Knitting Gauge Calculator
Enter the pattern's gauge and yours to get new stitch and row counts. Works for crochet too.
Stitches
Fill in both stitch gauges and a stitch count
Check the highlighted field
Changing stitch counts can affect stitch-pattern repeats and shaping. Check your repeats.
Rows
Fill in both row gauges and a row count
Check the highlighted field
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How to use this calculator
- Copy the gauge from the pattern: stitches and rows per 10 cm, or per 4 in.
- Count the same on your own swatch and enter it under Your gauge.
- Enter the stitch count, row count or both. If the stitch pattern repeats over, say, a multiple of 4 + 2, open Stitch multiple and enter it.
| Pattern | Your swatch | |
|---|---|---|
| Gauge | 20 sts | 22 sts |
| Stitches to work | 100 | 110 |
| Width at 100 sts | 50.0 cm | 45.5 cm |
How to measure a gauge swatch
- Use the project's yarn and needles, and the stitch pattern the gauge is given in.
- Knit it the way the project is knitted. For a project knitted in the round, swatch in the round: purl stitches are often worked at a different tension from knit stitches, so a flat swatch can mislead.
- Make it about 15 × 15 cm (6 × 6 in), bigger than the 10 cm you count, because edge stitches distort.
- Wash and block it the way you'll treat the finished piece: washing can change gauge.
- Count across 10 cm in the middle, half stitches included, then check near the top and bottom. If the counts differ, measure over a wider area and scale the count to 10 cm.
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What gauge is and why it matters
Gauge, called tension in UK English, is how many stitches and rows fit in a given length of fabric. Stitch gauge sets the width; row gauge sets the length.
More stitches per 10 cm means smaller stitches and narrower fabric. If your gauge is tighter than the pattern's, you need more stitches.
Half a stitch per 10 cm adds up across a garment:
| Your gauge per 10 cm | Width at 200 sts | Stitches for 100.0 cm |
|---|---|---|
| 19.5 sts | 102.6 cm | 195 |
| 20 sts (pattern) | 100.0 cm | 200 |
| 20.5 sts | 97.6 cm | 205 |
| 21 sts | 95.2 cm | 210 |
When your gauge doesn't match
| Option | What to do | Suits you when |
|---|---|---|
| Change needle size | The usual fix. More stitches than the pattern: try larger needles. Fewer: try smaller needles. | You want the pattern's fabric and gauge. |
| Change the numbers | Keep your needles and enter both gauges in the calculator above for new stitch and row counts. | You'd rather keep the fabric you're getting. |
| Knit a different size | Pick the size whose finished measurement, at your gauge, is closest to the one you want. Follow the lengths given for the size you want. | The shape is simple, and a fabric looser or firmer than the designer's is fine. |
Frequently asked questions
Is 4 inches the same as 10 cm for gauge?
Patterns treat 10 cm and 4 in as the same measuring square. 4 in is actually 10.16 cm, but the convention treats them as equivalent, so the adjusted counts are the same either way. Enter both gauges on the same basis.
Why is gauge measured over 10 cm (4 in)?
It's a big enough sample to average out uneven stitches. Some patterns give gauge over 1 in or 2 in instead: multiply by 4 or by 2 to enter it here per 4 in.
My stitch gauge matches but my row gauge doesn't. What should I do?
Match stitch gauge first: rows are easier to adjust in the pattern. If the pattern gives lengths, such as “work until the piece measures 30 cm”, knit more or fewer rows to reach the length. If it counts rows, or spaces shaping over a set number of rows as raglans, yokes and sleeve caps do, fill in only the row gauges and row count here, then spread the shaping rows over the new count.
Does this work for crochet?
Yes. Crochet gauge uses exactly the same maths.
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