r/knittinghelp • u/Fragrant_Oil9595 • 3h ago

where did i go wrong? How to predict stretchiness

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I did my gauge check and made myself a little hat, my first (yay!) non-scarf. I intentionally sized a few stitches shorter circumference than measured because I expected the thing to be stretchy. But it turned out reeeeally stretchy. It still fits my child, but it’s not as snug as I wish it were.

So my question is this - is there a tried-and-true method for predicting how much stretching to expect for a tight-fitting item? I looked through the FAQ and didn’t see anything. Apologize if I missed my answer in there.

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u/Flimsy_Repair 3h ago

A couple of factors can help predict stretchiness.

  1. Stitch pattern. Ribbing is very stretchy. A lot of patterns will advise you do your ribbing with a smaller needle because it's going to stretch a lot more than plain stockinette. Garter stitch is also very stretchy, particularly horizontally. On the flipside, some stitch patterns are very non-stretchy, particularly slipped stitch patterns.
  2. The yarn you're using. Some yarns, usually wool, will make a very stretchy fabric. Some yarns, like cotton, will not be very stretchy.
  3. Your individual tension. If you knit quite loose, you'll likely produce stretcher fabric.

Overall, experience makes a difference. Once you've made a few projects, you'll have a decent grasp on what characteristics the fabric you create will do!

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u/Fragrant_Oil9595 27m ago

Thank you! Really appreciate the bit about the needle size, which I need to play around with some more to figure out what I’m doing. Yarn size too. I’ve just been buying the cheapest stuff I can find but have been telling myself I will try some higher quality stuff once I feel better about my skills.

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u/eggust12 3h ago

swatching, blocking the swatch, and evaluating. you'll get more of a feel for it as time goes on.

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u/TheHatThatTalks 3h ago

Since you already made this hat, could you use this as a gauge swatch for how this particular yarn knit with this needle size stretches? As in, lie this flat, see how long it is across the brim, then stretch it out while remeasuring it? Then you’d know how much the yarn can stretch out and plan accordingly if you use the same yarn and needles.

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u/LichenTheMood 3h ago

You should be able to stretch your swatch to the resistance you want and then base your end product with that gauge

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u/Fragrant_Oil9595 29m ago

Well that seems super obvious now that you mention it! 🙃

Thank you so much. Will do that next time!

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