Gauge help please

[Marlet]

Humor me and pretend I'm not in the mood to do a swatch (T, if you're reading I'm sooo going to do one! ).

If I want to do a pattern that uses size 10 needles with a gauge of 13 st.= 4 inches but my yarn has a gauge (on the ballband) of 18 st.= 4 inches on size 8's could I just use my 8's?

I don't have any 10's, I don't want to buy any but I do have 8's! It's a tank top for my sister for her birthday and while she doesn't like form fitting, she doesn't want a bag either. Would I end up with a bag or something she needs poured into if I switched needles?

[Marlet]

No one?

[nausicaamom]

hbak

unless you are willing to knit very loosely for the entire project to get gauge, then no - 18 sts/4" and 13sts/4" is a HUGE difference

[lnupermom]

It's not going to work. Let's say the shirt is 100 stitches around. With the pattern gauge, that would be 30 3/4". With the gauge on your yarnband, that would be 22 1/4".

If she doesn't want something formfitting, I would select a different pattern anyway. That design will look like a sack IMO if it was made looser.

[Marlet]

Bah hum bug. She wants that pattern.....hmm.....

[Think of Winter]

Get yourself some 10s. You need em, and they're not that expensive.

[kezoo]

Hmmm, yeah, I say use this as an excuse to get yourself a set of KnitPicks Options!!!

[flapjack]

Gimme a few hours, I'll redo the maths for you (It's school run -59 here, so I shouldn't be on the puter)

[nausicaamom]

omm - even with the math, be careful of drape.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

4.5 stitches per inch on 8's with the inca seems a bit, uh, generous to me. Really, it's a nubby thick and thin, and more likely you'll get 3.75-4 stitches per inch on size 8's.

*I'd* suggest doing a darned gauge swatch (!) on the 8's. you might be surprised at how wildly different your gauge is from the ball band, and then you'd see what the hand of the fabric is on 8's and can just do the math to change to your gauge.

(Translation: DO THE DAMNED GAUGE SWATCH!!!!!! )

[Marlet]

But I'm bad with math...which is why I don't swatch.

Helen you are so sweet and I love you! No worries though. I told her what was up and she said to find a new pattern.

ETA: My no swatching is a lie. I currently have 7 swatches looking at me. They're for the masters handknitter course but they are swatches!!