Gauge

Gauge. gauge, swatch, swatch...so many knitters hate both words. To use Sweater Wizard or Sock Wizard successfully, you needs to enter the correct gauge. However, if you are off, you can always recalculate the pattern. I am so spoiled by Sweater Wizard, that I have become rather slip shod on my swatching.

Then, I had my Hanne Falkenberg kit experience. As many of you know, Hanne Falkenberg kits are dear, but worth every penny. In my recent cavalier attitude regarding gauge, I almost pulled the yarn out of the bag and started to knit. Thank the knitting goddess for reminding me to use my head.

I usually knit to the suggested gauge, and never thought for a second that there would be a problem. I followed the directions for the swatch using the suggested needles.

The sweater is constructed using garter stitch geometrically. If the gauge doesn't match, there will be no wearable Hanne Falkenberg sweater. Blocking will not save this design.

I finished my swatch and measured. 24 sts x 48 rws on a 3 mm needles needed to measure 4 x 4. My swatch measured 4 x 3 1/2. I did not have a square. 

I redid the swatch with 3.5 needles and matched the gauge that the pattern required. 

If I had not knit the swatch, I would have had a disaster on my hands instead of the brilliant and flattering Falkenberg design.

In addition to enjoying this sweater for years to come, it is going to remind me of the pitfalls of a commercial pattern if one doesn't work a swatch!