How to read a knitting chart and work out your gauge
A knitting chart is a picture of your fabric. Each square stands for one stitch and each horizontal line of squares for one row. Once you know which way to read it and what the symbols mean, a chart is quicker to follow than written instructions. Gauge, which says how many stitches and rows fit in a measured width, then turns the chart into the right size of finished piece.
How to read the chart
- Start at the bottom right. Charts are read from the bottom up, like the fabric grows. The first row is the one at the bottom.
- Check the row numbers. On a chart for flat knitting, numbers on the right side mark right-side (RS) rows, which you read from right to left. Numbers on the left mark wrong-side (WS) rows, which you read from left to right.
- Working in the round? Every row is a right-side row, so every row is read from right to left.
- Read the key. Each pattern gives its own symbols. A blank square usually means knit on the right side. On the wrong side, the symbol usually shows how the stitch looks from the right side, so a knit symbol on a wrong-side row is worked as a purl. Your pattern will say if it uses a different convention, so follow the pattern.
- Look for repeats. A heavier box or bracket around a few columns means “repeat this part across the row”. Stitches outside the box are worked once, at the start or end.
- Colorwork charts show a colour in each square. Read them the same way, changing colour as shown.
What is gauge?
Gauge is the number of stitches and rows in a set width, usually 10 cm or 4 inches. Knit a swatch, wash and dry it as you will treat the finished piece, lay it flat and count the stitches and rows across 10 cm. Different yarns and needles give different gauges, so measure your own swatch instead of relying on the ball band.
How to calculate stitch counts
To find how many stitches you need for a width:
stitches = width × stitches per 10 cm ÷ 10
If you want a 50 cm wide piece and your gauge is 20 stitches per 10 cm, you need 50 × 20 ÷ 10 = 100 stitches. For height, use rows per 10 cm in the same way.
Worked example: your gauge differs from the pattern
A pattern says 22 stitches per 10 cm and tells you to cast on 110 stitches, giving a 50 cm width. Your swatch gives 20 stitches per 10 cm. At 20 stitches per 10 cm, a 50 cm width needs 100 stitches. Cast on 100 instead, or knit another swatch on smaller needles to match the pattern. Remember to adjust stitch repeats so the numbers still divide evenly.
Why a chart needs the right proportions
A knitted stitch is usually wider than it is tall. If you draw a design on square graph paper, each stitch becomes a square and the knitted motif will come out taller than the drawing. Knitting graph paper draws each cell in the proportions of your own stitch, so the paper looks like the fabric will.
The cell size is simply 10 cm divided by your gauge:
| Gauge (stitches × rows per 10 cm) | Cell width | Cell height |
|---|---|---|
| 16 × 22 | 6.25 mm | 4.55 mm |
| 20 × 26 | 5 mm | 3.85 mm |
| 22 × 30 | 4.55 mm | 3.33 mm |
| 28 × 36 | 3.57 mm | 2.78 mm |
Open the knitting graph paper generator, pick a gauge or enter your own numbers (per 10 cm or per 4 in), and print. Print at 100% / Actual size, so the cells keep their true size; see how to print at actual size.
Frequently asked questions
Do I read a knitting chart left to right or right to left?
Usually right to left on right-side rows and left to right on wrong-side rows when knitting flat. In the round, always right to left. Your pattern’s notes take priority.
What do the symbols in a knitting chart mean?
Each pattern has a key. The same symbol can mean different things in different patterns, so check the key first.
Can I use ordinary graph paper for a knitting chart?
For a rough layout, yes; 5 mm graph paper works. For motifs that must look right when worn, use knitting graph paper. Cross stitch is different: its stitches are square, so cross stitch graph paper fits.