The Mysteries of Gauge Revealed
Gauge is something that makes a lot of crocheters nervous. Why is that? Most likely it’s because matching gauge for a pattern can be a challenge, and many aren’t sure how to tackle it. In fact, crocheters often seek projects where gauge isn’t important so they can avoid the matter altogether. But is there really such a thing as a project where gauge doesn’t matter?
It’s certainly true that if you’re making a table mat, afghan or any number of other projects that don’t need to fit a human body, the finished size can vary. The problem with this view is that gauge not only determines the size of an item, but it also affects an important characteristic of fabric—its thickness and how it drapes.
Here’s an example: Most people want a throw to lie in nice folds wherever it’s placed, with supple fabric that doesn’t weigh a ton and feels nice wrapped around one’s shoulders or sitting on your lap. If you don’t pay attention to gauge, however, you may end up with a throw that’s heavy, dense and stiff. That’s what happens if your gauge is significantly tighter than the one in the original pattern.
On the other hand, for a purse or tote, you want to crochet a fabric that will hold its shape without any holes. This fabric is achieved by making the fabric fairly thick and dense. So, if your gauge is significantly looser than the one in the original pattern, your purse or tote may not function well.
Often gauge problems are due to the fact that the yarn chosen for the project is quite different from the original. One worsted-weight yarn will not necessarily behave like another. The thickness of the strand of yarn can vary enough to affect gauge. The fiber content is another important variable, and even the yarn’s texture—that is, whether it’s fuzzy or smooth—can have a considerable effect on gauge. For all these reasons, it’s important to compare the characteristics of the yarn you’ve chosen for a project to the yarn used in the pattern. If you work the pattern’s stitch with the recommended hook but a thicker yarn, your project will be dense and heavy. If you work it with a thinner yarn, it will be floppy and have holes.
Textured yarns, meaning those that are fuzzy or that have little nubs or other things protruding from the strand of yarn, can be very attractive, but they result in thick fabric. When you’re judging the weight of a yarn, don’t just look at the underlying strand, but remember to consider the degree of texture as well.
Let’s say you’re pretty confident about the yarn choice. You’ve experimented with different hooks but you’re still not getting gauge. Is it your stitch gauge or row gauge that’s the problem? For some people, it’s the latter, and it’s often because stitches need to be taller. The height of a stitch is determined by how much you pull up on the yarn as you make the stitch. The crucial moment is right after inserting your hook in the stitch below, when you’re working the loops off your hook. Holding yarn and hook tightly and tugging on the yarn as you work results in short, tight stitches. If you can loosen your grip on both hook and yarn, catch yourself and refrain from tugging on the yarn, your stitches will stand tall and larger gauge will be achievable.
For crocheters with the opposite problem—working very loosely—the issue usually is how they are holding the yarn in their nondominant hand. It’s important to learn to control the flow of yarn with this hand. There are numerous techniques for doing so, and each crocheter has to find the hold that works for them. Tension can be managed well if you wrap the yarn around your palm and one or two fingers, and a lifted index finger can be of great help in controlling the flow of yarn. If you need help with this skill, there are numerous YouTube videos addressing the matter. A private lesson from an experienced crochet teacher can even be more effective. The skill of controlling tension is one of dexterity, and most people can learn it, though it may require patience, practice and perseverance. In my observations, skilled crocheters don’t work at one tension all the time, but rather they vary tension in small subtle ways as they work, always
using the eye as a guide so that they end up with beautiful stitches. For example, one might loosen up when working post stitches since they need to extend over a longer span, or tighten up when working a series of chains so that they look neat. Depending on the stitch pattern, a skilled crocheter is constantly adjusting tension to achieve the most attractive results. I call this skill, which is often overlooked, flexible tension.
If you are ready to get more serious about gauge and control of tension, here is an exercise I recommend: Pick a yarn from your stash and your favorite hook. Work up a small swatch and measure gauge. Now, see if you can get two or three different gauges with the same yarn and hook. If you tend to work tightly, challenge yourself to achieve a larger gauge. If you’re loose, aim for a smaller gauge than what is normal for you. Please be nice and don’t judge yourself harshly; if you’ve been crocheting for a while, your hands are accustomed to certain muscle patterns, and all ingrained habits take a while to change. If you can stick with this exercise, I’m quite sure your skill will improve, and you will not be fearful when you see a project where gauge does matter.