It has been said that the only time knitting gauge is not important is when the knitter does not care whether the garment fits or how it looks. Gauge, therefore, is normally considered the most important aspect to achieving successful results in a knitting project. It effectively determines the size and fit of the garment or other item being made. Gauge can be defined as the number of stitches per inch, referred to as stitch gauge, or the number of rows per inch, referred to as row gauge. For example, where a person seeks to knit a sweater of 40 inches around with a recommended stitch gauge of 4 stitches per inch but the actual gauge is 4½ stitches per inch, the resulting sweater will be roughly 7 inches too small. To avoid such errors, knitters typically ensure that they are knitting to proper gauge by crafting a representative swatch, also often referred to as a gauge, prior to beginning the actual knitting project.
For each type of stitch, row gauge and stitch gauge are determined primarily by the type of yarn and the knitting needle size, more particularly the knitting needle diameter. A larger needle will produce fewer stitches per inch than a smaller needle. Knitting patterns normally indicate the gauge on which the pattern is based using a specified needle size and a recommended yarn.
It will be appreciated, therefore, that knowing the knitting needle size is critical to achieving proper gauge. While some needles bear markings to indicate their size, many do not. As a result, the knitter is left guessing as to the precise size of the needle. Since many needle sizes differ by just one quarter of a millimeter, even experienced knitters find reliably determining the exact size of an unmarked needle difficult.
The prior art has disclosed a number of needle sizing devices. However, most such devices are disadvantageous for a number of reasons. For example, one common arrangement under the prior art comprises a flat panel with a plurality of sizing apertures formed therein. Such structures are relatively bulky and, therefore, are less than ideal in relation to transport, packing, and storage. Furthermore, with as many as seventeen or more apertures on a single board, the structures can become confusing to the user as he or she seeks to determine which size indication corresponds to which aperture. Even further, many prior art devices enable the user only to determine needle size in one sizing convention, such as US only or metric only, while knitting patterns vary in the referenced sizing convention.
In light of the above, it becomes clear that there is a need for a needle sizing structure that provides a solution to the disadvantages from which the prior art has suffered. It is clearer still that a needle sizing structure that accomplishes the foregoing while providing a number of heretofore unrealized advantages would represent a truly useful advance in the art.