I'm thinking about straying into sweaters, so I found a Better Homes & Gardens basic pullover pattern. It calls for LB Homespun, with a gauge of 14 stitches=4" in stockinette with size 10 needles. (I've mostly made hats and dishcloths, so gauge hasn't been much of an issue). So I make a gauge swatch, and with the size 10s, I'm at 6" instead of 4"! So I try it with size 8 needles, and this gets me down to 5". Yikes! Who knew?

I guess at this point, my option are to (a) keep decreasing needle size; (b) work with a lesser weight yarn, or (b) to make it with Homespun, but make a size small instead of medium or large. If I do (a), I don't know how small a needle I can use with this bulky yarn. If I do (b), it might work, but if I want to make something with lightweight yarn one day, I'll end up using fingering weight instead of DK, so I can forget socks! If I do (c), that would work, unless I make something for someone who is really a size small.

Have any of you had this problem, and if so, what did you do? Thanks.

I do this all the time, mostly because I prefer larger needles than a pattern calls for, so I figure out how many sts/inch I get, times how many inches I want and if one of the pattern sizes is close to that, I follow the instructions for that one.

Are you only casting on 14 sts to make your swatch? It's better to use more stitches because the edge stitches will be a different size than those in the middle. I'd CO about 25-30 and work for several inches then measure the middle stitches for a true gauge count.

sue

Thanks, I went back and did as you advised. I've got the right gauge now, but with size 8 needles. I'll now decide if I want to use them. The pattern calls for 10s through most of it, but for 8s for the first several rows. So I guess I'd need to use 6s for these first rows. Otherwise, I'll look at making a smaller size. I appreciate the advice!

I always have to go down at least one or two needle sizes. You are not alone. xxx