June 2, 2026 · 5 min read
Substituting yarn without ruining the fabric
Gauge is the start of the conversation, not the end of it. Here's what I check before swapping the yarn in one of my patterns.
Matching gauge gets you the right size. It does not get you the right fabric, and fabric is what you'll actually wear.
I look at three things beyond gauge: how the yarn is spun, how much it blooms after a wash, and how it behaves when you hold it up under its own weight.
A woollen-spun yarn will fill in a lace panel after blocking; a worsted-spun one will keep every hole crisp. Neither is wrong — but they make different sweaters.
Swatch, wash the swatch, and hang it overnight with a clothespin. That's the whole test.
Get the next one by email
New posts, pattern releases and errata. Unsubscribe in one click.