Wonky Gauge

Warning!!! Those with perfect or near perfect gauge SHOULD NOT read this post.



Okay, you got me, I confess. I have gauge issues. Yes, yes, my gauge is almost always off. It’s off about 90% of the time. I think mostly because I’m a tight knitter with small needles but my swatches come out too big if the needles are over a size 5. What’s a knitter to do ?



The pattern directions always tells us after giving the gauge; “or size needed to obtain gauge”. So here are my heart mittens done in various sized needles. The pattern initially calls for size 4 needles done in Novita. I have never used Novita yarn but I’m guessing this particular one is a sport size.



I had enough sport and fingering in the red and cream for mittens but not enough to make mittens and a hat. I wanted the mittens and hat to be stitched close in needle size. I have plenty of fisherman’s wool and a lonely skein of Patons Classic Wool in red (220+ yards) so this is what I chose.




I swatched three different times on three different size needles and was not successful. I ended up casting on the cuff with size 3 needles, worked the stripe for 14 rows then moved up to a size 5 needle for the first (red and white) set of hearts. I moved up to a size 7 for the white and red hearts and after about eight rows, it just didn’t look roomy enough. I tried it on and it was not roomy enough so I tore down those eight rows and worked eight rows in a size eight. Perfect. So, for the most part, these mitts go like so:




Cuff – Size 3 Needles (not shown)
Area between wrist & thumb – Size 5 Needles
Hand – Size 8 Needles




I have never had to use three different size needles for mittens but this actually worked for me.



Using larger needles for this project gives the mittens a kind of raw look but I like them. I've got plenty of mitten patterns to make that are daintily done in tiny needles.



Also, I took a better photo of my "Bird In The Hand" mittens. You can see it here.





I promised in my last bleary post that I would have the pattern for you. It is called Heart Mittens as I thought !