How to Change Knitting Gauge in a Pattern
Have you ever found a pattern you just can’t wait to knit but you want to knit it with another yarn weight on different size needles? Or maybe you’ve made a chunky wool sweater for winter and you’d like to make a lighter weight version for summer? We’ve pretty much all been there…. Learning how to convert that original gauge to a new gauge can seem like a daunting task. It does take some math calculations, but I’ve made it easy for you to figure out how to start your project with my tool.
How to Change Knitting Gauge in a Pattern | Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter
How to Use the Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter
Here’s how the Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter works. Let’s say you originally knit a scarf on size 10mm needles using super bulky weight yarn and it tells you to cast on 24 stitches. If you wanted to knit that same scarf with worsted weight yarn on 5mm needles, you can easily figure how many stitches to cast on using the Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter below. Make sure you take the time to figure out your new gauge (in 4 in/10 cm) by knitting a sample with your desired yarn and needle size first.
Here’s the information you’ll need handy to plug into the converter:
The current gauge that the pattern calls for — the number of stitches per 4 in/10 cm
Your new gauge — the number of stitches you have per 4 in/10 cm using your desired yarn and needle size (make sure you take the time to get this right)
The number of cast on stitches the original pattern calls for.
Once you plug these numbers into the Knitting Gauge Stitch Converter, you’ll be given a new number of cast on stitches using your new gauge and you’re ready to get started with your knitting project!
Knitting Gauge Cast on Converter
** Please note the cast on converter is an online tool that only allows a certain amount of impressions each month. Once it’s disabled, please use the calculations below to determine your new cast on stitch amount
How to Calculate Your New Cast On Stitches
Step 1: Find the Cast On Length
The first step is to determine the length of your cast-on stitches by calculating a ratio to the number of stitches in the original pattern gauge divided by 4 inches to the number of cast-on stitches the pattern calls for divided by X or the length you’re trying to find. X = Cast on length the original pattern calls for.
Original Gauge STS / 4 in = CO STS / X in
X = CO STS (4)/Gauge STS
For example, if my original gauge was 10 STS per 4 inches and my cast on amount was 56 STS, I would determine the cast on length by completing the following equation:
X = 56(4)/10
X = 22.4 in
Step 2: Find New Cast On Stitches
Now that you know how long the cast-on stitches in the original pattern are, you can work backward and find how many stitches you’ll need to cast on in your new gauge to get that same cast on length.
New Gauge STS / 4 in = X STS / Cast On Length
X = New Gauge STS(Cast On Length)/4
For example, if my new gauge is 15 stitches per 4 inches and I wanted to determine how many stitches to cast on based on the length I just calculated of 22.4 in, I would complete the following equation:
X= 16(22.4)/4
X = 89.6 or I would round up to 90 stitches as my new cast on stitches
Watch my video on How to Change Gauge for a Knitting Pattern
How to Convert Gauge for a Top Down Raglan Sweater
How to Convert Gauge for a Top-Down Raglan Sweater
If you wanted to figure out how to change the gauge for a top down raglan sweater, you can use the Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter to first determine your cast on stitches for the sleeves and front and back. Then you’ll want to use the Converter to figure out how many number of raglan increases you’ll need to make before you divide for the body.
Here’s a specific example:
Let’s say you have a top down raglan sweater pattern knit in a super bulky weight yarn on10mm needles (pattern gauge is 9 stitches and 13 rows per 4 in/10 cm) that you want to convert to worsted weight yarn on 5mm needles (new gauge is 16 stitches and 24 rows per 4 in/10 cm)
Figure out the number of cast on stitches. If you originally cast on a total of 52 stitches with 6 stitches for each sleeve and 20 stitches for both the front and back, you’ll need to figure out the new number of cast on stitches by using the Knitting Gauge Cast on Converter to determine the cast on stitches for each sleeve and the front and back (don’t use total stitches because you need to know where to place your markers). The sleeve stitches should now be 11 (you might want to convert this to an even number) and the front and back stitches are now 36.
Determine how many stitches you’ll need at the divide. Use the Knitting Gauge Cast On Converter to convert the number of back stitches at the divide to your new gauge. So if the pattern tells you you’re supposed to have 42 stitches for the back when you divide for the body, you’ll run that through the converter and find out you’ll now need about 75 stitches for the back (you’ll want to round up or down to an even number—let’s use 76).
Determine how many raglan increases you need to make. You use the new number of back stitches (76) and subtract the number of back stitches you started with in our new gauge (36), which is 40 stitches. You now know that you’ve increased a total of 40 stitches from your cast on number. And because you make 2 increases per round or row you’ll want to divide 40 by 2, which is 20. You now know you need to make 20 raglan increase rows/rounds before you divide for the body.
# Back STS at the divide - # of Back STS at Cast on = Number of STS Increased
Number of STS Increased / 2 = # of raglan increases
Note that the calculations won’t be exact but they’ll be pretty darn close. This is meant to be a guide to help you determine how to change the gauge on a top down sweater at a high level. You’ll also want to make sure your armhole depth is similar so you may have to add some knit rows without raglan increases to increase armhole depth and meet the original gauge in length.
Check out all of my FREE PATTERNS and use the Knitting Gauge Converter to knit in whatever gauge you’d like!