The excitement is building, and we can practically hear the hooves clicking already! We know youโre ready to jump into those beautiful skeins and start the first part of our Crochet-Along, but before we gallop ahead, we need to hold our horses and talk about everyoneโs favorite warmup: The Gauge Swatch.
Why Swatch Before You Trot?
For a shaped project like our upcoming horse handbag, getting your tension dialed in is the secret ingredient to a finished piece that looks amazing and functions perfectly.
Taking a few minutes to check your gauge now guarantees youโll have the correct hook sizes ready to roll the second the gates open and Part 1 drops! Plus, it keeps you from playing a stressful game of yarn chicken later on. Think of these swatches as a little warm-up lap for your hands.
Before You Trot Into Your #TheHerdCAL Gauge Swatch
For this CAL, we need to test three different yarn and hook combinations. Grab your tape measure, and letโs get stitching!
For these practice swatches, you can use any colors from your kit that you prefer.
BUT! With ONE very important exception especially if you plan to keep your finished swatches as cute little decors instead of unraveling them:
Please DO NOT use the Cotton in col. 05 (beige) for your swatches! You might run low on this specific color if you make swatches from it, and we want to make sure you have plenty for the main project.
Grab Your Gear
If your tension is playing nice and you hit gauge perfectly, the pattern calls for a 3mm / US C-2ย and a 6mm / US J-10 crochet hook.
Just a quick heads-up: Hooks are not included in the kit! Time to go on a treasure hunt through your personal hook tool kit (we won't tell anyone how big it is).
Can't you find the right size, or did the couch cushions eat your favorite 6mm again? We've got your back. You can grab a fabulous and colorful crochet hook set right here, which will have you totally covered, even if you need to size up or down to master that gauge!
Gauge Swatch Guide
Let's get started on the gauge swatch.
All gauge swatches are worked back and forward.
Gauge Swatch 1:
For the first swatch you will need your 6mm / US J-10 hook and the Ribbon yarn:ย
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Foundation: Chain 7.
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Row 1: Starting in the 2nd chain from your hook, place 1 single crochet (SC) in each chain across. (6 SC)
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Row 2: Chain 1 and turn your work like the page of a book. Place 1 SC in each stitch across. (6 SC)
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Rows 3-6: Repeat Row 2 four more times. You should end up with 6 rows total, giving you a perfect little square! Fasten off.
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The gauge Swatch should be 5 cm X 5 cm / 2โ X 2โย
Gauge swatch 2ย
For the second swatch you will also need your 6mm / US J-10 hook and one strand of Cotton (Donโt use the 05 (Beige) color since you might run low on it later) held together with a strand of the Chenille (fluffy) yarn.ย
Why do we need a separate swatch for this fluffy duo? We went straight to the horse's mouth! Here is a little side note from our designer, Jessie, explaining why this step is so important: "The Chenille and cotton gauge info is an indication to show that the Chenille should work up similarly to how the ribbon works up. Do not make the mistake of making ultra tight chains that are maybe too short/stiff when you crochet those pieces. This swatch is really just for calibrating tension, as measuring a chain on its own is a little trickier with its stretchiness."
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Foundation: Chain 7.
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Row 1: Starting in the 2nd chain from your hook, place 1 single crochet (SC) in each chain across. (6 SC)
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Row 2: Chain 1 and turn your work like the page of a book. Place 1 SC in each stitch across. (6 SC)
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Rows 3-6: Repeat Row 2 four more times. You should end up with 6 rows total, giving you a perfect little square! Fasten off.
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The gauge Swatch should be 5 cm X 5 cm / 2โ X 2โ
Swatch 3ย
For the third and final gauge swatch you will need your 3mm / US C-2 hook and the cotton yarn (Donโt use the 05 (Beige) color since you might run low on it later).
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Foundation: Chain 11.
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Row 1: Starting in the 2nd chain from your hook, place 1 single crochet (SC) in each chain across. (10 SC)
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Row 2: Chain 1 and turn your work like the page of a book. Place 1 SC in each stitch across. (10 SC)
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Rows 3-10: Repeat Row 2 eight more times. You should end up with 10 rows total, giving you a perfect little square! Fasten off.
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The gauge Swatch should be 5 cm X 5 cm / 2โ X 2โย
My Swatch Is Too Big/Too Small โ What Now?
No worries! Thatโs what swatching is for. Hereโs how to adjust:
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Swatch is too big? Try a smaller hook size
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Swatch is too small? Try a larger hook size
Your goal is to get as close as possible to the suggested size. Donโt worry if youโre a tiny bit off, just make sure your tension is consistent.
A Few Swatching Tips
Donโt skip the yarn combos โ holding strands together can change your tension a lot!
Work in the back and forward as described, just like in the final project.
All Set?
Once your swatches are done and your tension is on point, youโre ready to jump into the CAL with confidence! Part 1 drops on May 7! ๐ด
Need help or want to share your swatches? Join the Hobbii Make-Alongs Facebook group to show off your progress and chat with fellow makers.
Still got questions? Hold your horses, we've got you covered!ย Jump right over to our FAQ blog post for all the details. And if youโre itching to meet the creative genius holding the reins, gallop over to read (or re-read!) our Meet the Designer: Projectarian interview with Jessie. ๐
