Gauge and adjustments

I am trying to make a cable sweater and am having huge problems with my gauge. The Sweater is “Knitting the New Classics” Banjo Cable — pattern below. Initially I knit the entire sweater just to find out it was enormous and no one I know or probably have ever seen could wear it. So I decided to try it again…knitting the smallest version. I did check my gauge and it was too big - this is on size 4 needles and WW yarn. I then went down to size 3.25 needles and still it is too big – small measures to the largest length wise. Now what should I do — adjust the pattern down in terms of how many stitches I cast on or go down more in the needle size.

Any thoughts? Oddly I have knitted from this book before on several occassions and my gauge has never been a problem. The pattern I am attempting can be found in the link below if interested.

Thanks so much for any thoughts you may have for me — Trying to make this for my boyfriend for Christmas and timing is getting short - hahaha

http://books.google.com/books?id=9nT-FyICVZsC&pg=PA67&lpg=PA67&dq=banjo+cable+"knitting+the+new+classics"&source=bl&ots=i3wrRtjbHc&sig=T4pPzdFMFY6UKKzqGETQBA3JYG4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=95hpULKzCpKL0QGOyICYCw&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=banjo%20cable%20"knitting%20the%20new%20classics"&f=false

It says to use size 4 and 7, the 4s are for the ribbing, the body would be made with 7s. Even for a loose knitting it doesn’t seem like it should be too large on 3.25 mm, though going down in needle size won’t always make it smaller, just stiffer. So try using a 3 and 6, see how that works. For lengths, you work to a measurement, not by rows, and you may need to make it shorter.

There are 12 sts difference in the CO stitches for each size; go down another ‘size’ by using 12 less than the smallest - 128 sts. Or even another size which would need 116. For the sleeves, the difference is 6 sts, or 50 and 44 sts. Try casting on a sleeve first and work that for a while and see how it measures.

the width on a 3.25 needle is 26 inches across – it is the width that i am concerned about … think I should go down to 116?

Thanks so much!

How do you like the fabric on that size needle, is it stiff or flexible? How many sts per inch? And how long is it? Just an inch or so of knitting can measure wider than it will be when it’s all knit up, so you need more length to get a better idea of the width. If the fabric is really stiff, you really need to use a larger needle, though that means adjusting the number of stitches.

Did you see the gauges that are needed? CO about 30 sts and knit them in the patterns given - both the shadow rib and the banjo cable. That will give you the sts per inch you’re getting then multiply that times the size you need, 44" and that will be the number of stitches you need to CO.

Definitely to a good sized gauge swatch in both pattern sts as Sue is recommending. It’s worth taking the time now. If you get to a fabric you like but it’s still too big, it looks like it’d be easy to take out sts from each side in the shadow rib pattern. Basically the sweater is a rectangle front and back with dropped sleeves.

Are you using metric needles? A 3.25 is a US size 3, the 4 and 7 would be US sizes, in metrics that’s a US size 6 and 7.75. And what yarn are you using?

Sorry for being a bit stupid here…my concern is not the length but rather the width. I cast on and knit for 5 inches and the width on the smaller needles knitting on 140 co…is 26"…I want it to be more like 22"/23"… is my best plan to reduce the CO stitches to 128 or 116?

Again - appreciate your thoughts and help very much here

Good luck gcp hopefully you will post pics when you are done.

Then 5" ought to be enough, if you only knit an inch or 2, the stitches will measure wider than they should.

You’re still not understanding the part about measuring how many stitches per inch you have. I think it’s a little of 5 per inch - but measure carefully across 4" of your piece, then divide by 4. That’s how many sts in an inch of your pattern, then multiply that by 22 and 23 to see whether 116 or 128 will get you that measurement.

For 22" you’d need to cast on 118sts or 22 fewer sts than the 140 the pattern calls for. You can take that out of the shadow rib if you want on each side. The rib is a multiple of 3 (actually 3+2) so if you drop out 9sts on each side out of the 35 given in the pattern you’ll decrease a total of 18sts and you should still be within the 22-23" width that you’d like.
Cast on 122sts, follow the pattern and when you change to the larger needle (size 7 is used in the pattern but use whatever you have been using to get gauge) work 26sts shadow rib, k1, 10sts banjo, 48sts double, 10sts banjo, k1 26sts shadow rib.
Something to watch out for: The double cable is going to pull in the width of this sweater quite a bit. You could knit a swatch with your current needles in the double cable just to see what you get and factor that into the width measusrement. The double cable is done over 48sts so it will account for about a third of the cast on sts.
Good luck with this very handsome sweater pattern.

The different sizes seem to go in increments of 12 sts, so I figured that’s how many are in the repeats of the stitch pattern. That’s where I came up with 116 sts - should be enough.

Quick and likely stupid question with regard to this pattern—the initial instructions say to work in rev St st for 2cm and then work in shadow rib

First row of shadow rib starts on the wrong side. Is the ws the knit side or purl side in this case?

Thanks for your help

For reverse stockinette st, the knit side is the wrong side.

So the edge rolls/curls inwards vs upwards - right? Thanks so much

Yes, it’ll curl to the inside rather than to the outside. I’m looking forward to seeing this beautiful cable pattern. If you can, please post a picture when you finish.