Knitting Pattern Size Advice Please

JustKeepSwimming_2

I've decided to try & knit a simple cardigan but I'm a bit baffled by the size. I usually buy UK 14-16 for tops so I asked the knitting lady whom I bought the pattern & wool from how much I would need. As this is a trial I went for the cheapest DK rather than the very expensive Sirdar woll - she said that 6x100g balls would be plenty for me.

Now I've read the pattern I'm not clear what size I want to knit :rotfl:. It quotes a chest size of 40/42 inches giving an actual cardigan size of 43.75 inches - do I go for this size as my bust measurement is 41?

What has confused me is that the pattern says I'd need 15 x 50g balls of Sirdar wool & I can't see how this equates to 6 x 100g. Both are DK wool.

Has the knitter made a mistake & I need more 100g balls, or (more likely) am I just being a bit slow....

Thanks

Penelope_Penguin

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

Now I've read the pattern I'm not clear what size I want to knit :rotfl:. It quotes a chest size of 40/42 inches giving an actual cardigan size of 43.75 inches - do I go for this size as my bust measurement is 41?

What has confused me is that the pattern says I'd need 15 x 50g balls of Sirdar wool & I can't see how this equates to 6 x 100g. Both are DK wool.

For a chest of 41, I'd go with the 40-42 size

Woolen yarn doesn;t go as far as man-made fibres, so if the Sirdar was wool, then you may not need as much if you're using acrylic.

I'd go and check with the person who sold me the wool while you may still be able to get more from the same batch.

I'll add this to the Knitters Thread later.

laloopi

I'd go and buy another couple of 100g balls of the same yarn if I were you. Make sure they are from the same dye lot. If you have any over most small yarn shops are willing to take them back.

I agree to go for the size 40-42 chest.

Chloris

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

For a chest of 41, I'd go with the 40-42 size

Woolen yarn doesn;t go as far as man-made fibres, so if the Sirdar was wool, then you may not need as much if you're using acrylic.

I'd go and check with the person who sold me the wool while you may still be able to get more from the same batch.

I'll add this to the Knitters Thread later.

The fantastic lady who runs my local wool shop is quick to adjust the number of balls for me when I am changing brands, the yards in a ball can be different for the same weight. They will also hold a number of balls from the same dye lot just in case you need an extra couple. Or even to spread the cost of the wool. I am visiting them on Friday!

valk_scot

If you measure say a blouse that says 36"-38" bust, you'll find it actually measures a bit more than that. Most garments aren't skin tight, unless they're made of a stretchy fabric. Otherwise you need what is called "ease"...there's wearing ease, which basically means room to breathe, and there's design ease, which is how loose a garment is meant to be. A swingy cardigan like that will need a bit of ease to fit properly.

As to the difference in ball number, it entirely depends on the yardage per ball. A pure wool DK would typically have 90-100 metres of yarn in a 50g ball, an acrylic yarn would typically have 130-140 metres or so in the same weight of ball. I went and looked up Sirdar Escape DK in the Ravelry yarn database and it's 51% wiil, 49% acrylic and has 110 yards/120 metres per 50g ball. Your yarn will probably have the ball yardage marked on the side of the ball band, so you can see if you have enough yardage in your chosen yarn.

One thing to remember when substituting yarn in a pattern...it's vital that you knit a tension square as instructed at the start of the pattern, and change needle size if necessary to get the same number of stitches and rows over a square (usually a 4" square) as the pattern requires. Otherwise your cardigan will come out the wrong size. Sorry if I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here! But if you're a newbie knitter then you may not realise how important it is to check your tension before you start knitting the garment.

ChocClare

If you look at the tension quoted on the pattern, it will tell you x number of stitches = 10cm or 4 inches, eg 20 stitches = 10cm.

So if you look at how many stitches you have to cast on for the back and the two front pieces, then all you need to do is divide the total number of stitches by the tension sample quoted and you will see what size it will finish up being. Eg cast on 96 for the back and 72 each for the two fronts = 240 stitches in total. Divide by 20 and you get 12 = 12 x 10cm =120cm or 12 x 4 inches = 48inches all round. Hold a tape measure to that measurement round your bust, remembering to fold over in front to allow for the button band on your cardigan, and you'll be able to see whether it will be a good fit or will be huge on you.

As others have said, acrylic is much lighter than wool, so you get more acrylic per 100g than you do pure wool - so you need fewer balls. However, this may well affect your tension, so it really is worth doing a tension square - or, if you REALLY can't be bothered, do measure your knitting after a few rows so you can make sure you're on the right track.

JustKeepSwimming_2

Thanks so much for the replies - really appreciated :beer:

valk_scot wrote: »

As to the difference in ball number, it entirely depends on the yardage per ball. A pure wool DK would typically have 90-100 metres of yarn in a 50g ball, an acrylic yarn would typically have 130-140 metres or so in the same weight of ball. I went and looked up Sirdar Escape DK in the Ravelry yarn database and it's 51% wiil, 49% acrylic and has 110 yards/120 metres per 50g ball. Your yarn will probably have the ball yardage marked on the side of the ball band, so you can see if you have enough yardage in your chosen yarn.

One thing to remember when substituting yarn in a pattern...it's vital that you knit a tension square as instructed at the start of the pattern, and change needle size if necessary to get the same number of stitches and rows over a square (usually a 4" square) as the pattern requires. Otherwise your cardigan will come out the wrong size. Sorry if I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here! But if you're a newbie knitter then you may not realise how important it is to check your tension before you start knitting the garment.

You are not teaching me to suck eggs - far from it. I have a lot to learn about knitting :rotfl:.

I now understand how she came to say 6 balls would be enough. In my innocence I assumed that 100g of DK = 100g of DK, with no thought that different mixes of yarn would effect how much knitting you would get! Told you I have a lot to learn. My yarn is 100% acrylic, but the yardage does work out so I am happy to start.

I was going to do a tension square (when I can find my 4mm needles ) as all the knitting I have done recently has been on 9mm. This is going to be my first "proper" knitting that isn't a scarf, so I want to try & get it right....