that repeatedly. So I'm loving your idea of gauging to ourselves. I don't do sweaters as I don't have that much time in any great length to do them. So..I'm off trying to get my perfect cowl circumference.
I forgot the link to the pattern: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/setzer
This was very interesting. I have always tried to use the gauge on the pattern. Looking forward to your lessons.
I've done quite a bit of pattern research on gauges and my conclusion is that you have about a 20% to 25% of matching the stitch and row gauge of any given pattern with stockinette st. I haven't studied garter st which has a more predictable width to height ratio. Crazy isn't it?
Knitting with Cheryl Brunette it certainly is. I have never been able to match a gauge yet.
Loved your gauge definition. I am a beginner knitter and was wondering do I do the same Gauge swatch measurment when I knit scarfs and afghan.
It depends on how important it is to you to get an exact measurement Loretta. I usually don't unless it's to see if I like the fabric. For example, I'm swatching for a scarf right now and the last one I made from this same yarn was too thick (though my son loves it). Now I'm making one for a woman and I want it lighter both is weight and texture. There's a lot of leeway in things like scarves and afghans. Thank you for watching and commenting.
Thanks so much Cheryl. Getting gauge right is a daunting task to me. I am a beginner knitter. The concept in your video is fascinating and I will check out your video on how to knit a child’s sweater. I would like to know more. Also is your book still in print?
Yes, my book is still in print, though I'm down to about 130 copies and I will not reprint this edition. It's available at sweater101.com The sweater-making class is available at howtoknitasweater.com Thanks for asking.
I'm a new knitter and found your brilliant video very helpful, however can you explain to me why you need the swatch done on needles two sizes bigger than the project please?
That's only for the cast-on Susan, then you switch right away to the needle you are going to use. You want it to be ultra-loose so that it doesn't distort the interior of the fabric. And I would change that recommendation now, to just doing a well-spaced cast on. Thank you for commenting and have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please consider joining us. You'll get lots of good information.
Dear Cheryl: Love your video. You are informative and entertaining at the same time :) Wondering what your suggested method is for finding gauge in a patterned stitch where you can't clearly see (therefore count) each stitch. I am yet to find a good one. Thank you. Aruna
Thanks for watching and commenting prettyblimp and you are most welcome. It's really not that scary!
I love the lesson learning about gauge. You did not mention any thing at all about the row count in lenght can you explain why ?
Unless I missed something, I didn't notice where you mentioned how to find the number of rows per inch. Is it just that I simply count the rows within an inch on a ruler? Love the lesson; it has really taught me quite a bit in a short time. Thanks for putting it on TH-cam.
You didn't miss anything Kathleen. I did. You would count the rows the same way, over multiple inches. They tend to be more "regular" than stitch widths and sometimes we just work a certain number of inches rather than rows. It becomes more critical to measure row gauge when you are machine knitting because you can't measure that as you go along.
This looks like a great way to do a gauge swatch. Just wondering, though, what's next? Do you have to figure out whether you're going to use different size needles or adjust the number of stitches you cast on?
This is actually a complex question. 99% of patterns tell you to go up or down needle sizes until you get to the gauge called for in the pattern. For most knitters in most situations, that's an exercise in frustration because there is such wide variation in the shape of different people's stockinette sts.
I change the number of sts and rows to fit my gauge and get the same measurements called for by the pattern. Another thing you can do is change needle size until you get the st gauge and then adjust only the number of rows, but again, you might not be able to get even that.
That's why I wrote Sweater 101 (sweater101.com). I had too many students and customers at the yarn shop who simply couldn't match gauge no matter what they did.
Thanks! I'd forgotten about this one when I suggested a gauge video. This is a great one!
You're welcome Mary! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Struggling to get and keep an unnatural gauge is neither easy nor enjoyable. And why the heck are we knitting anyway? For the enjoyment of it. And now, with schematics a part of almost every sweater pattern, it's so easy to adapt a pattern.
And thank you for this sweet comment.
Hi, I'm working on a sweater that calls for size 6 needles for the ribbing and size 8 needles for the body of the sweater. Do I make sure my gauge matches the size 8 needles as opposed to the size 6? Seeing as the ribbing stretches I'm assuming the body of the sweater which is stockinette would be the most important.
?? This is a statement of fact to which I have no reply. There is no mention of a "gauge sheet" in this video.
I'm guessing you're remembering something I said in the first part of the "How to Knit a Sweater" series and are wanting me to help you access the Gauge Record Sheet which is included in the handouts to that class, but I cannot give you a link here because TH-cam forbids it. Search for it on my channel and you'll find the link in the description below the video.
Thank you. And I'm glad that the videos help you.
