How to figure out yarn substitutions

[heykaren]

Hi all,

I´m a newbie here and also to knitting. My question is: how do you figure out how much yarn you need for a pattern if you are not using the yarn brand specified in the pattern?

For example, I live overseas, but last summer while visiting my mother, I bought some Lion Brand Homespun yarn. I¨ve seen some patterns on the Berrocco free pattern site and am wondering how to figure out if I have enough to substitute the Homespun in the Berrocco pattern. Is there a simple way of estimating that?

I´d appreciate any help! Thanks! Karen

[sara_jayne]

To see if yarns can be subsituted you'll have to look at the guage on the yarn lables to see how many stitches per inch on which needle size is required. If the guage is the same you should be okay to subsitute, just be sure that you get the correct yardag.

Yarndex is a great site for getting guage information and looking for substitue yarn.

[heykaren]

Thanks Sara Jayne - I-m still wading through all the information on Yarndex!

Is it safe to say that if the specified needle size and the substitute yarn gives you the same gauge swatch as the pattern, you´re good to go. And if not, you can play with needle sizes to get the gauge required by the pattern, and then you have to make sure that the yardage of the substitute yarn matches the amount called for in the pattern? ( that made sense to me, hope it does to all of you as well... )

Thanks - I think I¨m really going to like it here! Karen

[Ingrid]

You got it!

[heykaren]

Oh, this is SO cool...... Karen