Gauge Question

#1

I am curious…if a pattern calls for a certain yarn and gauge but you can’t find the yarn anywhere or want to use something different but all the yarns you see have differnt gauges, how do you know if it will work?

i.e. I have a sweater that calls for a worsted weight yarn and the gauge is 5 sts=1" on size 6 needles. Every worsted weight yarn I am looking at is like 18 sts = 4" on size 7 or 8 needles.

So, do I need to look for a yarn that is 20 sts = 4" on size 6? What if I can’t find it? If the gauge is the same on a size 7 or 8 needle for a specific yarn, how do I know how much to order then? Do I decrease my order by a lot or a little?

The needle size and gauge throws me off when trying to determine if the yarn will work or not.
Thanks!
-Alison

#2

It’s best to match the gauge as close as you can, otherwise your garment could wind up too big or too small.
The actual needle size doesn’t really matter all that much when it’s only one or two sizes. If you can’t manage 5 sts per inch on size 7 but it works on size 6, then you may as well go ahead and use the size 6 even if the pattern calls for size 7. Suggested gauge on the yarn label is just that - suggested. It’s what they figure you’ll come up with. I suggest doing a swatch to find out for certain what your gauge is on any given yarn and needles.
When it comes to the amount of yarn, I don’t think it should really vary too much with needle size. 5 sts per inch is 5 stitches worth of yarn in one inch regardless of what size needles you need to use to get that. At least, that’s what makes sense to me. But I’m a little sleep deprived right now, so I’ll wait and see if someone more knowledgeable comes along to correct me.