Thank you for this hoping to get your book soon
Hope you enjoy it! Please note that I only have 50 copies of the hardbound left and I won't reprint this edition. It will continue as an ebook and I'm still looking for a print on demand printer.
Thanks for this! I tend to skip gauging because I'm lazy, which is why I end up with ridiculously large/small finished pieces. :/ No more! Going to learn how to do this for real. Loved the bloopers reel. I've noticed in my own knitting that the left half of the stitch tends to get skinny, and I see that in the swatch piece in this video. Should that bother me?! I think it's a tension issue, but not really sure how to correct this. Do you address this in any of your videos?
Rosa Garcia No, I don't have a video that addresses this specifically but it tends to happen with single ply yarns only. It's something about the twist. It would make for an interesting video but I'd have to play with it for a while to figure out what is happening and why . . . but thanks for pointing it out. It is a rather interesting little quirk.
You are most welcome Rachel. Thank you for commenting.
I love your method of making a gauge swatch. Thank you.
Thank you Jessica. It's the only thing that makes sense, ultimately.
Great video and explanation of the gauge swatch!
This is just what I need for the sweater I’m starting....like today!
Great!
Ms. Cheryl,
I want to knit a sleeveless sweater. Do you have any video lessons for that?
Hi, thank you for your "How to....gauge swatch" video. my Q is.... I am knitting a beanie hat/cap and the with says it is 8" wide, of course this is a cap so it is actually 16" circumference... do I calculate my gauge for 8" or 16"? Thanks again for your wonderful videos.
For 16". And you are so welcome.
Love the bloopers. :) Great instruction, as always. Thanks.
Finding the bloopers is my favorite part of editing. They crack me up and some of them aren't even that funny.
Thank you, Cheryl. This is so helpful. Will keep watching.
You are so welcome Linda. Thank you for watching and commenting and I hope you'll come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you haven't done so already. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.
I have been trying to sign up for your newsletter but the page keeps saying that the address is invalid. I want to order Sweater 101 but I don't want to purchase it then find I can't access it. I am in Australia o hard copy is not an option for me.
I have been knitting since late 1950's and feel I have been doing it all wrong, your videos are great for showing how to get a better finish on your knitting.
Sorry Joyce! They are actually on two different systems, the emails and the ebook so it shouldn't be a problem with downloading the book. If it is I'll just email you a copy from my desktop. Meanwhile, if you send me an email at cb@cherylbrunette.com I'll copy your address and add it to my list manually. I'm going to have to check in to why that happened because more than a dozen people have been added over the last couple of days, yet you're the second person to have this problem.
You're in!
I really appreciate your knitting video's.
You are a Gem!!! Love all the info. Your videos are priceless. Thank you
Hi Cheryl. I have never knitted and have been watching a ton of videos to get me started. I am starting with a baby blanket which seems to be the best pattern to do as a beginner. My question is I only bought one set of needles. Your video suggests to cast on with a needle two sizes bigger for the knitting gauge. Can I just use the needle I bought as I do not want to buy another needle set just yet.
+Michelle Morgan Yes. but do it carefully . . . Look at this: th-cam.com/video/JHVr_kU5Dqg/w-d-xo.html
Have you joined my knitting newsletter group over at cherylbrunette.com yet? Please do. You get all the news that's fit to print.
Hi there, i'm a crocheter not a knitter i'm very confused with trying to figure out different hook sizes people should use to obtain different size sweaters. Stitch number for a 4 inch gauge changes when different hook sizes or yarn weight are used also finished chest measurement would turn out different. please help!
This is soooooo useful !! Completely different way of thinking -thanks!
Tom K You're welcome. My pleasure.
Tom K Come join my knitting group at cherylbrunette.com.
Hi Cheryl. I have just found your video. I am a kinda newbie knitter. I am at the point where I cannot figure adjustments to patterns. I would love to know the circumference of the cowl you are wearing. This is my idea of a perfect pattern. Not too long ...not too tight ...and perfect to wear alone as you are or tucked in your jacket. How can I figure circumference for different weight yarns? So.....by chance do you have a pattern available for the cowl? I knit for charity, just cause I love to knit and I want it to be worthwhile to someone. Thanks a bunch
Yes. You should easily be able to figure out your gauge for this. One of the reasons it's the perfect size is that it's tapered. It's 29.5 inches at the bottom and 24" at the top, and the pattern calls for various heights. It's a brilliant pattern, I think, and it's called Setzer by Jared Flood. It's 10.5" tall at rest. This is one of my most prized pieces of knitting because it was a gift from a dear, talented knitting friend who also spun the yarn. Are you on my mailing list yet Patty? Come to cherylbrunette.com and join us. That's where I am in closer contact with knitters.
Why have Cheryl’s Sweater 101 tutorial videos been taken down or made “private”?
