Can you change a pattern stitch?

[Buddhamom]

I am making my daughter a top using the feather and fan stitch and am finding it very frustrating when trying to keep track of what I already did and I was wondering if it is possible to switch it to a less frustrating stitch and have it still come out the same size? See only the bottom 10 inches is the feather and fan, the upper portion is just Garter stitch. I was thinking of doing the bottom in Sand stitch instead.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

you'd need to work a pattern stitch that has the same gauge as feahter and fan - and sand stitch definitely doesn't. F+F is very loose ans stretchy because of the yo's - you'd need to find a different lace pattern, probably.