Article Summary
Machine gauge describes needle spacing. Yarn count and the thickness of the finished sweater are separate details, so check the listing and the fabric before buying.
Machine Gauge Counts Needles
In machine-knit clothing, gauge describes the spacing of the needles. Shima Seiki’s glossary defines it as the number of machine needles per inch. Under that definition, a 12-gauge machine has more needles in the same width than a 7-gauge machine. That gives a manufacturer a way to make finer stitches. The number by itself does not give you the thickness of the garment you will wear.
Some product pages use “fine gauge” as a description without stating a machine number. In a hand-knitting pattern, gauge usually describes how many stitches and rows the knitter gets across a specified swatch. Those are different measurements. Check whether the page is describing a machine, a measured sample or the look of a finished sweater.
Yarn Count and Ply Describe the Yarn
A yarn count describes the relationship between the yarn’s length and weight in a named system. The number can run in a different direction depending on which system the supplier uses. Ply describes the strands that make up a yarn. Neither tells you how far apart the knitting machine’s needles were.
Look at a product name such as Moonlight Essence 48S wool knit. The listing uses “48S,” without giving a machine gauge alongside it. Do not compare that number with a garment labeled 7-gauge. If the number matters for a technical comparison, ask what unit or yarn-count system the seller is using.
Two yarn ends knitted together can make a bulkier fabric. A folded cuff also adds a layer of fabric at the wrist, even on a sweater with a thin body.
Judge Bulk From the Finished Knit
The Hokkaido Weaving Love cardigan has ribbing at the cuffs and hem. The side of the cuff is a useful view when you are trying to see how much room it will take up inside a coat sleeve.
Pull on your coat over the sweater and reach forward. If the cuff bunches into a ridge, try a flatter cuff or a coat with more room at the wrist.
Ask About the Part You Need to Fit
If the cuff slides into your coat sleeve but still presses against your wrist, compare the openings of the cuffs while the sweaters are lying flat. That will help you distinguish a tight wrist opening from extra fabric inside the coat sleeve.
About Firelady Fur · MODERN FUR · STYLE MUSES
Use our guide to sweater shapes to compare openings and collars, or look at close-ups in the sweater collection once you know what to look for.
