Confused on Gauge

[jpenguin]

I have only been knitting since last August & am really having trouble understanding the rules of gauge. :shrug:

The pattern I am attempting to do calls for 16 st in St st over 4". I am getting 16 stitiches to 3.5 inches. Do I go up a needle size or go down a needle size to obtain the correct number of stitches over 4 inches or do I ignore 4 inches & try to obtain the correct number of stitches per inche which in this case would be 4 stitches per inch. Then I am getting 4.5 stitches in some spots & 5 stitche per inch in some spots

Please help a very confused woman.

Thanks, Jody in Powder Springs, GA

[brokenblossoms]

Go up a size. If you get less stitches per inch, whatever you're knitting will shrink.

[jpenguin]

Thank you, still confused but maybe I can drive the 40 minutes to a new knitting store for me since my local one just closed & get some hands help to help me see it. I am just one of those who have to visualize it to see it & just not seeing it. Maybe I need to walk away from it for awhile & try again later.

Thank you.

[redwitch]

You need 16/4in, you are getting that many over 3.5 in, which is smaller, so your stitches are smaller. So you need to make them bigger. So you need to make them on a bigger needle. Go up a size or two. Make sure to wash and dry your swatch the same way your finished item will be dried. Pin it down, don't stretch at all, and measure with a ruler. Be exact, half stitches count. 16.8 st/4in is too many. 15/4in is too few.

Sarah

[suzeeq]

Another thing you could do is knit a different size with the needles you have. You'd go down a pattern size.

sue