Gauge for 3-color stranded knitting

[dannacreates_]

I'm playing around with 3-color stranded swatches. I'm not following a pattern, just exploring but it's got me wondering about gauge. Normally, with one color, I hit the ball band's gauge perfectly, like 21 stitches per 10cm on 4mm needles. But I know adding colors tightens things up, so I usually go up a needle size.

My current 2-color swatch on 5mm needles is coming out at 24 stitches per 10cm. That makes me think I'd need 6mm needles to get back to the 21 stitches per 10cm. It doesn't look tight, but should it be looser?

My main question is when I'm doing 3-color stranded knitting, should I try to achieve that original single-color gauge? Patterns sometimes suggest going up a needle size for colorwork to maintain elasticity and prevent stiffness. Does that mean the aim is still to hit the original gauge, just with bigger needles?

If anyone has done something similar, I'd love to hear your insights and feedback! Also open to ideas and tips!

 

[the_nana]

Yeah, aim for your original gauge with colorwork, bigger needles help with float tension and drape. I'd swatch in pattern though; three colors can change things a lot

 

[Julia may]

Yep, colorwork eats up space, so you have to go up a needle size or two, make sure you're not getting 24 sts on 5mm when it should be 21, if you are then that means it's too tight, go up to 6mm, check again, gauge is gauge