I was finding myself getting bored with knitting and then after post a thread here I became excited again and decided to make myself a sweater dress for around the house since this is my first one. It’s nothing fancy, just a pattern that looks like it’s easy to make.
The pattern I am using is actually a sweater pattern but I am hoping I can make it longer to turn it into a dress. ( not sure if my idea is gonna work or not)
This is the pattern I purchased last night on Ralvery:
Since I am eager to start, I don’t have time to order the yarn and wait for it to come in the mail so
I figure any Sport/ 5ply. 75% cotton,25% acrylic yarn will do.
Is this correct? And of course I need to make a gauge to make sure I meet the gauge specified on the pattern.
Have to get the kids off to school and finish housework and then I am off to buy yarn for my new project!
Sorry for the long post…didn’t realize it was so long until now.
Thanks so much in advance for any and all advice, contructive criticism ,help and encouragement !
Don’t worry about the 5 ply. Just get a sport weight yarn with about the same gauge as the suggested yarn. The gauge for the pattern itself is different is different because of the needle size they use.
Boy do i wish I would have seen your post before I left 2 hours ago to go buy yarn. The only 5 I found was bulky and I knew that wasn’t it.
After going to 2 local stores I decided to try the Lion Brands Pound of Love yarn , color is Honey Bee but…after reading your post, I don’t this this is going to work either!
http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/lion-brand-pound-of-love
I always thought buying the yarn was the easy part. 
I’m going to wait until I get some advice before I do anything because I’m not sure if I should go ahead and start my guage or not.
What are your specific concerns about using this yarn? I’ve done sweaters with it, I think you can make gauge with it. It will get fuzzy.
The only concern I have with it is that the pattern may not turn out right because the gauge is not the same as the gauge on the recommended yarns label.
Personally, I LOVE the yarn I got because is soo soft.
You have to swatch and determine your gauge with it. I’m sure that I could easily get gauge for this pattern with this yarn but I don’t know that you will. One great thing about a top down like this is that you can fit it as you go along, hopefully she’ll explain that in the pattern.
Thanks! I will start working on my gauge now. I would like to thank you and everyone that has replied to my thread for all your patience, understanding and help.
I am not good at explaining things so sometimes my questions may sound off the wall or just plain stupid.
I think you’ll enjoy making this. Happy knitting :knitting: and keep us updated, please. If for whatever reason this yarn doesn’t work for this pattern for you, it’s a good yarn for lots of things IMO. My fingerless mitts that I wear a lot are made with it.
I have a question about making a gauge:
Is it best to make a swatch gauge garter stitch
or
in this case, she says to make it stockinette stitch?
I made my swatch per her directions but I seem to be 1 and a half inches short. So does that mean to go up a size? I am currently using a size 7 needle.
ok, I just looked it up and everything I am finding says to go down a needle size. If I go down a needle size won"t that make my gauge swatch even shorter?
Gauge swatches are “standardized” using stockinette, unless the pattern specifically states otherwise. (I found this out the hard way in a class…)
Try making a 5"x5" (12.5cm) swatch (minimum size, can be larger) in st st so that there’s a 4"x4" (10cm) area away from the edges that can be measured to count the st/inch. Then you’ll have the information you need to decide whether to go up/down in needle size.
ok, I must really be dumb to making a gauge swatch because this just isn’t working out for me. I started with a size 7 needle which the pattern calls for and am up to a size 9 now and my swatch is still off. This is all new to me because I have never actually made a swatch before.
In her video, I understand the gauge swatch as 18 sts x23 rows = 4 x 4 square
Generally when I do a gauge swatch I cast on around 30 sts and knit in stockinette for a while. When I’ve gone about 4" I do a knit row on the WS to give a ridge on the front, then change to a larger or smaller needle, knit another 4", check the stitch count, and if needed make another ridge and change needles again.
How many stitches did you cast on? I find the more the merrier and the more likely I am to get an accurate gauge count. To measure in a worthwhile manner, you need to be away from the edges and a number of rows from your cast on edge.
ETA Generally speaking, stitch gauge is more important than row gauge, if you can’t get both then go with the needle that gives you stitch gauge.
I am casting on 18 stitches as she instructs and working 23 rows.
I have worked up to a size 10 needle, which is the biggest size I currently have. The one thing I am not doing is casting on extra stitches.
Can you please give me detailed instructions as if you were doing this so maybe I can get some understanding?
Thanks so much for your time and help. I am starting to feel a little discourage because I can’t seem to get the gauge swatch right.
ok…I just gave it one last shot and I can achieve the correct gauge if I go buy the yarn label which is 19 stitches x 24 rows = 4 inch square. using a size 8 knitting needle.
How to I appy this to my pattern?
In your pattern, were you instructed to cast on 18 sts for your swatch? That seems really odd.
It’s much easier to play around with yarn and needle size on the swatch than to start a sweater and find out it’s too big or too small.
Your pattern is looking for 18sts/4inches in stockinette and your yarn has a gauge of 19sts/4inches. All these are numbers for the ideal, average knitter whoever he or she is. You’re knitting the swatch to see what you get and adjusting needle size from there. When the pattern says 18sts/4 inches, cast on 24-30sts as GG suggested. Then measure over the middle 4 inches (thanks again, GG). If you get fewer than 18sts/4inches go to a larger needle size.
thanks! I will try this after dinner.
Gauge update: I finally got it! :woohoo:
Had I have watched her video a few minutes longer, I would have known that she recommends doing the same thing you guys told me to do.
For me, a size 8 gave me the correct gauge so I am very happy I finally got it right!
Thanks so much for helping me!