Yarn pattern says 8mm needles

I have a pattern for cowl neck jumper
The yarn is discontinued and I’m struggling for an alternative or suggestions of a work around.
I’m a novice knitter and struggle with adapting a pattern for different yarn weight
But any help would be appreciated.
Thank you in anticipation of any help it’s just I like the look and drape of cowl this pattern has.
Albeit might be spring before I’ve finished :joy:
Thank you
Eileen
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Hello
Yarn sub has no suggestions for a sub but the info about the yarn is useful

https://yarnsub.com/yarns/sirdar/wild

You could look for super bulky fleece eyelash or faux fur perhaps. It isn’t going to result in the same result but if you find a yarn you like the look of in a super bulky weight you could then swatch to find the right size needle to get gauge and the drape you like.

There are lots of self patterning chunky and super chunky yarns and fleece type yarns, perhaps harder to find one with the eyelash encorporated. You might want to try working 2 strands together, one of a fleece blanket type yarn and 1 fine eyelash?

Pattern link for anyone who needs it
https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/p/sweaters-in-sirdar-wild-7969-downloadable-pdf

Something to consider for a novice knitter is that it can be very hard to “read” your stitches in an eyelash-type yarn, making it hard to find mistakes. It can also be difficult to tink or rip back to fix the mistake, as the eyelashes tend to get tangled together.

On the plus side…if you can’t find the mistakes, nobody is likely to notice them! :laughing: Just adjust your stitch count so it’s correct and you might be fine!

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Thank you for your advice, and as I make many mistakes and have to undo.
oops

As an alternative to the yarn do I look for chunky or super chunky

It just seems chunky yarn advises 6 mm

Super chunky advises 10 mm

My pattern and yarn says 8 mm

I’m thinking just look for another pattern but it was the draped cowl I liked.

Thank you again

Eileen

The charts I’m seeing say Super Bulky takes needles from 8mm to 12.75mm. “Bulky” and “Chunky” are pretty interchangeable terms.

A more important factor is your knitting style. You would need to get the yarn and make some swatches, to find the right size needles for YOU to use with any given yarn. Your pattern means that the designer or whoever knit the samples did it on 8mm needles. You may knit tighter or looser than they did, and so need different needles.

There should be somewhere in first part of the pattern where it says to make a gauge swatch, and how many stitches per inch you need to knit in order to have the sweater fit. You should make the swatch in whatever stitch pattern is used for the sweater (sometimes they specify stocking stitch for the swatch). Make it about 6" x 6", and measure your gauge over the middle 4", because edge stitches are often a bit wonky.

I would suggest getting any bulky or super-bulky yarn that takes your fancy, and testing different needles to find out what will work best. It seems like extra work, but is critical to having a garment come out the size you intend.

And yes, it MIGHT be spring before you’re finished! :smiley: Although in chunky yarns, it should go reasonably quickly. I’m just getting to the sleeves on a sweater I started in September, although it’s in DK rather than chunky.

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The fabric looks quite drapey and was possibly knit on a bigger needle than one might usually expect, to acheive a more open fabric which folds and moves more. That’s perhaps why you like the design, I also like knit fabric a bit more open, and softer, or certain projects.
You could try yarn intended for 6mm yarn and swatch on 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and see how the fabric changes. Its also possible to knit the cowl part on a bigger needle than the rest of the sweater to make that section drape.

As you mentioned, it may be easier to find another pattern so the yarn selection is easier, swatching is still needed o check the gauge.
Here’s some on ravelry in case you wanted to have a browse
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=knitting&availability=free&pc=sweater&fit=adult&query=Cowl%20neck%20sweater&sort=best&view=captioned_thumbs&page=1

Choosing patterns and yarn takes me a hundred times longer than knitting the garment, it’s not easy to choose!

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