All about gauge

Here are 5 versions of the Minty Bricks scarf/shawlette, a free pattern on Ravelry. From bottom to top: the pink was knitted with a size 4 needle, the green with a 2, the blue with a 4, the purple with a 3 and the pale blue with a 5. Each one is a different size partly due to the needle size which was used and partly due to the knitter's tension. 

 When knitting a scarf it might not matter too much if your gauge is off a bit from the pattern details.

 But if you are making a garment which has to fit nicely, gauge is critical to sizes and shaping. So as much as it is a pain in the neck to knit a gauge swatch, it is essential if you want a garment to fit properly.

 My scarves are taking so long to knit that I felt like throwing in a quick knit just so I could feel like I accomplished something. This little hat is a variation on the adult size hat I knitted years ago. I redesigned it a bit by eliminating the earflaps and edging it with a reverse single crochet. By using self striping sock yarn, the hat practically designs itself. 

 Carole finished her lovely cabled hat called Declan. The yarn is a hefty warm wool and with the double folded band, it will be cozy over the ears.

 Beth's Apple Pie hat is nearing the end. The name got us to talking about food and our favorite (and not so favorite) comfort foods from when we were kids. Some of our memories were of warm tasty Sauerbraten, a German pot roast. Then there was the tuna noodle casserole that almost no one liked. All in all we agreed that our parents or grandparents were good cooks and made happy food memories among others.

 Maureen's baby hat is growing. It starts at the top unlike most hats that start at the cuff.

 The baby sweater on Dorah's needles has a sleeve. All she needs to do is the cuff and the other sleeve and then it goes into inventory.

 And Carole's baby pullover has shoulders and button placket. We all agreed this is one of our favorite patterns. A Simple Baby Pullover is free on Ravelry.

If you haven't applied for your free membership to Ravelry you're missing out on a great resource for all you fiber fixes. Check it out! I know I am not disappointed with my experience.