I’ve started knitting a new sweater, Underwood, by Elizabeth Doherty.  I want to test her set-in sleeve technique, knit from the top down.  I knit and measured  my gauge swatches, then blocked them.

Then I cast on, and knit until ready for the body decreases below the bust.  Measuring my working gauge, I am getting the same unblocked gauge that my swatches produced, which is a good sign.  The stitch gauge was 5.5 st/in, unblocked.  When blocked, the stitch gauge remained that gauge, and it is the gauge recommended for the pattern. (I am using Cloudborn Highland DK, not the gorgeous Quince and Co. yarn recommended in the pattern).  My unblocked row gauge, however, differs from the blocked gauge.  I get 7 rows/inch, unblocked.  The pattern calls for 8 rows/in., blocked, and that is the result I got from blocking.

 

Normally, not matching row gauge isn’t a deal breaker, because we can add or subtract rows pretty easily to adjust body and sleeve length.  But, in this pattern, row gauge is crucial for getting the set-in sleeve just right.  Knowing that my blocked row gauge is what is called for gives me confidence that I can follow the pattern and will have a perfect set-in sleeve, although right now it looks like it would be too large.  I am enjoying knitting the sweater, and am looking forward to adding those sleeves and seeing what happens!