baby sweater need help with gauge

[gayatrij]

I am working on a baby sweater that has instructions for size 0-3 months only. On a size 3 needle the gauge is 28 sts = 4". The yarn used in the pattern is a fine yarn (Bernat baby).

I want to make a bigger size so I thought using bigger needles will help me do that.
Im using a DK, Light Worsted Yarn(Lion brand baby soft). I made a swatch with this yarn and my gauge with a size 5 needle is 21 sts = 4".

Will this help me make a slightly larger sweater... for a 3-6 month old?

Thanks for the help !!!

[MerigoldinWA]

When trying to figure this sort of thing out, here is what I do. Look at the pattern carefully and ascertain how many stitches they are ending up with around the chest. If it has 2 front pieces be sure to use the stitch number for each of them. If this is cuff up you will find the number they have just before they begin the armhole shaping. If it is top down it will be right after they have done all the increases and are making it even. Add the numbers together.

If you get say 118 and their gauge is 28sts=4 inches you need to divide 28 into 118 to see how many groups of 28 they have. 28 goes into 118, 4 times with 6 left over. Every group of 28 is 4" so you have 4X4= 16" plus 6 more sts. 28 sts=4inches means each inch has 7 stitches in it so you have almost another inch. Let's call it that. So 16+1 gives us 17 around the chest. There may be a little more added with the buttonbands, not more than an 1 so say 18" around altogether.

Now if you change that to a gauge of 21sts=4 inches you need to divide the 118 by 21. That goes 5 times with 13 left over so you have 5 groups of 4= 20". And every 5 1/4 more stitches gives you another inch. You have 13 extra stitches that gives you more than 2 more inches + 1 1/2 sts more. So lets just call it 2", then 1" for the bands. So 20+2+1=23 inches.

So that is 5 inches bigger than the original with those numbers (just an example). If you have an actual child you can measure that is good, if not find a chart on-line for baby sizing and see what you are going to come up with. You will also need to change the lengths of things a bit to accommodate the bigger size you are going to get. Doing this will help you see if the size you will get is the size you want or a size you can live with if it is not what you expected.

[suzeeq]

That will make it larger, but you need to know how much. you would take your gauge and divide it into the number of sts at the chest and see how many inches that comes out to and whether it would fit. If what Merigold wrote works out for your pattern, it may be 5" larger, which is a bit bigger, about a 12 mo size.

[gayatrij]

When trying to figure this sort of thing out, here is what I do. Look at the pattern carefully and ascertain how many stitches they are ending up with around the chest. If it has 2 front pieces be sure to use the stitch number for each of them. If this is cuff up you will find the number they have just before they begin the armhole shaping. If it is top down it will be right after they have done all the increases and are making it even. Add the numbers together.

If you get say 118 and their gauge is 28sts=4 inches you need to divide 28 into 118 to see how many groups of 28 they have. 28 goes into 118, 4 times with 6 left over. Every group of 28 is 4" so you have 4X4= 16" plus 6 more sts. 28 sts=4inches means each inch has 7 stitches in it so you have almost another inch. Let's call it that. So 16+1 gives us 17 around the chest. There may be a little more added with the buttonbands, not more than an 1 so say 18" around altogether.

Now if you change that to a gauge of 21sts=4 inches you need to divide the 118 by 21. That goes 5 times with 13 left over so you have 5 groups of 4= 20". And every 5 1/4 more stitches gives you another inch. You have 13 extra stitches that gives you more than 2 more inches + 1 1/2 sts more. So lets just call it 2", then 1" for the bands. So 20+2+1=23 inches.

So that is 5 inches bigger than the original with those numbers (just an example). If you have an actual child you can measure that is good, if not find a chart on-line for baby sizing and see what you are going to come up with. You will also need to change the lengths of things a bit to accommodate the bigger size you are going to get. Doing this will help you see if the size you will get is the size you want or a size you can live with if it is not what you expected.

Thx for the info.... I get what you are saying
This is the link to the pattern:
http://www.favecrafts.com/Knitting-f...itting-Pattern

Im guessing from the instructions that it starts from the bottom and goes up to the sleeves..
I think at the sleeves I am supposed to have 133 stitches(correct me if Im wrong...Im a beginner in knitting)

Can u also explain to me the raglan shaping part. Do I do that with the 34 stitches(left front)?

Thx

[MerigoldinWA]

You are right this starts at the bottom and works it to the armholes in one piece.

I'm having my doubts about whether this will be an easy pattern to change in the way you want. Yes, you have 133 stitches right at the armhole shaping but until then you have been working with 204. The pattern stitch I believe is making it somewhat smaller than that would seem to indicate. But another thing that gives me pause is the raglan shaping that is row dependent. By that I mean you need to work a certain number of rows to get it to work as written and with a gauge change your row gauge will be longer and I don't know how that will affect the length of the armhole. It might all work out fine, but who knows and and that is a lot of stitches to have to rip out when things go awry.

The raglan shaping is the slanted way the sleeve holes work. After you get to the armholes they have you put all but the stitches of one front on a holder and you just work the front shaping of that armhole and when you get to it the neck you shape it and keep the raglan sleeve shaping going as well. Then you work on the back and shape the slanted armhole on both sides of it. Then you do the other front. When you have all the parts done you then sew the sleeves together in four places.

This is a beautiful little set. Are you wanting to make other parts besides the sweater, or just that? I have a sweater pattern like it that is a favorite of mine that starts at the top so it has no seaming (maybe the sleeves in one place). It is made with fine yarn too and written in only one size a one year.

Here is a link to a free pattern online that you may be able to use as is (I think you could make your 21st=4 gauge do 23st=4, but you'll have to go down a needle size or two). It doesn't have the eyelet at the neck for ribbon, but maybe you could put one. You could make the sleeves plain and make them longer with a cuff. Yours had a self band and you could actually add one to this by adding 4 or 5 sts to each front and keeping them in garter throughout. Just some thoughts.

LINK

[gayatrij]

You are right this starts at the bottom and works it to the armholes in one piece.

I'm having my doubts about whether this will be an easy pattern to change in the way you want. Yes, you have 133 stitches right at the armhole shaping but until then you have been working with 204. The pattern stitch I believe is making it somewhat smaller than that would seem to indicate. But another thing that gives me pause is the raglan shaping that is row dependent. By that I mean you need to work a certain number of rows to get it to work as written and with a gauge change your row gauge will be longer and I don't know how that will affect the length of the armhole. It might all work out fine, but who knows and and that is a lot of stitches to have to rip out when things go awry.

The raglan shaping is the slanted way the sleeve holes work. After you get to the armholes they have you put all but the stitches of one front on a holder and you just work the front shaping of that armhole and when you get to it the neck you shape it and keep the raglan sleeve shaping going as well. Then you work on the back and shape the slanted armhole on both sides of it. Then you do the other front. When you have all the parts done you then sew the sleeves together in four places.

This is a beautiful little set. Are you wanting to make other parts besides the sweater, or just that? I have a sweater pattern like it that is a favorite of mine that starts at the top so it has no seaming (maybe the sleeves in one place). It is made with fine yarn too and written in only one size a one year.

Here is a link to a free pattern online that you may be able to use as is (I think you could make your 21st=4 gauge do 23st=4, but you'll have to go down a needle size or two). It doesn't have the eyelet at the neck for ribbon, but maybe you could put one. You could make the sleeves plain and make them longer with a cuff. Yours had a self band and you could actually add one to this by adding 4 or 5 sts to each front and keeping them in garter throughout. Just some thoughts.

LINK

Thats a great pattern ... will try that out as well...
I think with this one i will go down a needle size or two..