I’m knitting an afghan block. The pattern says the block finishes at 12 inches wide. The pattern calls for worsted weight and size 8 needles. The gauge is 18 stitches and 24 rows for a 4 inch square. The cast on is 80 stitches. I worked my gauge swatch with size 8 needles and it was an exact match to the pattern gauge but when I cast on 80 stitches per the pattern, it was more than 17 inches wide. So I’m confused. If the gauge in the pattern is 18 stitches = 4 inches and you are to cast on 80 stitches, dividing 80 stitches by 18 stitches = 4.44. If 18 stitches = 4 inches and 80 divided by 18 = 4.44 x 4 (inches) that’s more than 17 inches! Is the pattern gauge incorrect or am I missing something?
It would help to know what pattern you’re using. Is it linkable?
Not linkable. It is in a book Sampler Afghans by Leisure Arts. All of the blocks use size 8 needle and worsted weight yarn with a gauge of 18 stitchs, 24 rows = 4 inch square. Each block has a slightly different cast on amount. The one I’m trying to work has a CO of 80 stitches. Does not make sense to me.
Does the block include cables or something that will pull in?
eta I wonder if there is errata.
It does have cables but it doesn’t pull in much. I’ve worked about 5 inches in length to see if it would pull in enough to get it down to 12 " wide but it doesn’t. I am thinking the book is wrong in its gauge. I’ve never tried to rework a pattern by eliminating some of the width in the pattern but I think I will have to approach it that way if I want to use this block. Thanks.
Was your gauge swatch in stockinette stitch? Did you work a swatch larger than 4" and measure over the middle 4"?
Maybe one of these patterns?
That is the book. The block is #50. I did my swatch in stockinette but haven’t heard of measuring the middle 4". That’s a good idea and I’ll do that from now on. But my issue isn’t my swatch. It matches the gauge in the book perfectly. My confusion is around the gauge in the book. If the gauge is 18 stitches = 4" and the CO is 80 stitches, how can it possibly end up with a finished width of 12"? It would have to be much bigger than that. The finished block would end up to be at least 15 inches, which is what mine was.
I understand your frustration. It would bother me too. If the cable pattern isn’t enough to shorten the width then the best thing may be to contact the publisher.
https://leisurearts.com/errata
Have you tried working the stitch pattern itself?
I have worked about 3 repeats of the cable pattern. It doesn’t really shorten the width at all. I reworked the pattern, eliminating 2 of the cable rows and that gets me to a 12" width so I’m okay with my adaptation. Thanks for your suggestions!
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