Getting Gauge: Perfect Knit Fabric Every Time
Sarah Peasley
Class Preview
1:34
- In-depth Instruction; over 121 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Getting Started
10:09
Meet knitting expert Sarah Peasley, your guide to using gauge for better knitting. Sarah outlines the three swatches and three projects -- a cowl, shawl and tiny hat -- that you'll work with in class. The patterns are included!
What Affects Stitch & Row Gauge
19:51
Many factors can affect your gauge and change the look of your project: the yarn's weight, fiber or how it's spun or processed; needle types and sizes; how you knit; and even your state of mind! Sarah explains them all.
Making a Basic Gauge Swatch
20:32
For a fitted garment such as a hat or sweater, you'll want to swatch to make sure your gauge matches the pattern. Even for projects such as shawls and scarves, swatching will tell you how the material will drape, whether your needles are comfortable to use and how the stitch pattern looks.
Measuring Stitch & Row Gauge
17:25
You can count on Sarah to show you a variety of ways to measure your gauge for the most accurate results possible! Learn how to check both stitch and row gauge in stockinette as well as in other stitch patterns.
Washing & Blocking
19:34
For any project you plan to wash, you should wash the swatch, too. Sarah shows how to wash and block swatches with water or steam and how to pin them out. You'll see how blocking affects a variety of stitch patterns and fibers. The changes are sometimes dramatic!
Altering & Designing Based on Gauge
11:21
Your gauge doesn't match the pattern's, but you prefer the fabric it creates. Now what? Sarah walks you through three ways of altering pattern numbers to make them work for your gauge. Or maybe you want to design your own pattern. Learn Sarah's tips for getting started.
Questions Your Swatch Can Answer
21:48
A swatch can tell you a lot about your project before you even cast on: How does the fabric feel? Was the yarn pleasant to work with? Can you see the stitch pattern? Your swatch can help predict if your project will be a success, and help you figure out how much yarn you will need. Sarah shows you how!
Achieve the results you want with consistency and confidence. It all starts with an understanding of knitting gauge! Join designer and instructor Sarah Peasley to learn all about gauge as you follow along using three exciting patterns included with this class: a hat, a shawlette and a cowl. To begin, Sarah will guide you through the many factors that can affect your gauge and demonstrate why it’s important that you check your gauge. It matters in flat knits such as scarves, too! Then, you’ll discover tips and new techniques for calculating gauge before Sarah shows you how to use your swatch to preview the effects of blocking on your fabric. Think a pattern will look better in a different gauge? You’ll also see how to alter your pattern to substitute in the fabric you want. Plus, you’ll discover how gauge can help you predict characteristics of your finished project!
Sarah Peasley
Knitting is Sarah Peasley's one true love! A knitter for as long as she can remember, Sarah started teaching at her local yarn shop and in 2006 became a regular instructor for Stitches and other national events. Since then, she's been a technical editor for a variety of knitting publications, including Knitter's Magazine and XRX Books. Today, designing is her day job, but Sarah enjoys teaching more than ever. It's what connects her with enthusiastic and curious knitters just like herself. She teaches the way she would like to be taught: with patience, clarity, humor and all those extra little tidbits that make for smarter and happier knitting.
Bonus materials available after purchase