I've just recently started knitting and I can't seem to solve this problem. I'm following the pattern but what I'm knitting is smaller than what the sample is suppose to be. Is it because I have the wrong size yarn?

If you're not using the size yarn that is specified then it could definitely give you the wrong size. What are you knitting?

It could be different if you're using smaller needles or knit tight too. If you can link to the pattern and tell us what yarn and needles you're using, that will help.

Yeah, they recommend doing a gauge swatch so you can see how you knit it up. Gauge swatches are usually way smaller than the finished piece, a simple stockinette square, etc. As others said... if you're not using the yarn they recommended, it could be a thinner yarn... however, you could be knitting tight or maybe your needles are slightly off (some patterns call for what even us seasoned knitters call weird-sized needles). Any of these can give variation to the size of project you knit up.

I've done the gauge swatch and it's about half the size of what it should be.
I've rechecked the pattern and they don't recommend a yarn size, they just say to use cotton??? My needles are the rize size, that at least I'm sure of.
It could be that I'm stitching too tight, but is it possible that that reduces the size by half?

I'm making baby overalls, it'll take my a little while before I can include the pattern because it's from a book so I have to type it up. What parts of the pattern would help?


Yeah, they recommend doing a gauge swatch so you can see how you knit it up. Gauge swatches are usually way smaller than the finished piece, a simple stockinette square, etc. As others said... if you're not using the yarn they recommended, it could be a thinner yarn... however, you could be knitting tight or maybe your needles are slightly off (some patterns call for what even us seasoned knitters call weird-sized needles). Any of these can give variation to the size of project you knit up.

You don't need to type in the pattern, just the yarn name and needle size, the gauge information. Then give us the yarn and needles you're using. Maybe later on we may need just a few of the stitch pattern rows if we need to help you in adding more stitches.

Check to see if the yarn is doubled in the pattern. If it is and you're using it singled that would make your gauge half as large.

The information I have is :
Yarn = cotton
Needles = size 3

Gauge swatch : 28 rings by 41 lines = 10 cm x 10 cm square in jersey knit

I'm sorry if the terms are wrong, my pattern is in french and I haven't learnt the english ones yet.

THanks for being so helpfull by the way, I find this pattern very vague, hence my confusion.

You would need to have a thin yarn, like a sock yarn, and be getting 7 sts per inch in the pattern. But you may have too thin a yarn, like a lace weight, and may need to go up in needle size so you would get 7 sts per inch.

Ohhh, I just realized... since it's a french pattern, the needle is probably a 3mm, not a US 3 which is only a 2.5mm.