I started a pattern with chunky yarn and size 13 needles (boy are they weird to use!)
the guage said that 8 st and 13 rows in stockinette would be 4".
on my swatch the 13 rows was exactly 4 inches, but my cast on edge, or width was only 3 inches. Does this mean my cast on edge is too tight? should the swatch be 4x4?
any ideas to make it work so my pattern turns out right?
Thanks!
Ignore the cast on edge.
Cast on extra stitches at each end and work until the rows are are equal to about 6". Measure the stitches in the middle. The cast-on, cast-off and sides of the swatch will be distorted and should not be used to measure your gauge.
When you make a swatch, you need to pay particular attention to the stitch gauge–the width. Make a swatch larger than 4 inches across and then count 4 inches worth of stitches.
If your row gauge–length–is off, you can always knit fewer/more rows to get the proper length, but if the stitch gauge is off, you can’t make it wider or narrower.
Also, when you measure your gauge swatch it is often much more critical that you stitch gauge is dead on. Row gauge is more easily adjusted in the actual knitted piece simply by adding more rows – and often knitting patterns specify # of inches to work rather than # of rows – but stitch gauge is impossible to tweak once the work has been done. You will end up with something too wide or too narrow if your stitch gauge is off.
so if I can’t get the guage right, with the 8 stitches in 4inches then I should adjust the pattern to reflect the 10 stitches I need or 12 stitches I need to get guage? or do I go up to a size 14 needle? (yikes!)
The next needle size is a 15, there is no 14. You can adjust the pattern if you need to. What are you making? If’s its a scarf, gauge isn’t as important as if it were a sweater, so you could just follow the pattern as written unless you wanted it wider.
sue
It is for this poncho:
http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/kts-1108AD.html
in the 24 months size.
If I need to add stiches… can anyone help me figure out how to make the pattern bigger? I’m such a newb!
Cara
It is always easier to go up a needle size (15, in this case) than try to adjust the pattern. You might also want to see if your yarn is the right weight; the pattern calls for 6 - super bulky - so I’d consider a swatch stranding a worsted weight with it also.
Yeah, unless the stitches don’t look as good. I’m working on a wrap right now and I had to adjust the gauge and stuff because when I went up a needle size, it just didn’t look as nice. So do several swatches, just to make sure! It’s worth it in the end!