Gauge Swatch Converter Calculator
If your gauge swatch doesn't match the pattern's stated gauge, use this to adjust the stitch count proportionally so your finished piece comes out the right size.
How the stitch count is rescaled
Both gauges are stitches over 4 inches, so the ratio between them is the ratio of the widths, and the count scales straight through it:
adjusted stitches = pattern stitches × (your gauge / pattern gauge)The defaults show the stakes. The pattern is 18 sts / 4 in, which is 4.5 sts per inch, and 100 stitches were meant to measure 100 / 4.5 = 22.2 in. Your swatch came out at 20 sts / 4 in, or 5 sts per inch - half a stitch per inch tighter. Cast on the pattern's 100 and you get 100 / 5 = 20 in, more than two inches narrow across one front. Casting on 100 × 20/18 = 111 stitches puts you back at 22.2 in.
Measuring a swatch that tells the truth
- Knit it big and count in the middle. At least 6 in square, then count over 4 in away from the edges, which curl and sit at a different tension.
- Block it exactly as you will block the garment. Wet blocking can move superwash wool and cotton by a full stitch per 4 in, and that alone is most of the error above.
- Match the stitch pattern. Cable and ribbed swatches pull in hard; a stocking stitch gauge will not describe them.
- Convert rows separately. Row gauge rarely moves in step with stitch gauge.
Frequently asked questions
How do I fix a gauge that is too tight?
Go up a needle or hook size and reswatch. Roughly one size shifts stocking stitch by half a stitch per inch, which is the 18-to-20 gap above.
Should I change needle size or change the stitch count?
Change needles first. Rescaling keeps the width right but not the fabric: at 20 sts / 4 in the fabric stays denser and stiffer than intended.
Why measure gauge over 4 inches instead of 1?
A miscount of one stitch over 4 in is a quarter stitch per inch; over 1 in it is a whole stitch, and on a 22 in front that error is nearly 4 in.