Substitute Size US #10 Needle For Size #11 US

by Dustin
(Jonesboro, AR USA)

measuring yarn gauge

Question

I am working on a pattern that calls for 44 stitches on a size 11 US needles. I am using a size US 10 for the pattern. How many stitches should I cast on for the pattern to work using a #4 medium worsted weight yarn? The finished piece should be 13" wide and 5 1/2 inches in height. Please help.

Answer

The best way to know for sure how many stitches you need is to make a small swatch (sample piece). Cast on 10 sts using size 10 US needle and knit in stockinette st. for 4-5 rows. Measure the swatch and see how many stitches you get in one inch. Then you can multiply that number by number of inches need to cast on. I don't think it will make much different here since the yarn is pretty small for either size 10 and size 11.

In your case, you need 13 inches X (number of sts per inch) = number of cast on sts.

For the height you can just keep knitting until you get to 5 1/2 inches.

This way you will get a much more accurate measurement than I telling you what the number is.

I did a little sample with size 10 and #4 yarn. My gauge is 3.5 sts/inch. I would have to cast on 3.5 x13 = 45.5 sts which will round up to 46 sts. to get 13 inches wide.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for the question,

Ratcha