Notes on gauge, yarn and arithmetic.

The guides follow the order a project usually needs: measure the swatch, diagnose a gauge that will not match, choose a substitute by length, then estimate the quantity.

49 guides

31 · Fit & ease · 2026-10-09 · 5 min read

How to measure ease on a finished garment

A sweater you already wear is a better ease reference than a table. How to measure it flat, compare it with your body, and use the number.
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32 · Fabric & care · 2026-10-10 · 6 min read

How to block wool

Wet blocking evens the stitches, opens lace and brings wool to its finished measurements. The sequence, the cautions, and how to measure the result.
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33 · Fabric & care · 2026-10-11 · 6 min read

How to block cotton and acrylic

Cotton can be wet blocked but grows; acrylic has limited blocking and hates heat. How to finish each fibre without flattening the fabric.
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34 · Fabric & care · 2026-10-12 · 6 min read

Washing handknits: temperature, agitation and drying

Three variables decide whether a handknit survives the wash: water temperature, agitation and drying. How to read the label and wash without surprises.
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35 · Fabric & care · 2026-10-13 · 6 min read

Pilling: why it happens and what to do

Pills are fibre ends tangling on the surface. Fibre length, twist, abrasion and washing decide how much you get — and what you can do about it.
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36 · Fabric & care · 2026-10-14 · 6 min read

Moth prevention and storage

Clothes moths eat protein fibres, and dirty knits attract them. How to clean, store and monitor wool without relying on a single remedy.
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37 · Colourwork & texture · 2026-10-15 · 6 min read

Stranded colourwork gauge

Stranded knitting pulls in, and the floats change both width and row height. How to swatch colourwork in the round and adjust before the yoke.
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38 · Colourwork & texture · 2026-10-16 · 6 min read

Cable gauge and fabric density

Cables pull in and use more yarn than stockinette. How to swatch a cable panel, measure its real width, and adjust before the body.
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39 · Colourwork & texture · 2026-10-17 · 6 min read

Lace gauge and blocking

Lace gauge is a measurement after blocking, not before. How to swatch openwork, pin it to size, and recalculate when the fabric opens.
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40 · Colourwork & texture · 2026-10-18 · 6 min read

Variegated yarn: pooling and stitch count

Why one variegated yarn stripes neatly and another pools into blotches — and how stitch count, gauge and colour repeat decide the result.
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