I used her whole series, in conjunction with her Sweater 101 book, to knit my first sweaters. Now that I’ve knit other sweaters in via other methods, I’d like to knit another sweater with drop shoulders, like Cheryl taught and get a refresher from her videos.
My intention from the beginning was to make the class free for a limited time, then make it a paid, downloadable class. The 3-hour class and the accompanying documents are available for $27 at cherylbrunette.gumroad.com/l/azyof
I'm really glad you asked this question Nancy. It has me rethinking my decision to make it a paid-only class. My BOND knitting frame classes are both free on TH-cam and available for paid download. Some people simply like owning them and not having to rely on an internet connection or be interrupted by ads. I think that's what I'm going to do here. I'm not sure when I'll get it done, but soon.
@@CherylBrunetteTV Thank you. I will consider purchasing the class. I thought I had saved the whole tutorial series in my TH-cam library, but obviously it is not available anymore. I saw on your website that the book is out of print and goes for $138 (used) on Amazon. I’m glad I bought the book back then!
@@nancychapman1145 Well, that's a ridiculous price and I have no control over what others sell it for. I never inflated the price over $32. I'm 75, the good price point for profit on the hard bound book starts with an order of 2000 copies. I only sell/sold about 250 a year. I had to rent a storage place for it and frankly? the books are heavy, I can't schlepp the 26-pound boxes of a dozen each and I probably won't live long enough to see them all sold. Hence, the book is out of print but available by ebook.
That going price for your hard copy book just means that it’s collector’s item now. 🙂
I wish you had closed captions on all of your videos. It wd be so helpful to me.
I'm sure it would make it helpful to many people Sally, but it's a financial/time resource decision. I have to pay to have it done or do it myself which takes many hours as I am not a great typist. TH-cam does not pay well for videos. In some cases it would take years of views in order to pay for the captions.
The explanation given is soooo amazing & clear.. Loved It....
Akanksha Kapur Thank you for this lovely comment and for watching. And come join my knitting group at cherylbrunette.com. It's free and you'll get newsletters with extra tips and news, of course.
I love your tutorial... I have a question, I am making a swatch but the stitches do not look like yours. Mine look like V. Yours look like a backslash ( I think you call it like this) ... Is it the same, for counting the stitches? Thank you
Thank you Tiziana. Yes it's the same for counting stitches.
The reason mine looks like a backslash is that I used a single ply yarn. It's the spin that causes that "back slash" look.
p.s. Are you on my email list yet? You can sign up at cherylbrunette.com or howtoknitasweater.com and get more information than I share on YT.
Hi Cheryl Thanks for the videos your making . I am new and just starting to learn how to knit and i have a question.Your video demonstrates how to make a gauge using stockinette stitch .
I have been doing little samples of different kind of stitches and find it difficult to count and measure the stitches and rows in order to make a gauge. What shall i do?
Watch this video: th-cam.com/video/9LYBdjvMPHw/w-d-xo.html And you are so welcome for the videos.
Thank you Lisa for watching and commenting. I'm glad you find this helpful and you are most welcome.
do you have a link to making a gauge swatch if the sweater calls for knitting in the round.
No pippi and it's so easy. I am putting that down on my list of videos to make when I get back into the studio. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us. You'll learn a lot over time. And that's the first place I announce new videos.
This is the best! Love your personality :) This video was so helpful and informative
Thank you Esther. This is a very kind comment and I'm glad this video helped you. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please consider joining us. That's where I give lots of good information and keep in closest touch with knitters.
I love watching your videos! Thank you
Thank you for this sweet comment Patricia and you are most welcome.
Hi Cheryl. I watched the measuring gauge video through but I don't see anything about the row part of the gauge. Did I miss a video?
I think I just forgot to include that. Measure the height of the whole stockinette section and count the rows. Divide the # of rows by the # of inches (or centimeters if that's what you're using) and you'll have rows per inch.
Thank you. But I still don t understand how you got the final number. Did you add all three results then what. Are you dividing to another number
I took an average of the three numbers. I added the three and then divided the result by three. Sometimes the term "mean" is used. It's the same as an average. An arithmetic mean is calculated by adding several quantities together and dividing the sum by the number of quantities.
You showed us how to do stitches per inch, but not the rows. Is it the same way only vertical?
+Kimberly Crofoot Basically, yes. Rows per inch tend not to be as variable in a single piece of knitting but you can measure in a couple of places and from the top to the bottom of your pattern sts assuming you put an edge on it to keep it from rolling.
Thank you so much for this informative video!
You are so welcome and thank you for commenting.
