What is a Swatch?
In crocheting and knitting, a swatch refers to a test piece that you make using a certain size of hook/needle with the desired type of thread/yarn. You can make your swatch whatever size you would like but it should be in the shape of a square at least 3 inches by 3 inches minimum in order to get an accurate measurement of your gauge. So if you crochet a chain of 30 (plus 1-3 sts) stitches (or for knitting, cast on 30 stitches) so that you have 30 stitches in each row, you should do at least 30 rows in your swatch before measuring it. (FYI, in crocheting, the number of stitches for the foundation chain may vary depending on what type of stitch you are using. With single crochet (sc), you should chain 1 extra to start your stitch in 2nd chain from hook; double crochet (dc): chain 2 or 3 extra to start your stitch in the 3rd chaing from hook. With the afghan/tunisian crochet stitch, you do NOT need any extra chain stitches as the last chain stitch on your hook usually counts as the first
