Getting gauge right--help!

[DJBug]

So I've decided to make a baby sweater, using a pattern from Jo-Ann fabrics website: seven seas sweater set. It calls for using two strands together, one of babysoft and one of microspun yarn. I've decided to go with all babsoft (on the Lion Brand's website, they are listed as the same weight). Anyway, this is the first thing I've made where gauge will actually matter. The pattern says to use size 9 needles to get a gauge of 15 st in 4 inches.
Now, I've tried size 9 and up to 11 needles. Don't remember what I got on the 9s, but on the 10 1/2 I got 18 stitches. The 11s look like they'll be giving me 16 stitches. I really don't think I'm knitting THAT tightly, not pulling the yarn, etc. Is there anything else I'm missing?
Should I just go ahead with the size 11 needles?
:wall: :gah:

[Ingrid]

Use what works to get the gauge as close as you can. The microspun is less stretchy than the babysoft, so this is probably making a difference.

If you like the fabric, and the gauge is good, then that's all that matters.

[rachael72knitter]

You could also try doing it with one strand on the 9 to see what you get, or the 10.

You can use whatever as long as you get gauge, but I would question it being such a big knit, maybe not looking quite like what you expected from the pattern.

[Marria]

Since this is a baby sweater, your gauge being off a stitch probably won't make a huge difference because you aren't casting on as many stitches to begin with. However, you might also be able to tweak the pattern to make it work for the gauge you are getting. How hard that would be would depend on how complex the shaping and stitch patterns are.

Is the pattern available online somewhere, and can you post a link?

[TrishL1975]

Marria - here (http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat13856&PRODID=xprd488983)

It says pattern courtesy of Lion Brand, and I found it there too, with no errata.

[Marria]

Even on the largest size you are only casting on 53 stitches, so I think you'd be just fine going with the size 11s. It will add very little width to the final product and the sweater looks like it has some ease to it.