Hi thanks for ur wonderful video it was really helpfull but i still hv a problem, how i can apply the swatch to the pattern . I mean for example the edge differ than the middile of pullover in this case i will start my stich number depending on the edge swatch rather than the center , i hope u understand what i meant
I don't quite understand what you're describing. Is it that there are different stitch patterns in the sweater? I have another video about measuring the gauge of pattern stitches. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters.
Knitting with Cheryl Brunette yes i meant two patterns in same project , thank u i found the other video
Hi Cheryl, after more than 30 years of knitting I now know why my sweaters never fit me right. After making and measuring the swatch I began filling in the chart. I do not understand what you mean by tension..How do I measure that? Also , is it necessary to measure rows per inch?
Tension has 2 meanings: it's another word for "gauge," and it refers to how tightly you hold your yarn. In this case it is the same as "gauge." It is necessary to calculate the decrease sequence for the sleeves.
Cheryl, I'm a little confused about adding the cable pattern to a sweater. Since this pattern requires 16 stitches and result in a gauge of 8 stitches to an inch, how did you determine that 6 stitches needed to be added to the sweater pattern?
+Donna McGee Hi Donna. You are replacing a 2-inch wide section in the sweater. That's 10 sts of stockinette. To get the same 2" width with your cable panel, you need 16 sts, hence the added 6 sts. If you did not add the sts the sweater front would be 1.2" narrower than you had planned. Does that help?
This didn't really answer my question about gauge swatches but still a very good video thanks for sharing
Hi Jasmine. What IS your question about gauge swatches. Maybe I can still help. And you're most welcome.
My main question was why is it so important when a pattern is to make a gauge swatch and how do you know what way is to make the correct gauge swatch for the current pattern? Do you need to make a standard one or do you use the same stitch as the pattern?
Sorry I am a beginner knitter and just questioning about the gauge swatch stuff.
You may have already answered the questions in your video and I missed them.
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Do not apologize. Asking questions is how you will learn and understanding gauge is often a problem for people who have been knitting for years. Patterns will usually tell you whether you need to make your gauge swatch (which is just a sample of the fabric) in the pattern stitch or in stockinette.
Gauge is simply the number of sts and rows per inch in a given piece of knitted fabric. Designers tell you what their gauge was to get the finished size of the garment you are making, but you might not be able to match that stitch size no matter what you do. See if this article makes sense to you: www.cherylbrunette.com/2016/02/why-youre-frustrated-with-gauge-and-why-its-good-news/
Brilliant you have a blog! I am going to follow it now.
When using other types of yarn would you suggest to measure the gauge before the wash or after blocking?
It's always prudent because yarns behave in curious ways sometimes. I don't ALWAYS do it . . . especially with a wool that I know well and it's going to be something like a scarf or shawl or blanket . . . but I SHOULD do it. . Please come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you're not already on it. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.
I'm confused. How are you supposed to use your specific gauge to match the one the sweater calls for? If I want to make an extra large sweater, what good does it do for me to find my specific knitting tension if it only matches for a medium sweater?
You don't. Your gauge is one thing. The gauge called for by a specific pattern is a different thing. My method of making sweaters as outlined in the book Sweater 101 is based on using your own actual gauge to knit a sweater and not the gauge that a pattern calls for. It is sometimes extremely difficult to match a particular designer's gauge. www.cherylbrunette.com/the-sweater-101-book/
Hi Cheryl,
What is the stitch you are using for the top and bottom of this swatch? Is it with the same (2 sizes larger) needles or are those stitches being made with the size needles you are measuring the gauge for?
Tom
+Tom Booth Hi Tom. at the top and bottom I use a simple K 1, P 1 ribbing made on the same size needles as the stockinette section. At the edges it looks like 2 garter sts though I usually do 3 garter sts at each edge. I sometimes use garter at the top and bottom but the ribbing seems to tame it better.
Hi Cherly when the knitting instruction say make 3 garter stitch doe it mean I have to knit 6 rows of knit ? Thanks a lot
Does it say 3 garter RIDGES? If so, then yes. That would be 6 rows.
Cheryll, you are great with all your pecious advise!!! Dona (from Belgium) Remember me?😉
Yes Donatienne, I remember your name because it is so distinctive. And thank you for this kind comment.
This was so helpful. Thank you so much!!
You are so welcome Ruth. Thanks for watching and commenting. cherylbrunette.com
Cheryl do you do the swatch when making sock also?
Betty, truth be told, I haven't made a sock in years. It seems to me back when I made stockings (yes, the ones up my thighs, held by a garter belt) I just followed patterns without swatching but I did adjust the length of the feet.
Do you have to do a gauge for each new knitting or if it’s the way usually for me??
Only if you want it to turn out the size you want it to be. :D And the short answer is YES. Come join us at cherylbrunette.com if you like, for an infrequent newsletter that shares more things than I share on TH-cam.