Knitting Basics -Tension Gauges

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<h1>Knitting Basics -Tension Gauges</h1><strong> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Mercedes Aspland.aspx'>Mercedes Aspland</a></strong><br /><p>On all knitting patterns you will see something called the tension and this is absolutely vital to your knitting. For that reason we have dedicated a whole section to it and will explain what they are, how to test them and get it right. What are Tension Gauges? On all knitting patterns you will see something referred to as the tension or tension gauge and this tells you the size your knitting should be. Usually this will be done to a 10cm x 10cm/4in x 4in square and will tell you how many stitches and rows you need to make up that square. It will also tell you what size needles you should use and over what stitch it should be done, for example stocking stitch which is knit-purl or over the pattern. Why are Tension Gauges Important? Well a tension gauge will tell you how big the pattern should be. When a designer creates a pattern they will work out the tension so they know how many stitches there are in an inch or cm. This will then tell them how many stitches to use to make a garment a particular size. It is important to test your tension to make sure it is the same as the designer otherwise you could end up with a garment that is either too small or too big. How to Test your Tension The first thing you should do is test your tension as the designer has it. So cast on the number of stitches that the designer recommends using the needles they suggest and follow the stitch pattern you are told to for the number of rows they say. Once you have completed this you need to measure your square to make sure it is the right size. The best way to do this is to get a flat surface and pin your square down. However be careful not to stretch it as this may give you a false reading. It should be pinned as it lies comfortably. You should measure from the edges of your work to make sure you get a true picture. What to do if your Tension is Wrong If you test your tension then it will either be fine and you can begin work or your square will be too small or too big. If it is the wrong size then there are a few things you can do. Firstly if it is too big you can try using needles one size smaller and test it again for the same stitches and rows, or slightly bigger needles if it is too small. You should go through the whole process again to make sure your size is right. If it is then just use these alternate needles for your pattern. The other alternative is to adjust the number of stitches that you require for the pattern which will mean you need to do some maths. The first thing to do is work out how many cm/in there are in the width of your pattern. If we work in cm, then divide the number of stitches in the recommended tension gauges by 10 to get then number of stitches in a cm. Then divide the number of stitches in the pattern by the number of stitches in a cm to work out how many cm the pattern is. Now divide the number of stitches in your tension by the width in cm to work out how many stitches per cm you knit. Now multiply the number of cm the pattern is by the number of stitches you knit to a cm to get the number of stitches you need to cast on. If the maths all seems a bit complicated then don’t worry just test your tension with different needles until you get the right size. This can be time consuming but it is worth the effort. There is nothing worse than getting to the end of a garment after many hours work and realising it does not fit you. </p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br />This article has been supplied by Mercedes Aspland for the Knitting Shop where you can <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theknittingshop.co.uk">buy wool online</a>. <p> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Knitting-BasicsTension-Gauges_20843.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Knitting Basics -Tension Gauges_20843.aspx</a></p>

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