Right tension

Press, 3 June 1981, Page 23

Right tension

Successful knitting depends on tension so make sure you:— Always knit a sample square of lOcms using the needles and tension’ specified in each pattern. If your sample is larger than lOcms try another sample using finer needles. If your sample is smaller than lOcms try another sample using coarser needles. Do not go ahead until you have knitted a sample which is exactly to the size and tension specified in the pattern. Even half a stitch too few or too many can mean that the garment being knitted will be scms too large or too small.

This advice applies not only to beginners but to all knitters beginning a new pattern or working with a new type of yarn. The assumption that every knitter’s tension is “average” and therefore accurate is not true. Remember also that the pattern designer may have used a different type of yarn or produced a slightly tighter or looser tension than “average” but all the measurements of the garment given in the knitting pattern will be based on the designer’s original tension. This original tension must be produced exactly to obtain exact garment size.