Personally, I get so excited about starting a new pattern, I usually skip over the instruction: "Check Gauge." It sounds too time-consuming, and a waste of perfectly good yarn. Alas, it is quite useful when deviating from a pattern's suggested yarn. Allow me to explain...

Perhaps you would like to crochet a simple winter scarf, and the pattern you're using suggests a Medium Weight Acrylic yarn and a size H (5mm) hook. However, you have purchased a Bulky Weight yarn (simply because it was absolutely the softest yarn and the colors were perfect for a splash of color with your otherwise dreary winter wardrobe), and the label suggests using a size K (10.5mm) hook. The finished project, according to the pattern, is a scarf measuring 7" wide and 70" long.

The problem: If you use the hook the pattern suggests, the scarf will be too small. If you use the hook the label suggests, the scarf will be too big. What should you do to satisfy your inner Goldilocks?

The solution: Crochet a gauge.

Start by working a swatch in your soft, beautiful, bulky yarn with the size hook suggested for the gauge in the pattern. If your swatch has the same measurements shown for the gauge, then everything's Jake! Otherwise, you'll need to keep trying until the hook used produces a swatch measurement matching the gauge. Yes, it's time-consuming. Yes, it uses some of your precious yarn. However, you will end up with a lovely scarf you are proud to say you made, instead of one you might give to Papa Bear.

Pictured: 3 Rows, 10 Double Crochet

Top Left: Medium (4) Cotton, Size H (5mm) Hook
Bottom Left: Medium (4) Acrylic, Size H (5mm) Hook
Top Right: Bulky (5) Acrylic, Size F (3.75mm) Hook
Bottom Right: Medium (4) Acrylic, Size K (6.5mm) Hook