Gauge help - going up 5 needle sizes?

How-to Questions
1

Hi all,

This is my first post, but I have lurked for a while, learning from every post.

Question: I have knitted multiple gauge swatches and am working with the recommended yarn weight for the pattern. Based on my swatches, I need to go up 5 needle sizes. Is that even humanly possible?

Background: Self-taught knitter, began learning to knit in September 2012. Have completed many scarves, shawls, and blankets, but am struggling with the sweaters. I need serious help, the last blanket pattern I did was one that had to be done end to end or the color pattern wouldn’t work. The pattern called for 10 skeins of yarn - I ended up needing 20 skeins. Needless to say, it’s the biggest blanket in the universe! http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/images/smilies/aug08_028.gif

So, is it reasonable to be that far off in gauge, or is it a result of being self taught?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Pam

2

Are you sure you’re counting the stitches correctly on your gauge swatch? Have you watched the video on gauge here? Many of us here are self-taught. Whether we’re taught by a real live person or by reading and watching videos, the knitting is the same, so I don’t think that would really be a factor.

What are you making and can you link to the pattern?

3

GG mentions some good things to check and it certainly would be good to have a link to the current pattern and the name of the yarn you’re thinking of using with the needle size. (I couldn’t get the link to the blanket pattern to work so a link to that pattern and the yarn and needle size used there would help too.)
If the blanket turned out too large, it implies that you needed to go down in needle size on that project. On the current sweater you’re going up several sizes. Have you looked at the text and videos for gauge and tension that are here?

4

Great questions and thoughts from both of you, thanks! I think your replies seal the deal, I’m confused! So here’s where I’m at with gauge:

Yes, I have read the info and watched the videos available here and on other extremely helpful sites. I started my knitting journey with scarves, shawls, and blankets, none of which really had a gauge requirement but all of which allowed me to practice different stitches and try out different yarns and needles.

Enter my first sweater. I did the Mothed sweater (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf10/PATTmothed.php) in Loops and Threads Incredible. Nevermind that the sweater may not have been wearable in that yarn, I just wanted to work on technique and not break the bank. I expected mistakes to make it less than fashionable anyway. To my surprise, it wasn’t half bad! And it fit! And I didn’t do a gauge swatch.

Then I probably became a bit too arrogant. I wanted to do the Mothed sweater again in a softer more wearable yarn. I chose Lion Brand Homespun. It came out lovely. It was also enormous! Hmmmm. But I didn’t gauge swatch, so my mistake.

Took a break from the sweater making and shifted to a Loops and Threads Country Loom yarn and went with the pattern printed right on the skein band - for a corner to corner throw. The pattern called for 10 skeins of that yarn in two colors. I started with the 10. I knitted on the needle size recommended for the yarn, and was following the pattern designed for the yarn. As mentioned before, it ended up taking me 20 skeins to finish the pattern and I know have a 12 foot long, 5 foot wide blanket. It’s lovely, but not the size intended.

Ack! Clearly I need to fix my gauge issues before I continue with the next project. So off to my LFS for the first time. Asked lots of questions, got lots of information. Walked out with a few skeins of Noro yarn - very excited to try the next project with it.

But before I did that I thought I’d take a step back, go with a basic pattern needing a specific gauge and master it. I chose the Welcome Home Kitchen Set from KnitPicks (http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/welcome-home-kitchen-set.html) and used Paton’s Classic Wool and the size 8 needle called for by the yarn. Pattern calls for 18 stitches, 27 rows / 4 inches.

I swatched 36 stitches for 40 rows. I ended up with 18 stitches = 3.25 inches and 27 rows = 4 inches. Since the length is the part I’ve read should be less important, I swatched again with size 10 needles. I ended up with 18 stitches = 3.5 inches and 27 rows just slightly more than 4 inches. I continued to swatch with fresh yarn until I hit the 18 stitches = 4 inches. I was on size 13 needles!

Based on my adventure in swatching and the different advice I’ve received either through reading, videos, or live discussion, I’m still a bit lost in this gauge checking. I’ll continue to try to figure it out on my own, and in the meantime I have my first lace project on the needles, so I’m in no rush.

I just thought if any of the folks out here had any advice I would take advantage of it.

A very long reply, and thanks for hanging in there to read it, but I wanted to give as much info as possible. Something tells me there is a very minor, very obvious thing that I am missing.

Thanks,
Pam

5

Going up in needle size to get gauge makes it sound as though you’re a tight knitter, not bad if you’re comfortable with it but it can be hard on hands, wrists, arms. You might want to try loosening up some. Why you’d use 2x the yarn the other pattern called for makes me think you might have worked everything 2x thinking you should do another set of repeats? I wish your link worked. Maybe it would be best if we can help you tackle one thing at a time.

6

It sounds like you have a good idea of gauge and you’ve certainly knit a large enough swatch which is good. You’re measuring across the center of the swatch, not near the needles too, I hope since the needles distort the stitch gauge.
I’ve changed needles by one size and not substantially affected the gauge but you’re changing by several sizes and maintaining the same gauge. I wonder if you’re unconsciously tightening up quite a bit with the larger needles?
(On the Mothed sweater, the Homespun yarn knits at 14sts/4inches so that would tend to make a much larger sweater than the 17sts/4inches given in the pattern.)

7

New knitters tend to knit either waaaaay too loose or waay too tight. As you progress along your knitting “pathway” you will eventually find that things will even themselves out.

Make sure you’re not stopping to tighten the stitches after each one. Just move along to the next one. Also, you might want to watch a more experienced knitter to get the idea of the flow of knitting motions. Or watch some videos, if you don’t know any knitters in person.

knitcindy

8

Thanks everyone! It does sound like I’m just flat knitting waaaaaay too tight combined with not giving the right amount of focus to yarn weight and needle size for the pattern. I’m also still fidgeting with the stitches as I go, not necessarily tightening each one, but likely causing the same end result.

Great insights on the reasons behind my dilemma - now I want to get home and start working on it again! Darn you Day Job!

I’ll let you know how I make out, think loose thoughts for me. Ha!

Thanks,
Pam