If you hate knitting and measuring gauge swatches, you’re not alone. Short of Kitchener stitch (which I happen to love), many knitters view gauge swatches as the most onerous part of a project.
I won’t go into why a gauge swatch is so important, especially if you’re knitting a project that has to be a certain size, but I will offer a little help when it comes time to measure your gauge.
The Gauge Ruler shown below is a clear plastic ruler with white and black markings of knitted stitches at 11 gauges from 4 stitches/inch to 9 stitches/inch in 0.5 stitches/inch increments. Simply move the ruler across your knitting until the images of the stitches on the ruler match the stitches in your knitting. If you need more stitches per inch, swatch with smaller needles; if you need fewer stitches per inch, swatch with larger needles. Of course, for the most accurate measurements, you’ll want to measure the number of stitches over 4″ (10 cm) of knitting.
(Note that the ruler is fully transparent; I’ve added a strip of white paper under the bottom portion for readability in the photograph.)
For a demonstration on how to use this gauge ruler, check out Amy Detjen’s YouTube video on measuring gauge.
Contact me at annbudd@annbuddknits.com if you’re interested in purchasing the rulers, which retail for $5 each, with a minimum order of five, plus shipping. Wholesale inquires are welcome.
Genius. Pure genius. My gauge swatch is usually the whole sweater. This might save me many hours
This is a great tool! Having an easy to use tool such as this will take the pain out of swatching, and will help those who hate swatching avoid that horrible consequence of trying to find someone to fit the garment that was made without getting the correct gauge beforehand. Thanks for this cool tool!
What a cool idea! Is it already at any retail stores in the Denver/Boulder area?
The following metro-area stores carry the rulers:
Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins in Boulder
Longmont Yarn Shoppe in Longmont
Recycled Lamb in Arvada
Serendipity in Buena Vista
very clever design!!!!
Thanks! Time for a trip to SS&S.
What a great tool!! I no longer have a LYS, hope I can find them at a not so local yarn shop!
Anyone carrying them in SoCal or online? Alas, I don’t live in Colorado. 🙂
The following shops carry the rulers; many of them sell online.
Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins; Boulder CO
Recycled Lamb; Arvada CO
Serendipity; Buena Vista CO
Longmont Yarn Shoppe; Longmont CO
Twisted Yarns; Portland OR
Happy Knits; Portland OR
Black Mountain Yarn Shop; Black Mountain NC
Knit Circus; Madison WI
Thistledown Shoppe; Suttons Bay, MI
River City Yarns, Edmonton AB Canada
Thank you for the list of shops that sell the gauge ruler. I’ll be ordering this marvelous tool on line.
I received mine today from Knit Circus. What a great tool. Better guage here I come. Thank you, Ann.
Are these available in the UK?
If so, from where, please?