Using worsted rather than sport weight for a pattern?

#1

I feel a little silly asking this question, but I’ve just got the little nagging thing in the back of my head telling me I should ask before casting on…so here goes :slight_smile:

I have a pattern for a baby outfit I want to knit. The pattern calls for sport weight yarn, but I have some worsted weight that I want to use. If I do this, then the items will just come out bigger - right? I’m thinking that I should just knit it in a size smaller than what I really want (I want an 18 month size, so I could just knit the 12 month size from the pattern). Other than the overall size being larger than the original pattern everything else should work out fine (and proportionately), right?

I think I just need a little reassurance that my thinking on this is correct as I seem to be stuck in a bit of a brain fog tonight :???: LOL

TIA!!

#2

A dk/sport weight yarn knits a nice-looking piece of fabric using about US4-6 needles. A worsted/aran weight yarn knits a nice-looking piece of fabric using US7-9. Don’t try to use a US5 with a worsted weight yarn…it would probably be too crammed and compact looking…like a mat. Conversely, using a US9 with dk weight yarn produces a loosey-goosey holey-looking fabric.

If you are going to try to convert the pattern using a worsted weight yarn…try a US7 needle for your gauge swatch…and see how much wider than 4" your swatch is. For example, the gauge [U]of your pattern[/U] probably says something like 22st=4" in st st. By using a dk/sport yarn on US6 needles…your swatch would probably measure 4" wide.

But, if you use a worsted weight using a US7 needle…those 22 swatch stitches might measure 5" wide. That means that for every 22 stitches of your garment, it will be an inch wider.

There are a lot of factors to consider.

However, the short answer is YES…what you are suggesting MIGHT work! You will have a clearer picture by knitting different swatches, measuring the outcomes, doing the math, and comparing your measurements and figures to the schematic of the pattern, or at least to the finished garment measurements given in the pattern.

It is a lot of swatching and figuring…but if you have your heart set on using the heavier yarn, it will be worth it when it turns out beautifully and the right size!

#3

You have the right idea, knit a smaller size (probably the smallest) with a size 7-9 needle. It does help to knit up a sample with the needles and yarn to see how many sts/inch you get, divide the number into the total number of sts and see how big around it will be. It may end up being big enough for a 3 year old. Which can work, just make the sleeves long so they can be rolled up. When my oldest was 2 I bought a size 4 parka and he did end up wearing it for 2 years.

#4

Thanks ArtLady and suzeeq - that is pretty much what I was thinking. I’m a little afraid of how [B]much[/B] bigger the item will come out but I think I will just go for it. I’ll play a little with the math to judge the best size to make - and part of joy of knitting baby items is that, eventually, they will grow into them! Appreciate your thoughtful responses :slight_smile: