Accurate measurement underpins every garment that fits, which is why a gauge swatch is measured over 10cm before a pattern begins. The retractable designs here keep their tape protected between projects, housed in cases that range from polished beechwood to brightly coloured fabric. ChiaoGoo and KnitPro supply the compact workhorses, while a few playful animal shapes make measuring a small pleasure rather than a chore. Most are marked in both metric and imperial, light enough for a project bag and quick to find at the bottom of one.
