Help with Guage and my pattern

[mugs]

I have a pattern that calls for a bulky yarn. I bought some yarn I thought would work. My pattern calls for 10 sts=4" and using US no 11 needles. the guage printed on the yarn is #9 - #11 3-3.5 Stitches/inch. So can I make this pattern with this yarn? I tend to be a tight knitter. I am knitting a hat with ear flaps. I really want to use this yarn because the colors are perfect.!

Please help.

Also when you do gauge swatch. Would I cast on 10 stitches and then just knit until 4"?

[brownishcoat]

I would cast on at least 16 stitches and knit for at least 6". Your gauge should be measured in the middle of the swatch, not over the cast-on, bind-off or side edge stitches.

[suzeeq]

The gauge on the yarn label is to indicate what size/thickness the yarn is. If there's a `5' on the label, that also indicates a bulky yarn. Gauge has as much to do with your tension as it does needles and yarn. The only way to check if you get the sts/inch is to knit it up. But make it more stitches, like 14 so you can measure the 4" in the middle. The edge stitches come out a different size than those in the middle of the row. And you can knit for 2-4", row gauge isn't as important as stitch gauge.

If you don't get gauge, you could go up a needle size, or try to make it in a larger size.

sue

[CarmenIbanez]

You'll want to make your swatch about 6" x 6" so you can measure in the middle of it for a better gauge measurement.

[mugs]

I made my swatch and I got 14 sts in 4". How can I make this pattern with this yarn. If I go up in needle size to get 10 sts in 4" I think I will make it too loose and the hat won't be warm.

Any suggestions?

[brownishcoat]

The only way to know for sure is to try it. If increasing the needle size makes the fabric too open, there are other options. One way to "bulk up" your yarn is to try stranding it with another yarn; doubling it would probably be too much since you are starting with a bulky.

In this case, I would add a strand of a baby/sport weight yarn in a coordinating or contrasting color. I particularly enjoy adding a strand of white or black to a colorful yarn, it can add extra interest.

[janelanespaintbrush]

You can use this calculator to convert your pattern to work with the new gauge (it says it's for sweaters, but you can use it for anything). Just be sure that your new numbers will work with whatever stitch pattern you're using (e.g., you might have to make sure you cast on a multiple of 4 if you are using 2x2 ribbing).

[mugs]

The pattern is for top down knitting of the hat. So it starts with casting on 12 stitches on dpn's. The stitch converter said to use 16 stitches. So could I just put 4 on each dpn and work from there? It basically starts and increase pattern from there. Rnd 2 18 stitches, rnd 4 24 sts round 6 30 stitches. Keep up until 54 stitches total. So should I convert every stitch count. So 18, 26, 34, 42, 76. Do I round up the converter?

[janelanespaintbrush]

I totally forgot -- the same person who created the calculator (Lucia) made a pattern generator specifically for a top-down ear flap hat. It might be easier just to use that.

[knitqueen]

Top down hat patterns are GREAT because sort of like top down sweater patterns, you can try it on as you go. The calculator that Jane linked is great.