Sometimes, you may have the perfect yarn for a sweater, and the perfect sweater pattern in mind, but the two don’t quite match up in terms of gauge. If you’re willing to venture a little ways outside the comforting zone of following a pattern exactly, many designs are flexible enough to allow adjustment for gauge.
I wouldn’t suggest, for example, trying to knit an aran-weight pattern in lace-weight, but going one step up or down a yarn weight is often possible, although of course it will result in a different sort of finished object than that shown in the pattern photos, and require a different amount of yardage than the pattern states (so be sure to have plenty of yarn on hand!).
how to knit a garment at a different gauge than the pattern specifies
Using the example of the Peanut Vest that I recently knit for Max, I’ll take you step-by-step through the process of determining how to knit a garment at a different gauge than the pattern calls for.
The Peanut Vest, from Max & Bodhi’s Wardrobe, is designed in DK weight yarn, at 22 sts & 28 rounds in 4″ (that’s 5.5 sts & 7 rounds per inch). My plan was to knit it in aran weight yarn at a gauge of 18 sts & 24 rounds / 4″ (that’s 4.5 sts & 6 rounds per inch).
first determine the finished size you’re aiming for
Max was 18 months at Christmas, and I planned for this cute little vest to fit for at least a year, so I decided I would aim to achieve the finished measurements of the 2-4 yr size: 24″ around at the chest, 10″ from hem to underarm, and 5″ armhole depth.
The first question was which instructions to follow in order to achieve the 24″ chest measurement. Gauge (review our tutorial here to learn more) is the key to determining the finished size of knits, and the formula is simple:
number of stitches per inch x number of inches desired = total number of stitches required
So since my chosen yarn knit to 4.5 stitches per inch, and I was aiming for a finished chest measurement of 24″, I multiplied the two numbers: 4.5 sts/inch x 24″ = 108 sts. 108 sts was the EXACT number needed to achieve 24″ (how convenient!). So the next step was to look at the pattern instructions.
As it happens, the second size of the Peanut vest (3-6mo) is exactly 108 sts around, so I knew that would be the one I would follow. I went through the pattern, and highlighted all the 2nd size stitch counts. At the design gauge (5.5 sts / inch), these instructions result in a 3-6 mo size, but with my larger gauge (4.5 sts / inch), the same stitch counts would result in the 2-4 yr size I was aiming for.
follow the stitch counts of your ‘adjusted size’, but follow length instructions of your ‘desired size’
While following the STITCH counts for the ‘adjusted (3-6 mo) size’, I would at the same time follow the LENGTH instructions for the ‘desired (2-4 yr) size’. This means the garment would come out the correct dimension around, and also the correct length.
If I were adjusting a very simple pattern, for example the Flax Pullover or Antler Cardigan, this would likely be all the calculation required, and it would be possible to simply knit the pattern following the ‘adjusted size’ instructions per the calculation above, while knitting to desired lengths at sleeves and body.
However, because the Peanut vest features a lovely panel of fair-isle pattern on the chest, I needed to determine how my different ROUND gauge would affect the placement of this fixed-length element, so that I didn’t end up knitting too short or too long in the body, or have an odd placement of the pattern section.
The fair-isle pattern in this design is 25 rounds tall. First, I calculated how tall the pattern would be at the design gauge (5.5 sts & 7 rounds per inch).
25 rounds / 7 rounds per inch = 3.57″ tall at design gauge
Then I calculated how tall the pattern would be at my new adjusted gauge (4.5 sts & 6 rounds per inch).
25 rounds / 6 rounds per inch = 4.16″ tall at adjusted gauge
So I knew that the pattern section, knit in my heavier yarn choice, would require at least an extra 0.6″ in height. So where the pattern called for knitting to 4.5″ before starting the pattern (this is the length instruction for the 2-4 yr size), I instead knit to 3.75″ and then started working the colourwork pattern at that point. Once the pattern section was complete, I simply followed the pattern as written, knitting to the specified length to underarm for the 2-4 yr size.
Throughout the rest of the pattern, I simply continued in the same vein, always using the ADJUSTED stitch count numbers (the second / 3-6 mo size), but where knit-to LENGTHS were mentioned, I used the instructions from the 2-4 yr size.
Pretty soon I had an adorable little vest for my darling! It made for a perfect Christmas day ‘dress up’ outfit, and is also ideal as formal wear, as I discovered last month when I polished him up for a family wedding. Of course I also had to make him a little kilt in a Fraser tartan to match his dad’s! And what will be next up? Wee kilt socks I imagine….
other excellent gauge hacks
Here are some other great projects that knitters have adapted for a different yarn weight than the pattern originally called for. My friend Rosie (she’s an epic sweater knitter… read more about that here) knit a beautiful North Shore pullover at 20 sts / 4″ rather than the 22 sts / 4″ called for in the pattern.
Nina (dyer at Rainbow Heirloom) knit an exquisite Brekon cardigan (by Amy Christoffers) in aran weight rather than the fingering weight (at 22 sts / 4″) called for in the pattern.
And I made a lovely Flax for Max in Rainbow Heirloom Sweater at 20 sts / 4″, rather than the 18 sts / 4″ called for in the pattern. Find all the details of that knit here.
