Understanding the guage

#1

Help!! I’m a new knitter and I’m 1/2 finished with a hat that I’m knitting in the round (first time for knitting in the round) and it looks way too big! I think I figured the gauge wrong. So, the question is: if I have 10 stitches per inch and I multiply this by 18 and round this number to the nearest multiple of 8 how many stitches would I cast on?? I realize this is a very simple question with a very simple answer, but I can’t figure why the hat is too big.

#2

I think the answer to your question is 176, but unless you’re using a very fine yarn that is way too many stitches for a hat.

What is the name and weight of your yarn? What size needles are you using?

#3

It’s Vanna’s Choice, Medium weight 4 and I’m using size 9 circular needles. I might add this had is for a child.

#4

Ahhh then you’ve got the gauge wrong…Vanna’s Choice is appx 18 sts over 4 inches or appx 4.5 sts per inch. And you’re using fairly large needles so you might get even less.

So… It depends on the child’s head size, but knitting stretches so it’s pretty forgiving. Generally for that size I’d cast on about 72 probably to give you the multiple of eight. Is it a simple roll brim or are you doing ribbing?

#5

I think you’re getting 10 sts over [B]2 inches [/B]not per inch. So you’d need [B]5[/B] times 18 and then down to 88 to be divisible by 8. And if you’re getting 4 or 4½ sts /inch, then you’d need even less.[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][LEFT][COLOR=#ffffff][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][B]Kelly Trump
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#6

I think your right, that makes sense. Thank you so much.

#7

I’m doing ribbing. How in the world did I ever come up with 10 st per inch?? I’ve just ripped the whole thing out and remeasured and it’s definitely 5 st per inch. No wonder it was looking too big. I think I’ll take your advice anand cast on 72 since the child is small. Thank you so much for your help.

#8

You probably measured the ribbing unstretched. You’d want to measure in stockinette st and use that gauge. You want the ribbing stretched out a little to keep it on the head.