doing a swatch

[Ginnyb]

everytime I do a swatch my tension is smaller than it should be, but the object I am knitting turns out to be bigger than it should be! Does this happen with anyone else? What's the deal? The first time when my swatch was too little I thought "good, because I want this sweater to be a little smaller than the dimensions say it will be, but the sweater ended up being big! This happens every time, am I backwards or what???

Ginny

[of troy]

Its pretty normal... we tend to rush through a swatch, and slow down to knit.. and this change in tempo changes the gauge.

You can knit a sleeve (or both sleeves as a swatch.. a slightly too loose sleeve can be alterered by leaving out an increase or two... a slightly tight one, buy adding..

a sleeve lets you start knitting and lets you use your knitting as a swatch!

you can also slow down and relax and enjoy knitting your swatch.. to value it, (and not rush through it!) it will likely be closer to your normal knitting then!

[Jan in CA]

I've heard that you should do a swatch after you've been knitting a bit so your tension is easy and loosened up.

[GinnyG]

As already suggested, I have found that starting with a sleeve is a great way to "swatch". Sleeve size is usually more "forgiving". It has backfired occasionally but usually I check my guage 4-6 inches into the sleeve and go from there.