how do you get a gauge for an item using circular needles?

[leah]

Can I use straight needles? It would seem I'd have to cast on the whole 16" on the circulars and that would be time consuming!

[pamelamama]

you can do it on circs as if they were double points... whenyou get across the row, slide back to the beginning and carry the yarn across the back.

PamM explained it somewhere .... hope that is clear. xox pam

[leah]

thank you! I will try to figure that out.

[leah]

so will my swatch have a bunch of strings running across the back?

[jmo]

so will my swatch have a bunch of strings running across the back?
:nod

Don't pull the yarn too tight, let it drape a little in the back.

[pmcgary]

Pam G. desribed it and you seem to get it...yes you end up with drapey ends. But it is soooo much more accurate and less of a hassle than knitting a bunch in the round to get gauge. (Esp. if you are off --- I seem to be esp. with experiementing with yarns)

It does tear out easily too so you can use the yarn if you don't keep swatches.

[leah]

I got it! Thanks everyone!

[Angela_hk_n_knit]

you can do it on circs as if they were double points... whenyou get across the row, slide back to the beginning and carry the yarn across the back.

PamM explained it somewhere .... hope that is clear. xox pam

Hi... could you explain this to me, I'm a new knitter too and I don't understand this.

Thanks
Angela

[pageta]

Do you have circular needles? You'll be knitting just a square, and instead of turning around and purling back to the other end, you'll just slide your swatch to the other end of the needle and knit across the same direction you just did (left to right). That's how you get the long threads in back - from the right side where you ended to the left side where you begin again. Clear as mud?