Gauge is sooooo off

[redheadrachel]

Hey everyone! I'm knitting a Winecozy from knitty.com and the gauge has 16 sts = 4 in. on size 4 needles with worsted weight yarn.
Well... I have to go all the way up to size 9 to get that gauge. I was checking on ravelry (love love love love it!) and some people had to go up to about a size 6 needle, but many were at size 4.
Is my knitting THAT tight? Has anyone ever had gauge that far off? I mean, I'm going to knit it with size 9, but it seems like there must be a problem if I'm SOOO far off from normal.

[KnittingNat]

Could it be that your yarn is the wrong weight, not worsted?

[Jennmarie68]

I know i've had an issue with gauge using the same weight yarn as used in the pattern. I don't know if that's the issue or not, but it might be. That's one of the reasons I try not to substitute yarn anymore.

[iwouldratherbeknitting]

Maybe the person who wrote the pattern.. knits loose?

HUMM??

[redheadrachel]

Yeah, I was wondering about the pattern writer knitting loose, also.
I'm using the exact yarn as in the pattern, Paton's Canadiana...
*shrug*

[Silver]

I think 16sts per 4 inches on size 4 needles IS a little off. Normally you'd get that gauge on size 8s or 9s.

But this is precisely why gauge is listed. Gauge can be really weird sometimes. Dakatzmeow had a gauge issue with my palindrome hat where she had to go way down in needle size to get gauge even though neither one of us have gauge issues very often.

[Ingrid]

I agree. I can't see how you'd get that gauge with size 4 needles and worsted. No way.

[KnittingNat]

You know that the pattern writer is Canadian? And Canadian/UK #4 is US #10. Maybe she got confused? 3.5mm for worsted weight does sound strange...

[suzeeq]

Nope, the pattern does say size 4/3.5mm needles... That's the usual gauge for size 7-9 needles - for most people.