Gauge calculator
Turn your swatch into numbers: how many stitches to cast on for the width you want, or how big a pattern will come out if your gauge doesn't match.
How to use it
- Knit or crochet a swatch in the stitch pattern you will use, and block it the way you will block the finished piece.
- Count the stitches across 4 inches (or 10 cm), and the rows down the same length.
- Choose what you want to know and enter your numbers. The answer updates as you type.
Cast on for a size
Gauge tells you how many stitches fit in one inch or centimeter. Multiply that by the width you want and you have the number to cast on. With 20 stitches over 4 inches you get 5 stitches per inch, so a 22-inch-wide piece needs 22 × 5 = 110 stitches.
If your stitch pattern repeats, a pattern may say "multiple of 4 + 2". Enter 4 and 2 and the calculator picks the closest count that fits, then tells you the real width it gives.
When your gauge doesn't match the pattern
A pattern's stitch count is written for its own gauge. If the pattern expects 18 stitches over 4 inches and you get 20, your stitches are smaller: 90 stitches would make a piece 18 inches wide instead of 20, which is 10% smaller. You can change needle or hook size until your swatch matches, or keep your gauge and work the stitch count the calculator gives (100 in this example).
Changing the stitch count only fixes the width. If your row gauge is different too, check lengths that the pattern gives as a number of rows.
Questions
Should I measure gauge over 4 inches or 1 inch?
Over 4 inches (or 10 cm) if you can. Counting over a larger area averages out uneven stitches, and a half stitch matters less. Patterns usually give gauge over 4 inches or 10 cm.
Can I use half stitches in my count?
Yes. Enter 18.5 if that is what you count. The calculator rounds only the final number of stitches to cast on.
Does this work for crochet?
Yes. Gauge works the same way: count stitches and rows across your swatch and enter them here.
Why does the actual width differ from what I typed?
You can only cast on whole stitches, and a stitch pattern may need a set multiple. The calculator shows the width your rounded stitch count will really give.
Related
- Increase and decrease evenly calculator
Spread the extra or missing stitches across a row once you know your count.
- Yarn weight chart
Typical gauge ranges for each yarn weight, from lace to jumbo.