Help figuring out Right yarn

[knitme]

I have a patern that calls for Size #5 dpns with gauge approx 5.5sts per inch

Will the yarn that says 17sts =4" on US 7 needles be ok to use if I were to knit with size 5 dpns?

I'm so bad at this buying the right yarn to fit the patterns needs. Can anyone tell me a better way?

thanks for your help

[knitqueen]

The only way to know for sure is to knit a swatch and measure it to see what kind of outcome you get. It's not always just that you're able to get gauge either, sometimes when you find the right needle size to get the proper gauge, the fabric it produces isn't desireable, ie. too loose, too stiff, etc.

The best thing to do when substituting yarns is to look at the gauge info that is written on the yarn itself, not necessarily the gauge of the pattern. Find a substitute yarn that is comparable to the gauge of the yarn the pattern calls for and go from there.

[knitme]

Thank you for your help and definitely will do!

I do have one more question and don't think it's worth a new thread, but what do the symbols mean on the yarn label. I know some mean washing or iron symbols, but like the letter A etc. Does anyone know of an online yarn label chart I can look at?

[knitqueen]

This site provides all info about yarn and how they're classified. If the specific page I've linked isn't helpful enough, just browse around at the different tabs to the left and I'm sure you'll find it very helpful. I'm not sure about the 'A' that you mentioned, though.

[brownishcoat]

http://www.lionbrand.com/yarnCare.html

The A is a dry-cleaning symbol that means "All solvents".