New and need help

Vanessa62 · 07-24-2010, 10:15 PM

Hi,

I'm new to knitting and recently made a stocking for my great niece.

I thought I had done a good job until I was finished. The stocking is bigger than I believe that it's suppose to be. It's a Mary Maxim pattern. I measured the gauge and it seems okay. Could it be that the tension in my knitting was too loose? Is tension and gauge the same? I used worsted weight yarn and the needle size that the pattern called for. Do I just need to keep practicing to perfect my knitting overall? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Vanessa

suzeeq · 07-25-2010, 05:04 AM

Tension relates to gauge, if you got gauge the pattern may have been too large or your tension changed as you knit and that changed the gauge. Practice does help you get a more even tension so your gauge stays the same. Did the pattern call for a worsted weight yarn?

Vanessa62 · 07-25-2010, 05:41 PM

yes. It called for 100% acrylic worsed wieght yarn. I used Red Heart instead of Mary Maxim Starlette. Would that have made the difference. Also I looked for a finished size and none was given. It just seems long. I have 3 other great neices that I would like to make one for. However now I'm scared.

hyperactive · 07-25-2010, 10:55 PM

A stocking as in x-mas stocking?

Well, if your gauge swatch turned out the way it should have... maybe someone just hopes for a lot of stocking stuffers!
With a x-mas stocking I would not be soooo scared. Gauge is relative there.
Is the "leg part" too long? Is it too big overall? Maybe knowing that would help?

suzeeq · 07-25-2010, 11:53 PM

What's the pattern? Subbing the RH for MM is okay, though I think the Starlette is a little thinner but not much.

Vanessa62 · 07-26-2010, 01:32 AM

Well, that's what my husband and two boys' said. That it's just more room to stuff stocking stuffers. Yes, its a Christmas stocking pattern with the name knitted into the stocking. I think I have decided that my tension on the yarn changed as I knitted. The stocking from cuff to toe measures 26". The one that my aunt knitted for my boys' when they were little are about 18" long. Although she finished hers off as a boot instead of a toe. I'm very pleased with the project as it's my first attempt at something that's not flat. I've made dishcloths and placemats, but nothing that I actually had to make look like something. Maybe I'm just too hard on myself. I have been knitting for only about 6 months and that's not consistant. I have crocheted for about 20 years. Thanks for all of your imput. I really like this site. I'm sure that I'll get a lot of good advise from all of you experts.

suzeeq · 07-26-2010, 04:24 AM

It sometimes happens that your gauge relaxes as you knit the larger piece and get more comfortable with it. It's a good idea to check you gauge every 2-3" as you knit on the item to make sure it's staying the same and not going to come a different size.

cftwo · 07-27-2010, 01:18 PM

I make stockings for all my nieces and nephews (I haven't knitted any yet, though - cross-stitch is my usual medium for these) and am always AMAZED at how big most designers make them. I have accidentally made some really huge stockings by choosing the medium-sized pattern. There's another nephew on the way and I think I'm making this one for him: http://www.margaretandmargaret.com/samplers/29.html These are actually a bit smaller than some I've made, so to get it the size I want, I have to change the fabric size etc.