Hairpin Lace Project

I am embarking on my first hairpin lace project. Before I make the Lotus tank top, I thought I would try something a little less gauge sensitive. So I am going to make a shawl. This one, from StitchDiva Studios is free. That sounds like the right price for me! Especially for a first attempt. Being a good little crochet keener, I made a gauge swatch. Then the question arose, how, exactly does one measure gauge on this? I read through the Stitch Diva Studios and they, as always, had my back.

This is the wrong way to do it:
This is the right way:

(sorry about the flash photography. It was pouring rain and light was rather nonexistent)

I carefully counted the loops on both sides and found I was getting 9 loops to 1 inch. Which translates to 36 loops per 4 inches. Not the 40 I am supposed to be getting. I could go down a hook size, but this is using a 3.75mm hook and if I go smaller, I suspect I will have trouble with the size of the yarn vs the size of the hook. So instead, I will make fewer loops, that way the strips are the same length called for in the pattern. I did the math and will do 90% of the total loops asked for in the pattern.

Ready, set, LOOP!