Why are my projects so much smaller than the pattern says?

[Jackie M.]

I have knitted a few hats and finished my first dishcloth today. They are always so much smaller than the patterns say they will be. The hat was suppose to be for a small woman, but it is so small my 16 month old granddaughter wears it. I knitted a large hat and it fits a child. My first dishcloth is the 'Grandmother's Favorite' and using size 6 needles, it has turned out to be 6 3/4 x 6 3/4 square. That is a small dishcloth. Is it suppose to be that small?

Am I knitting too tight?

[Ingrid]

You probably are knitting tighter than the person who designed and knit the pattern. Check the gauge on your hat and washcloth and compare it to the gauge in the pattern. I think you'll find you have more stitches per inch than the pattern is written for.

You might in the future need to do a gauge swatch before you start a project--you may need to go up a needle size or two or even three.