International Gauge Calculator — Metric & Imperial Conversion

In the UK and Europe, gauge is measured per 10cm. In the US, gauge is traditionally measured per 4 inches. Japanese patterns often use 10cm. Many modern international patterns list both. Per 10cm is becoming the global standard.

4 inches equals 10.16cm. This 1.6mm difference means a gauge of 20 stitches per 10cm is actually 20.3 stitches per 4 inches. For small projects this difference is negligible, but for large garments it can accumulate to a noticeable size difference.

Japanese patterns typically list gauge per 10cm, the same as European patterns. However, Japanese patterns also include very detailed stitch diagrams with exact stitch counts, so gauge accuracy is especially important when following Japanese patterns.