New! Gauge Problem Solver
I have something special for you today.
As someone who always says “please knit a swatch first,” I also know how discouraging those moments can be - when your gauge doesn’t match the pattern, and suddenly the whole project feels uncertain.
You might lose the motivation to even start.
Or you risk knitting through anyway, unsure of the final result - only to end up disappointed, wondering if you should just give up on knitting altogether.
Not on my watch 🙂
So I gently nudged my husband Alex (okay, maybe not so gently 😄) to tap into his programmer side - and together, we built something for you: the Gauge Problem Solver.
It’s a free tool you can find in the Goodies section at juliapiro.com.
All you have to do is enter the gauge from the pattern (any pattern—not just mine!) and the gauge you got from your swatch. Then, just follow the questions. Step by step, it leads you toward the best solution for your specific situation.
I wanted it to feel like sitting down next to me, showing me your swatch, and figuring it out together.
Not a generic “just go up a needle size” suggestion, but a thoughtful response to what’s really going on.
And just so you know - getting the “correct” stitch count doesn’t always mean you’re ready to cast on. The tool also covers common edge cases we’ve seen time and time again.
The original inspiration? My mother-in-law. She picked up her needles again after many years and started knitting the Mellow Mood Sweater. 🥰
Same yarn, same needles as recommended… but her gauge was off. 15 stitches instead of 16. And she had no idea what to do next.
That’s when I knew - it was time to create something practical, reassuring, and easy to use. So I hope this tool helps you feel more confident and supported.
Try it out, and if you have ideas for how we can make it even better, just reply to this email - I’d love to hear from you.
And yes, we’re already dreaming up a future tool to help you automatically recalculate a pattern if your gauge is off by 2–3 stitches but you still want to use that yarn. It’s a big project, so it may take some time, but it’s definitely on our minds.
❤️ I hope this Esenote was useful and inspiring.
Warm regards,
Julia Piro
Knitwear Designer & Esenotes Curator
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