I want to share with you all the things I learned while tenaciously pursuing my tank top design. A lot of it has to do with gauge. Don’t scream. I know some knitters just don’t want to hear this. Please hang in there with me, it’s worth it. There are so many reasons that your garment can end up a different size than you anticipated. You can do everything right, but it still doesn’t fit. Honestly, it’s probably a gauge problem. There’s things you can do to prevent this.

Easy Gauge Fix

The easiest fix is probably the one you may not be aware of. After making your swatch, but before blocking it, write down your pre-block gauge on the pattern. As you’re knitting, keep checking your knitting against your pre-blocked gauge. Any changes to your gauge means that your final garment will also change in final size too. Are you knitting tighter or looser? Best to find out now before you try it on.

Until you block your knits, how are you going to know that you are on the right track? You can’t compare it to the blocked gauge while you are knitting. But you can compare your knitting to the pre-blocked gauge. As long as that matches throughout, your knit should fit. This one simple thing can keep you on track for a great fitting garment. Keep an eye on this blog or sign up for my newsletter for more tips like this one.

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By the way, I take lots of notes right on the pattern. I gave up the dream of pristine copies. Just like my cookbooks, the recipes/patterns I use the most are full of notes and food stains! How do you keep track of the tips you learn and changes you make to the patterns you are working on?

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