Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Knitting a gauge swatch is a crucial step in making knits that fit!
Knitting in the round can produce a different gauge than knitting flat, so making your swatch the same way you'll be knitting your project is especially important.
Our favorite swatching trick for circular knits is "speed swatching", which allows you to accurately measure your gauge without casting on a large number of stitches.
STEPS:
Using a circular needle, cast on the number of stitches needed for your swatch.
Work the first row of your swatch, then slide the live stitches back to the rightmost tip of the needle. (Do not turn your work or join to knit in the round.)
Leaving a long float, bring your yarn loosely across the back to knit the next row of stitches.
Repeat, sliding your stitches and bringing your yarn across the back for the desired number of rounds. (Note that you are working all rounds from the right side, just as you will be when knitting your project in the round.)
If you’re swatching stranded fabric with two colors, knit the first and last two stitches of every round with both colors held together. This will lock each of your colors securely at either end of your swatch. (Your gauge will not be affected by these doubled edge stitches.)
Tidy up the edge stitches every few rounds, as they can be a bit loose. When you’ve worked the necessary number of rounds in your swatch, bind off loosely.
You can either leave the floats as-is or cut them, then block the swatch as you plan to block your project.
Check out our related tutorials!
Swatching 101: brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatching-101
Swatching 201: brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatches-201
Blocking 101: brooklyntweed.com/pages/blocking-101
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If you found this tutorial helpful, we’d love your support!
At Brooklyn Tweed we are passionate about wool, knitting and design. We craft our patterns with a commitment to timeless quality, publishing size-inclusive, stylish designs for all shapes, identities, and skill levels.
Contemporary design, superior craftsmanship, and clear instructions give knitters the opportunity to elevate their skills and explore the intersection of crafting traditions with current style and new techniques.
Our extensive library of educational resources and skill-building tutorials give crafters the tools to succeed and the confidence to make their projects their own.
Learn more at: @BrooklynTweed_Official
Visit us at: brooklyntweed.com
Knitting a gauge swatch is a crucial step in making knits that fit!
Knitting in the round can produce a different gauge than knitting flat, so making your swatch the same way you'll be knitting your project is especially important.
Our favorite swatching trick for circular knits is "speed swatching", which allows you to accurately measure your gauge without casting on a large number of stitches.
STEPS:
Using a circular needle, cast on the number of stitches needed for your swatch.
Work the first row of your swatch, then slide the live stitches back to the rightmost tip of the needle. (Do not turn your work or join to knit in the round.)
Leaving a long float, bring your yarn loosely across the back to knit the next row of stitches.
Repeat, sliding your stitches and bringing your yarn across the back for the desired number of rounds. (Note that you are working all rounds from the right side, just as you will be when knitting your project in the round.)
If you’re swatching stranded fabric with two colors, knit the first and last two stitches of every round with both colors held together. This will lock each of your colors securely at either end of your swatch. (Your gauge will not be affected by these doubled edge stitches.)
Tidy up the edge stitches every few rounds, as they can be a bit loose. When you’ve worked the necessary number of rounds in your swatch, bind off loosely.
You can either leave the floats as-is or cut them, then block the swatch as you plan to block your project.
Check out our related tutorials!
Swatching 101: brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatching-101
Swatching 201: brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatches-201
Blocking 101: brooklyntweed.com/pages/blocking-101
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you found this tutorial helpful, we’d love your support!
At Brooklyn Tweed we are passionate about wool, knitting and design. We craft our patterns with a commitment to timeless quality, publishing size-inclusive, stylish designs for all shapes, identities, and skill levels.
Contemporary design, superior craftsmanship, and clear instructions give knitters the opportunity to elevate their skills and explore the intersection of crafting traditions with current style and new techniques.
Our extensive library of educational resources and skill-building tutorials give crafters the tools to succeed and the confidence to make their projects their own.
Learn more at: @BrooklynTweed_Official
Visit us at: brooklyntweed.com
