Gauge swatch help!

Advice, Please
1

The swatch I need for this DK jumper I need is 18sts x 24 rounds on 5mm needles - I’m a firm knitter so I usually got up 1/2 a size. With 5.5mm needles, I knitted a swatch 26 sts (4 sts in garter st on either side) and 28 rows in st st with 6 rows garter st top and bottom to create a nice flat piece.

5.5mm: The fabric was quite loose (too loose for a jumper) and my 10cm swatch used 18 sts and 22 rows.

I re-swatched in 5mm: The fabric is perfect, but my 10cm swatch uses 20 sts and 26 rows… The pattern says that gauge is crucial…

Neither swatch was washed and blocked - not enough yarn :frowning:
I would really appreciate your comments. Thank you!

2

I would wash and block without breaking yarn. I do it all the time. So you cast off and, while keeping the yarn ball out of water, you wash your swatch, pat dry it and block. Then you count your stitches and rows. Once that done, you frog, water the yarn and let it dry before using again.

Voila!

2 Likes
3

C’est vrai, je n’y avais pas pensé! Merci beaucoup!