Newbie with a couple of Qustions

Continuing the discussion from Welcome to the KnittingHelp forum! …Introduce yourself!:

Hallo, I am a new conscript! I have been knitting on and off for 30 years and although I can follow a pattern and knit most stitches I fall down with making the correct size. Either too small or too big, usually too big as from the test squares I make, my gauge is too loose. But heres the thing…I don’t like going down a needle size as I don’t like the tightness of it. So, is another way round this, to just knit a smaller size? Also is there way of knowing by the first few rows of the back of the cardigan project whether or not it will fit me correctly? Would be nice to know before I finish the project whether it’s going to fit or not.

Welcome to the forum!
Be sure to knit a large enough test swatch. The number of stitches should be counted over the middle 4 inches so that means casting on several more sts than the gauge given in the pattern. Knit so that the swatch is long enough to measure row number over about 4 inches although this is often less critical than stitch gauge in most patterns.
Measuring the back after the first several inches will usually give you a good idea of the finished size but your gauge swatch is meant to help you out here before you need to knit and then rip out the back. The swatch doesn’t always predict the sweater gauge but it should come close.

Going down a needle size is worth trying just to see if you can get gauge with the yarn you’ve chosen and still like the knit fabric. The yarn should be the same weight (knits to the pattern gauge) as the pattern suggests and it should have a similar drape.

You might try knitting a sleeve first if your pattern has separate sleeves. The sleeves aren’t so large as the back and will give you a good idea of gauge. Of course this won’t work for sleeves that are picked up from the body or for top down construction.

You’re idea of knitting a smaller size if possible is a good way around the problem as long as you like the knit fabric in the swatch.

1 Like

Thanks for the tips, especially about knitting the sleeves first :slightly_smiling_face: