Knitting Gauge Ruler - Cut Out Template

I don't like swatching and I don't like to count gauge. This is especially clear in early patterns ... where I rarely even listed gauge or the size of the finished product. In fact, quite a few of my patterns are designed explicitely with the view of not knitting a swatch (e.g. these fingerless gloves, these slippers or this hat). They contain instructions like "repeat these rows until the piece is wide enough to fit around your wrists" or similar.

That said, there are also times where swatching and knitting gauge are extremely important - for example when you're knitting a bigger piece that you want to fit (e.g. this top and this tunic). If you skip the swatching and measuring gauge step here, you will probably end up with a piece that does not fit - which basically means that you've been knitting an oversized swatch.

Until recently, I used my measuring tape or a piece of squared paper with a 5 by 5 cm cut out rectangle. Not very neat, but it did the job. Then I saw on social media that there where specialized tools to do this (just google "gauge ruler" to find them) - and nice ones, too. So, I wanted something similar myself. And of course, I wanted to make it rather than just buy it.

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.



Here are two downloadable PDFs with cut out templates for a gauge ruler. One in A4 size and one in letter size.
(Edit: 03.10.2021: updated link to PDF - somehow google seems to have changed the links on GoogleDrive so the old links weren't working anymore)


Instructions

1. Print out template on cardstock or paper of the appropriate size. What kind of material you use is basically up to your printer and what kind of material it can handle. Make sure to use "actual size" option.
2. Check size of your print out. Inside the black lines of the cross, it should measure exactly 10 cm.
3. Cut out the cross in the middle using a utility knife - just inside the black lines (see picture on the right). Cut out around the octagon; I used scissors for that, but a blade or utility knife will do as well. There are three gauge rulers on one template. So you can have a bit of practice cutting them out - I certainly needed that :)

Use it to count the stitches of your swatch.