Do different temperatures affect your tension and gauge?

A few weeks ago I wrote about a test I did with different knitting needle materials.

Last week, here in the UK, we had a few days of scorching hot and humid weather.

So I figured it would be a good opportunity to test temperature.

I, again, used the same yarn for both samples, and I used the same 4mm bamboo needles for both swatches. I also made both squares in the evenings after my little boy had gone to bed, in the hope of achieving similar mood.

The first square was made on one of the hot days, which reached 34c here. It was about 32c when I made the square.

The second square was made a few days later after the rain had come and cooled everything down. It was about 22c when I made the square.

This is what happened…

The hotter square is at the back, and cooler square at the front.

When making the hotter square the yarn and needles stuck to my fingers. I was trying to hold the yarn as little as possible.

Upon closer look, you can see approx 5mm difference over a 15cm square. Over a larger size this could add up to quite a bit.

What are your experiences during hotter weather and your tension and gauge?

Best wishes, Sam xox

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