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Simple Patterns just begging to be ‘hacked’
September 2, 2021 @ 8:37 pm
Very enlightening. Thank you
October 29, 2020 @ 6:35 am
I’d like to make the flax in a DK weight. Would you suggest I go up a clothing size to accomplish this?
November 4, 2020 @ 10:49 am
Hi Linda – Check out our post on knitting a garment at a different gauge here.
January 21, 2020 @ 2:04 pm
Ok I’m ready to kniy my first sweater for my husband and I’m petrified! I am going to do the Flax. My question is I have Yowza by Miss Babs and it is DK weight. It says 5.25-6 stitches per inch on 5-7 needles. I read every word of your article on knitting with a different gauge and yes your instructions are great. But I’m lost. My husband’s chest is 44 but want to have a bit of ease so I’m going with the large at 47″ is that the right thing to do?
Also I took the 5.25 x 47 and got 246.75. Is that how many stitches I cast on??? Im lost please help me. Oh of course I will do a swatch first but I really wanted to figure this all out first. Help!
January 23, 2020 @ 11:59 am
Hi Theresa – It might be too much pressure on your very first garment to also try to alter a pattern to be knit at a different gauge…But if you really want to do it you definitely can! You want to choose the pattern size that has approximately 246 sts at the body, so look under the ‘split for body and sleeves’ section and see which size has about that many sts at the body. You want to follow the instructions for that size, with lengths customized for the intended wearer.
November 11, 2019 @ 11:50 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You are a genius! :) I have been trying to convert a pattern with all of this complicated math and getting so frustrated! Your article is easy to understand and simple. I now know what size to knit in my sweater pattern!
October 12, 2019 @ 4:10 am
Thank you I read all your tutorials..they help alot.
April 25, 2019 @ 3:04 pm
thanks so much for sharing this information! I have a large ball of ??? worsted but going to do a swatch to see what look I want, note gauge and then use your math to go from a DK to a worsted yarn for shawl pattern. Really the perfect answer at the perfect time as I am in the pitching mood and only keeping what I love. I have a huge stash I will never get through while on this planet! so excited to be confident in using this beautiful yarn in a pattern I like…
thanks again!! cute little people too!
October 31, 2018 @ 8:02 pm
Hi! The math was super easy to figure out but now I’m stuck on this: What if the pattern does not have instructions with your calculated stitches needed? I want to use a chunky yarn on a sweater pattern.
November 1, 2018 @ 8:45 am
At this point, if you’re making that big an adjustment, you’re probably just going to have to figure things out from scratch, by determining the stitch counts you’ll need at each point in the garment, and how many increases / decreases between them. It might work well, or you might do better to choose a pattern closer to your yarn gauge.
February 1, 2018 @ 7:55 am
What is “fingering” and hat is “worsted”
November 10, 2017 @ 7:31 am
This is really a helpful tutorial! I love all your patterns, blogs, and instructional material. Your site has definitely helped me become a better knitter. My question is regarding needle size when you were doing the gauge swatch, which needle size did you use? Do you use what the pattern recommends or the size recommended for the yarn weight? I’m trying to make the Bumble Sweater in MadelineTosh DK. Do you have any advice on what needle size I should start with for the gauge swatch? Thank you!
November 14, 2017 @ 11:15 am
Hi Tatiana – I would usually start with the needles the pattern suggests and go from there. UNLESS you already know you are a bit on the tighter or looser side as a knitter. I’m a bit of a looser knitter so I would usually look at the suggested needle size and go down by 1 to do my swatch.
October 21, 2017 @ 9:12 am
I’ve come to this late following links from your week of colour (bliss.)
Does shaping for sleeve heads work the same way?
Thanks.
October 23, 2017 @ 7:42 am
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the Week of Colour! I’m not sure what you mean by ‘sleeve heads’ – can you explain?
May 7, 2016 @ 4:14 am
I learned a lot from your explanation on gauge and adjustments. Thank you.
April 28, 2016 @ 2:40 am
You are a life saver! I hadn’t been able to start my top for the #TTTKAL16 because no matter what yarn I chose it was just a bit off with the gauge and I was kind of scared since this is my first ever top. No more though! This post was the exact thing I needed! Thank you! :D
April 13, 2016 @ 5:37 am
oh, this is such a great post! I love the step by step process- I just pinned it. Will no doubt need to use this in the future! :D
April 11, 2016 @ 4:26 am
Hello there!
It’s a really comprehensive explanation, thank you so much. Now I’m intrigued to do a harvest cardigan in a fingering weight. Is it possible? I’m not really sure how to calculate the collar part though..
April 13, 2016 @ 10:19 am
For the harvest it is a bit of a jump from worsted to fingering, but it can certainly be done. Use the same formula for calculating the size you want (I would base it on the bust measurements), then I think you can just follow the directions exactly (remembering to knit to the length of your actual size, not the adjusted size)
April 8, 2016 @ 2:15 pm
I’m new to knitting but I was glad see I’m only one changes things
April 7, 2016 @ 8:39 am
This is perfectly timed as I am about to start a lovely litle baby dress where the pattern asks for fingering weight, but the wools I want to use are all DK.
I have done a test square and this gives me the confidence to get started and get it right! Thank you.