Guaging the Guage seems to need a Genie

@salmonmac, @Creations I am starting on my next project - a sweater for my husband and want to avoid the stress of wondering whether the sweater will be to measurements, through the knitting process :smile:

I have been guaging religiously for most of my projects (all cardigans and sweaters) since I realised the time and heartache it saves, but must say, I have NEVER gotten a good enough guage before I started knitting. So the stress has been a constant accompaniment to the pleasure I have knitting !

This one takes the cake though. The pattern is Tire Trace by Agata Smektala and suggests Lanagold Alize yarn which is 49% wool, 51% acrylic, pattern guage is 16 stx24 rows in St St with 5 mm needle

I want to do this pattern with 100% wool, King Cole Merino Blend DK (yarn guage 22 st x 28 rows with 4 mm needle)

I have tried to get the guage with 5.5 mm and 6 mm but end up getting 19 stitches on both !!

Should I abandon this yarn and buy another one ? Please guide. Thank you !

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Hello
I know the feeling, gauge swatches are great information pieces but they can sometimes add an extra puzzle to the process.

The pattern calls for aran weight yarn and although I pretty much always sub yarn from that on the pattern (wanting a different fibre, budget etc) I always choose the same weight yarn - unless I am wiling to recalculate the whole pattern into a different weight yarn (and run the risk of the need to frog and recalculate) which is probably not what you want to do.

Personally I think you would be better off saving this yarn for a DK pattern and finding an aran weight yarn you like for this pattern. You will still need to swatch and may need to change needle size from that given in the pattern but you have a better chance of achieving a gauge that works with the pattern size and that gives a fabric you like. When substitute yarn is used it can work up differently and effect cables and drape and you want to be happy with how those look and feel. Sometimes a different size can be followed if you like the stitch definition, cables, drape and so on with a different gauge, and sometimes that’s an easy-ish switch to a different size in the pattern, and sometimes it’s not.

Don’t forget the designer has spent a lot of time working with the yarn and stitches to write the pattern in the first place, they’ve basically done all the hard work, so anything you change to go outside of the given design and instruction is going to take some working out and experimenting.

Maybe look at the brand you bought and see if they do a similar yarn in aran weight? Some yarn produces have very similar yarns, with similar names, in different weight.
Or… find a similar looking pattern which calls for DK yarn.

I hope this helps.

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As @Creations stated, you’re using a different weight of yarn than the pattern is written for. You might be able to work a larger size with your yarn and have it fit. Working that out isn’t something I’ve done so can’t offer anything other than it might be possible. Nice pattern.

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Thank you so much ! Well, I think I have no choice but to stash this yarn ALSO :joy: and get Aran weight yarn - let me give that a shot. Thanks ever so much @GrumpyGramma @Creations

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I agree. It just takes too much adjusting of the pattern to make this yarn (22sts/4")
https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/king-cole-merino-blend-dk
work in a pattern calling for a heavy aran (16sts/4"). You would essentially be rewriting the pattern.
Use the gauge for the pattern yarn as a guide in substituting. There are other considerations like drape and texture but gauge above all. Yarnsub.com can be a help in this regard as the site takes several factors into consideration.

Here are some useful general tips on gauge from Patty Lyons.
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/does-your-gauge-change-or-do-swatches-lie/

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