It All Comes Back to Gauge

I'm almost done with my first convertible mitten. The flap on the back has been trickier than I expected but I think I've figured it out. The problem is, I didn't do a gauge swatch. If you're an experienced knitter you are probably shaking your head. If you don't knit or you're just learning you might wonder, "Is that really necessary?"

Knitting a gauge swatch involves knitting a test square with the needles and yarn you hope to use. Then you measure the stitches per inch to see if they match the pattern and change needle size if you need to. If you want an item to fit, it is pretty important to check your gauge. I know that, yet I decided to jump in anyway. I'm getting 9 stitches per inch and the pattern calls for 8. That means my mitten is smaller than it is supposed to be. I think I'll be able to wear them anyway. I could knit the second one on bigger needles but I don't know yet. Stay tuned to see a photo of my finished mitten!