Tension Headaches

Here are bunch of tension squares*, made over recent months to determine the best hook for the Belcarra Cardigan: usually the one that matches the pattern’s recommended gauge*.

Simple, yes?  Well, not this time. When one is in a hurry, lacking concentration or wading through fatigue fog, watch out; for hidden traps reveal themselves and come out to play tricks on you.

Small details can make a big difference.  Assumptions are the enemy!  

As noted in the previous post, Cardigan Swatches, I had overlooked a crucial detail while preparing my swatches—something which had the potential to upset my entire project.  Luckily, I discovered it in time and the secret was in the pattern’s gauge specification:

20 sts and 14 rows = 3¾” by 4¼” in wallpaper cluster stitch

First Assumption: stitch 

It is easy to assume that the gauge swatch will be in the same stitch as the main pattern; e.g. a square of lace to check the gauge of a lacy project.  Beware, this is not always the case. Frequently, a project with a fancy pattern stitch will have its tension measured in a plain stitch like double crochet (US sc).

Even if a pattern says to work “in pattern st”, there may be separate instructions for the swatch.  Have a good look at the different sections of your pattern instructions to be sure.

The Belcarra Cardigan calls for the swatch to be done in wallpaper cluster stitch and defines this stitch pattern before the start of the main cardigan instructions. These are the instructions used for my swatches.

Fortunately, this detail didn’t trip me up and after some months I had completed a number of swatches.  They had been made intermittently between other projects and usually while 'on the go'. I took time to tag and note the gauge measurements upon completion of each swatch:

Swatch	Hook Size	Hook Description	Stitch Tension*	Row Tension*
C	4.00 mm	aluminium, ‘Aero’	21.5 sts	13 rows
D	4.25 mm (US G/6)	acrylic, American hook	20 sts	12 rows
A	4.50 mm	aluminium, ‘Pony’ red handle	19 sts	11 rows
B	4.50 mm	aluminium, ‘Aero’	19 sts	12 rows
E	5.00 mm	aluminium, ‘Pony’ blue handle	18 sts	11 rows
F	5.00 mm	aluminium, straight hook	19 sts	12 rows
*Tension measured across 10 cm x 10 cm (4” x 4”) and before washing.

Which hook will give me the same tension as the pattern?
(20 sts x 14 rows = 3¾” by 4¼” )

4.25 mm (US G/6)?  Swatch D has a tension of 20 stitches, but only 12 rows across 10 cm x 10 cm.
How about the 4.00 mm?  Swatch C has a tighter stitch tension of 21.5 stitches with 13 rows across 10 cm x 10 cm.


It would be easy to choose the 4.25 mm hook for my Belcarra Cardigan but that would be wrong. Can you see why? 

(Read on for the answer …)


Second Assumption: measurement

I had been busily 'swatching'* on ‘auto-pilot’ and made the assumption that the tension would be measured across 10 cm x 10 cm which is usually the case.  Have another look at the original gauge specification:  

20 sts and 14 rows = 3¾” by 4¼” in wallpaper cluster st.

Do you see it now? I had 2 options:

• Get the ruler or tape measure and count the stitches across 3.75 inches and count the rows across 4.25 inches. Write the new measurements on the tags.
• Get the calculator. If the measuring tools are not handy and previous measurements are recorded, one can convert all of the swatches to a consistent unit of measurement; e.g. stitches per inch.

The first option was the simplest. I discovered that the first two swatches (A & B) were measured across 3¾” by 4¼” and the subsequent swatches 10 cm x 10 cm!  Over the course of many months, I had forgotten that this pattern was different.  Here is the comparison:

Standard Swatch (10 cm x 10 cm / 4” x 4”) vs. Pattern Swatch (3¾” x 4¼”)
Swatch	Hook Size	Hook Description	10 cm x 10 cm 4” x 4”	3¾” x 4¼”
C	4.00 mm	aluminium, ‘Aero’	21.5 sts x 13 rows	19 sts x 15 rows
D	4.25 mm (US G/6)	acrylic, American hook	20 sts x 12 rows	19 sts x 14 rows
A	4.50 mm	aluminium, ‘Pony’ red handle	19 sts x 11 rows	18 sts x 12 rows
B	4.50 mm	aluminium, ‘Aero’	19 sts x 12 rows	18 sts x 13.5 rows
E	5.00 mm	aluminium, ‘Pony’ blue handle	18 sts x 11 rows	17 sts x 13 rows
F	5.00 mm	aluminium, straight hook	19 sts x 12 rows	18 sts x 13.5 rows

As I studied the swatches, I realised another complication: on some of the them, I had worked into stitches instead of into spaces of previous rows. The pattern stitch is worked into spaces. Over a large number of rows, this may cause errors with the row gauge.

