So, my pattern calls for 4.5-5 stitches per inch, and 7 rows per inch. I’ve got the stitch gauge perfect, but am coming in solidly at 6 rows.
I am using 8s with Pattons Silk Wool Stripes, a medium weight yarn.
Stitch gauge is the most important, so if you’ve got that you’ll be fine. Patterns often call for a certain number of inches to be worked rather than always saying ___ number of rows, and this takes into account varying row gauge. Rows can always be added or taken away to arrive at the proper length, but width is not something you can adjust in the same way - this is why stitch gauge is so much more important.
Most times row gauge, won’t matter, but there are a few times when it might…
From this knitty article on swatching:
“Row gauge is absolutely critical if you are knitting any raglan garment or a fully-fashioned sleeve, if the pattern is Fair Isle, other colorwork, or certain Aran designs, where the charted design constitutes the entire garment piece and dictates the finished length. Always analyze your pattern to see if row gauge is critical to the finished garment or not. Most of the time row gauge will not matter too much but make sure you know when it does.”
If you need to adjust your row gauge, thismay be of help. Lucia also discusses row gauge in greater detail here and here.
I’ve found that going up or down one size doesn’t usually change the stitch gauge too much, but can affect the row gauge. I usually don’t worry about it. If a pattern calls for `knit xx rows’, I translate that into inches and work accordingly.
sue
hmmmm. Well thanks for all of the input, ladies! It looks like maybe I don’t have to worry tooo much. This is for a diaper soaker pattern, which means I can add a few extra rows to make the rise long enough if I need to (or in my case, I guess that would be take a few rows away).