Getting Tense about Tension

This morning, the charity-crafters in our senior mobile home community lost one of our five ladies. Ingrid crocheted the "tightest" of us all. Tension makes a difference in size, in density, in overall appearance of crocheted or knitted items.

However, in our charity-crafting, it wasn't a really big issue. Our things go, generically, to the homeless (scarves, caps/hats, fingerless gloves), to a long-term care center we "adopted" (shawls and lap robes), and to some teen-age moms (blankies, baby sets).

Even if a crocheter is making an item which needs to be a specific size and of specific measurements when finished, most patterns include something called a "gauge" guide. It tells the needleworker how many rows (or rounds) and how many stitches equal how many inches (or centimeters). It is important, in this type of specifically sized work, therefore, to make a small sample, a "swatch," before going full-speed ahead with a project.

It makes the difference between a sweater or vest, for example, turning out fashion-doll size versus a size-10. Well, it might not make that big a difference, but the difference would be noticeable.

So, even though I am not in love with making swatches, there are many, many times when it is wise for me to do them before I really get into a piece of work. In other words, it isn't wise to get tense over tension; but it IS wise to check that tension, beforehand.