Ready to swear and beat my chest....

[GrumpyGramma]

not sure how I get the under arms right but I think I might be able to figure it out.

Are you needing a larger armhole? A pattern I have says that for a larger armhole on the top down sweater, just continue knitting a few more rounds or rows w/o inc, depending on pullover or cardi before closing it up under the arm. Does that make sense? If not, I can find the pattern and actually quote from it.

[Antares]

Ready to swear and beat my chest . . .

Well, I say go ahead! It can't hurt and it might help!!! Do you need Merigold's monkey hat first, though?

Just kidding, really. I hope you can figure this out soon. I know how frustrating it is not to be able to get the gauge you need!!!

[fatoldladyinpjs]

I hate following patterns. I'm one of those knitters who likes to knit by the inch. My typical mitten pattern, for instance, is: Knit rib cuff for 3 inches, 2 1/2 to thumb, 4 inches straight knitting until you get to the decreases. I think you get my drift.

I don't know if I'm blonde, or maybe it's been a long day at work? My poor little brain isn't fathoming this. How the heck do you get 18 stitches for 4 inches? That's like 4 1/4 stitches per inch. A quarter stitch? Maybe I need to take Suzee's advice and have a little glass of wine.

I've been winging this top down baby sweater pattern. Knitting Fool has a pattern generator, but I thought the stitch numbers were way off. What helped me a lot was this chart. I would get your gauge with the type of yarn you want to use. Get a flexible tape measure and measure your bust. Or get a chest measurement off a sweater or sweatshirt that fits you well. These percentages on this illustration might help you to get it right.

http://www.knittingfool.com/pages/topdown.guest.cfm

[suzeeq]

The ¼ st per inch is why you measure over 4". It's a lot easier to count 18 sts over a wider measurement than partial ones in a narrow one.