substituting yarn weights

[AngieLanigan]

first off, please excuse the lack of capitals, apostrophes and question marks... the baby did something to make my keyboard go all wonky on me.

my husband has requested a pair of slipper socks. i had him pick out yarn and a pattern from ravelry. the pattern calls for worsted weight yarn held doubled, and he picked out a chunky weight (5) yarn. the pattern is for a mens medium size, which i figured would be about perfect as he has smallish feet (just a size 8). should i make any adjustments to my needle size do you think, the pattern calls for size 9s. would double worsted = chunky, more or less. thanks!

[cacunn]

Angie I'm fairly new so take this with a grain of salt. What is the gauge in the pattern and what is the gauge that you get with your yarn and needles? If the two are equal then it should work. If the gauges are different then change needles until you get approximately the same gague.

[Marria]

Angie I'm fairly new so take this with a grain of salt. What is the gauge in the pattern and what is the gauge that you get with your yarn and needles? If the two are equal then it should work. If the gauges are different then change needles until you get approximately the same gague.

I think that would be the easiest approach.

I have a couple of other suggestions if you can't get fabric you like using the above method.

Second easiest thing would be to measure your gauge and then see if going up a pattern size would work (this is assuming there are more sizes).

The hardest thing (and how hard it is depends on how complex the pattern is) would be to figure out your gauge and then adjust the number of stitches in the pattern itself.

I don't know if double worsted (by that I assume you mean holding two strands together) would give you a chunky weight. I'm inclined to think it would be thicker. If the yarn were DK weight, then it would probably be about right.

[AngieLanigan]

ok, lemme see. Im not too great at this gauge math, Ive never substituted yarns before, and my gauge has always been spot on in previous projects.

these slipper socks only come in one size. the gauge on the pattern is 3 sts per inch in garter st with the yarn held doubled, and calls for size 9 needles. The gauge on the yarn label is 9sts per 4 inches on size 13s. That works out to about 2.25 sts per inch.

So would it make sense to try going down a needle size from the yarn recommendation to try and get the 3 sts per inch. Am I thinking that correctly. this gauge math business makes me dizzy LOL

[cacunn]

So would it make sense to try going down a needle size from the yarn recommendation to try and get the 3 sts per inch. Am I thinking that correctly. this gauge math business makes me dizzy LOL

The gauge on the yarn is only a guide. give 5 knitters the same yarn and needles and you will have at least 3 different if not 5 different gauges. The only true way to get the an accurate gauge is to knit a swatch. Knit 4 x4 with one needle down and see the number of stitches and rows per inch you get. If this doesn't meet the needs of the pattern go up or down a needle size and continue knitting.

[Anarfea]

A note on doing the hardest thing, if you knit your swatch and figure that you can't get the gague you want to get, is to divide the gague you're getting with your chunky weight by the designer's reccomended gague with the doubled worsted. So, if she says you should get 5 stitches to the inch and you get 4, then the ratio is .8 Which means that everywhere the designer says to knit 10 stiches, you knit 8.

Not particuarly fun, so hopefully you can get a decent fabric in the gague you need by changing needle sizes.

A tiny note on swatching, if you purl looser than you knit your gague may be different knitting flat than in the round. When I swatch for items knit in the round I try to always knit my swatch in the round for accuracy. If you don't want to knit a very big swatch you can knit a 4 inch row, carry the working yarn loosely all the way across the back and knit the next row right to left like a big, loose I cord. This give you a flat little swatch with only knit stitches without having to break out the circular needles.

[suzeeq]

To add to your note... it's a good idea to knit 5 or 6 inches worth of sts for a swatch. The edge sts can curl under in a flat one or be really wonky in a faux in the round one as you describe. So it's better to make a really big one and measure 4" in the middle of it.

[cacunn]

This give you a flat little swatch with only knit stitches without having to break out the circular needles.

I'm confused do you means people have needles other than circular needles - this is amazing