Knitting Gauge Calculator (Stitch Count)
Turns a swatch measured in stitches per 10 cm plus a target width in cm into the stitches to cast on: width × gauge / 10, rounded to a whole stitch.
Stitches needed
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Knitting and crochet gauge: stitches per 10 cm
Gauge (or tension) is how many stitches and rows fit into a 10 × 10 cm swatch worked in the project's stitch pattern. From there you get the total stitch count with stitches = target_width · gauge_stitches / 10. A typical DK-weight knit lands around 22 stitches × 30 rows per 10 cm, while crochet swings more depending on hook size and stitch type. Yarn weights roughly climb from lace to fingering, sport, DK, worsted, aran and bulky. One rule you shouldn't skip: wash and block the swatch before you measure it, because the post-wash size is what the finished garment ends up being. Knit a sweater body of 110 stitches at 22 instead of 20 sts/10 cm and the width shifts by 5 cm, which is plenty to wreck the fit.
Applications: knitting, crochet and pattern design
Hand-knitters and crocheters reach for it before casting on a cardigan, sweater, pair of socks or gloves. So do pattern designers publishing on Ravelry and Etsy. Yarn substitution calculators rely on it when you swap out the recommended yarn, and so does anyone reshaping a pattern to a body measurement that isn't standard.
FAQ
My gauge is off — what do I change? Start with the needle or hook size. If you're getting too few stitches per 10 cm, drop down a size; too many, and you go up.
Do I really need to block the swatch? You do. Natural fibers like wool, cotton and linen can shift 5–15% in the wash, so a dry measurement will throw off your final dimensions.
How big should the swatch be? Make it at least 15 × 15 cm. That way you measure the central 10 × 10 cm and leave out the distorted edge stitches.
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The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.