Hello everyone,
I am trying to knit the following:
http://homepage.mac.com/subliminalrabbit/bellasmittens_pattern.pdf
I looked up the yarn used in that pattern and it looks like its gauge is 2.5 (sts./inch) on #11 needles. The yarn I’m considering picking up (for its value and color) is 3.5-3.75 (sts./inch) on #11 needles. What difference would this make? Would I need to buy more yarn? Or would the pattern just not turn out well?
Thanks in advance!
The gauge of the pattern is 4 stitches per inch, regardless of what the yarn band may say. :think:
The reason a pattern gives a gauge is so your mittens, in this case, will turn out to be the same size as you’d expect.
If the pattern’s gauge is 4 stitches per inch, and you cast on 46 stitches, that turns out to be 11.5 inches, right? If you have 3 stitches per inch, and you cast on 46 stitches, you measurement will be 15.3 inches or so.
With the yarn you chose, however, you probably can get a gauge of 4 stitches per inch. Do a swatch with the 11 needles and see what gauge you get. If you get too many stitches per inch, go down a needle size. Too few, go up a needle size.
Hello Ingrid,
I got confused reading your answer to this question. If you get too many stitches per inch in your swatch, I would think you would want to go to a larger needle size. What am I missing? Thanks,
Carol
She may have got confused, I do… Yes, if there’s too many sts per inch, use a larger needle.
Oops! You’re right. I should read what I write. 
'sokay Ingrid. I’ve written the very same thing and posted it even after reading it over a couple times… without changing it.