My lessons: 

• do not leave weeks in between each swatch
• read the pattern carefully when I am not tired
• take notes to remind myself of the requirements
• avoid making test swatches when tired

This last point is pretty hard when my modus operandi is usually beset with various levels of fatigue; plodding on with flat batteries!

According to the data above, the 4.25 mm hook will give me the same tension as the pattern.

Third Assumption: the pattern gauge is right for the yarn 

When one's stitch tension matches the pattern gauge, the finished project should measure up to the same dimensions as the pattern. If the pattern says 20 stitches measures 3.75 inches then my 20 stitches should measure the same.  I will be able to follow the pattern as written to get the right sized garment.

Then I asked myself the question from the previous cardigan post, "Which hook will give me that fabric drape that I want?"

My chosen yarn is an 8 ply
(#3 DK or light weight).

The yarn specified in the pattern
was classified as #3 DK or light worsted.

The same yarn was classified on Ravelry
as a 5 ply #2 sport weight..

No wonder my yarn gave a different result
to the pattern photographs.

When using a yarn different to the pattern's suggestion, the swatch with the correct tension may not have the same feel as the pattern designer intended.

Swatches C (4.00 mm) & D (4.25 mm hook) matched the pattern's stitch gauge but appeared to be more solid than the lacy look of the pattern's photographs. They also had a stiff feel.

Swatch E (5.00 mm hook) had the softness and drape that I was looking for.  I want this cardigan's lines to flow softly as I wear it, complementing the curves in the design.  I wanted that feminine touch of a loose drape.  This swatch had fewer stitches per cm/inch.





Here is a photograph comparing Swatches C & E:

Both of these swatches have the same number of stitches and rows.

Left: (4 mm hook) Even though it matches the pattern gauge, Swatch C feels
firm and the lacy stitch pattern is lost in the dense fabric.

Right: (5 mm hook) The larger hook has opened up the stitch pattern and given 

Swatch E a softer drape which matches the style that I wanted for my cardigan. 

Should I choose the hook for the correct gauge or the nicer drape?

I chose drape because that will determine the way the garment will look and feel.  

The consequence of this decision is that I will need to recalculate the stitch counts in the pattern to get the correct size but the effort will be worth it.  My cardigan will use the yarn that I have available, be in my chosen colour and, with care (and maybe a little luck), meet my specifications and fit properly.

It seems all that fuss over matching the pattern gauge was unnecessary when, ultimately, I was really looking for the best fabric for my cardigan.  

Making multiple swatches was not wasted energy though. It gave me a chance to see how the yarn performed with the stitch pattern and various hook sizes. It is a chance to ask oneself, "Do I still want to use this yarn for the projected purpose?"

It allowed me to familiarise myself with the stitch pattern—valuable information for adjusting the pattern to different stitch counts later on.

Wish me luck!  I hope the maths won't cause a new headache!

Post Scriptum (8 August 2014) 
Snap! (… or should I say 'Swatch!') 
The 7th of August must have been the day to post about swatches. I just discovered that Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby of Shibaguyz Designz posted an article about swatches too! 

If you still are not convinced about the need for swatches, have a read of Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby's blog entry, "A Tangential Post About Swatching". He posted his article on the same day as my post about swatches–coincidence? Perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something important! 

Enjoy your crochet! 

*

tension (Aus/UK) = gauge (USA)
tension square (Aus/UK) = swatch (USA) #
WS = wrong side

#
I have used the term swatch in preference to tension square because it is concise—one word instead of two or more.
Technically, swatch, meaning to make a tension square, is incorrect usage of the verb, the traditional meaning of which is to swathe however its use in regard to tension squares is so common within the yarncrafting community, I have chosen to also use it in this way—you know what I mean!  

Perhaps a more modern or non-Australian dictionary has already added this usage to its definition. Let me know if you find it in yours.

Links & Related Posts

Belcarra Cardigan, designed by Robyn Chachula, Interweave Crochet, magazine, Winter 2010:

• Interweave Store: http://www.interweavestore.com/belcarra-cardigan?utm_source=ls&utm_medium=affiliate&cid=05t1rdpCdm4&siteID=05t1rdpCdm4-D3I5nwqeVwa6n_w5wKwdvQ
• Ravelry project page:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/belcarra-cardigan

Lupey Loops, "Cardigan Swatches", blog post, 30 July 2014: http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/cardigan-swatches.html

Mullett-Bowlsby, Shannon, Co-owner Shibaguyz Designz, "A Tangential Post About Swatching", blog entry, Shibaguyz Designz, 8 August 2014: http://www.designz.shibaguyz.com/blog/a-tangential-post-about-swatching

Shibaguyz Designz, blog: http://www.designz.shibaguyz.com/