If you make two identical (or almost identical) squares you can donate them to the local hospital's NICU as bonding squares. Mum gets a square and baby's bed gets a square. Every few hours they swap - Mum takes home the square that smells like baby and baby keeps the square that smells like mum after she's left. (check with your local hospital re fibre requirements - some may not accept wool)
2 weeks ago
| 3
I kept a lot of mine and hung them up on the mantel for Christmas decorations, "the swatches were hung by the chimney with care." It was fun to look back at all the ones I had done throughout the year.
3 weeks ago
| 6
Doll pillows for kids. Or keep them for future reference. So far. If I get the gauge I need, I usually unravel and use it in the project.
2 weeks ago
| 3
3... knit and crochet swatches, also projects I've started then fell out of love with, had a massive stack so sewed them together into 3 single bed blankets! And I have enough for 1 more blanket 🫣
3 weeks ago
| 8
The few times I’ve knitted garments (cardigans mostly) I turn them into patch pockets!
3 weeks ago
| 2
For both my crochet and knit swatches I tend to place them in plastic ziplock bags and write on it the stitch, the yarn, the needle/hook and keep it for future reference. I have only just started to do this, but having them enables me to look at how stitches actually look and help me decide which to use in a new project.... whilst not strictly a 'gauge' swatch they are very handy.
3 weeks ago
| 2
I'm currently knitting a cardigan and plan to repurpose my swatch as a pocket!
3 weeks ago | 7
Stuff them with cotton and give them to my cats to chase. Nobody forces you to gauge swatch like a cat that wants a new toy to chase. (Also saved for emergency backup repair yarn if the cat doesn't notice what I'm doing.)
3 weeks ago | 11
I sew them together and felt them for various things I need such as hotpads and bowl cozies.
3 weeks ago
| 2
I almost never keep mine. I unravel and use it as part of the project, wherever I would join the next skein
2 weeks ago
| 1
For my sweater, I will be keeping the swatch with all relevant info on the yarn etc in a safe place in case I need to make repairs to the fabric. For small projects where repairs won't be noticeable, I don't cut the swatch from the yarnball when it's complete. I unravel it and it becomes part of the project.
3 weeks ago
| 3
Storing the gauge swatch in the binder, but using it later in case the garment needs patched. Or sewing it to the garment as a pocket ETA I also use my gauge Swatch sometimes to store the yarn for long tail cast on
3 weeks ago (edited)
| 14
I personally haven't made a single swatch in my 35 years of knitting but if I had them, I would unravel that yarn and use them for crocheting granny squares, even small amounts of yarns can be used for a row of a granny square
3 weeks ago
| 3
If you make them all in the same size, you can can join them and make for example a blanket, a funny sweater or a vest...
3 weeks ago
| 1
I started a binder,, with sleeve protectors and everything, and I was very proud of how organized it was! But then it got full really fast. So I stopped putting gauge swatches in it. Now I just list the gauge, yarn, needles used, etc. And I make sure to include the color of yarn, because as you know different colors of the same yarn can work up to different gauges on the same needle size.
3 weeks ago
| 0
My swatches usually end up ripped out at used in my projects. Only time my swatches aren't ripped out is for my spinners fiber journal so I have a record to use for future spins.
3 weeks ago
| 0
NimbleNeedles
Question: Norman, what are you doing with your gauge swatches?
1. Yarn bombing (collect a couple with you and your friends and decorate your neighborhood)
2. Cleaning rag/dishcloth. Depending on the size/fiber, you can also repurpose them in the household.
3. Scrappy blanket. This will require a bit of planning because you will need similar-sized squares but if you always knit with similar yarn weights (like dk or worsted), then you can definitely turn them into a blanket. Fill the gaps with crochet, etc
4. Unravel them, wash the yarn, and repurpose them.
5. Unravel and use the fiber as stuffing for your next amigurumi
6. Some people collect their swatches in their pattern binders. Attach a little label with the vital yarn/gauge info and your next project with the same yarn could be a lot easier
Do you have any other ideas? Comment below!
Norman
PS: Personally I don't do anything with my swatches - especially those knitted for my blog/videos. Simply because I do not have the time. Those knitted for actual projects typically will be unraveled.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 214