What happens when you find a pattern you love but it's in a yarn that's difficult to obtain, or it's too expensive, or you just want to use up something in your stash?
You may be able to convert the pattern using the yarn you want to use.
It will take a little calculation, but it is possible.
There are a couple of formulas you'll need that will help you determine the finished size for a given gauge or alternatively, the number of stitches you need to work on to achieve the size you want using a different gauge.
If you're using a thinner yarn than specified you'll need to go up one or more sizes (because you'll need more stitches on your needles to achieve the same size). The greater the difference in the yarn thickness, the more sizes you'll need to go up in the pattern.
Conversely, if you're using a thicker yarn that specified, you'll need to go down one size or more (because you won't need as many stitches on your needles to achieve the same size).
Conversions work best when: - there is less difference between the gauge for the yarn specified and the yarn you want to use
- there is a wide range of sizes provided in the pattern
- you want to convert a pattern using a thinner yarn and you are a small size
- you want to convert a pattern using a thicker yarn and you are a larger size
- the pattern is for a plain stocking stitch garment or where the pattern specifies the gauge for the same stitch that you'll be using in the finished garment
You will be less successful converting your pattern if: - there is a great deal of difference between the gauge specified and the gauge you want to use
- there are only a limited number of sizes provided in your pattern
- you want to convert a pattern using a thinner yarn and you are a larger size
- you want to convert a pattern using a thicker yarn and you are a smaller size
- the pattern is for a heavily textured stitch and the gauge is specified only for stocking stitch
The examples I've used below are for converting a pattern using a specified gauge of 18sts to 10cm, to a finer gauge yarn that knits at a gauge of 22sts to 10cm, but you can apply these formulas across the board.
Remember that you need to base your calculations on the widest part of the garment (or your body). For a sweater, that will usually be the bust size.
If you want to convert a sweater pattern that has a ribbed edging, be careful to note any increases in stitches in the last row of ribbing, and take note also of any shaped increases throughout the body.
These calculations don't take into account the changes in the number of rows, so if your pattern is based on a fixed number of rows, you'll need to measure rather than just follow instructions based on a row count.
This formula calculates the number of stitches you need, based on your finished measurement and the gauge used.
I've used a sweater pattern as an example since that's the most likely candidate for converting a pattern where size is important.
Measurement in cm × gauge per 10cm, ÷ 20 = the number of stitches you need to get the required finished measurement.
Note: If you are knitting in the round, ÷ by 10 instead of 20 (because you'll only be knitting one piece, not a separate front and back)
Therefore if you want to knit something which measures 90cm bust size using a specified gauge of 18sts per 10cm
90 × 18 ÷ 20 = 81 so you'd need around 81sts to get a finished measurement of 90cm.
If you wanted to knit the same thing in 8ply at say, 22sts per 10cm your calculation using the same formula would be
90 × 22 ÷ 20 = 99 so you'd need around 99sts to get the same finished size of 90cm.
It's also helpful to know the actual measurement any given number of stitches will give you.
Number of stitches for widest part, ÷ stitches per 10cm, × 20 = finished size in cm
Example: if your pattern specifies 82 stitches for the widest part of the garment, using a gauge of 18 stitches to 10cm
82 sts ÷ 18 × 20 = 91 (cm)
If you wanted to knit this pattern in 8ply using 22 stitches to 10cm as a gauge, apply the same formula to find out what size your gauge would give you.
82 sts ÷ 22 × 20 = 74cm, so it would be too small.
You'd need to go up the necessary number of sizes to give you the required finished measurement.
Now look at the sizes – if you're knitting with a thinner yarn you'll need to go up a few sizes. The bigger difference in the yarn thickness, the more sizes you'll need to go up, perhaps even to the largest size.
The easiest method is to look for the number of stitches that closest represents the size you want to make.
For this example we'll use the same figures as the formulas shown above.
You already know that if your pattern specifies a gauge of 18sts to 10cm, and you are using 8ply at a gauge of 22sts to 10cm, you'll need to work on around 99sts to get the same finished size of 90cm.
Look at the size that uses 99sts for the widest part of the garment, and that's the size you'll need to knit.
Patterns which involve heavily textured stitches and/or cables will require more stitches that would normally be used, to allow for the smaller overall size resulting from the stitch pattern.
This is a little more tricky but not impossible.
It involves just a little more calculation.
This is where Formula 2 comes in. You need to apply this formula to find out what factor to apply to the finished size, based on the number of stitches.
Look at the size on the pattern for the size you'd normally make, and take note of the number of stitches that are needed for the widest part of the garment.
You already know after using Formula 2 that a finished size of 90cm would require around 82sts if you are using a gauge of 18sts to 10cm, in stocking stitch.
But your pattern has allowed extra stitches in the instructions so you'll need to allow for these extra stitches in your calculation.
Let's say the widest part of your pattern is worked on 98 stitches.
Divide the 98 stitches (specified by your pattern) by 82 (the number of stitches you'd normally need for your size in that gauge).
98 ÷ 82 = 1.19
That means when choosing the size you need to knit from your pattern, you'll need to multiply the number of stitches you've previously calculated as needed for your size by the factor of 1.19
In this case you calculated that it would be 99 stitches if you were knitting at a gauge of 22sts to 10cm
So you'd need to work on around 118 stitches to get the size you want for the stitch pattern specified in your pattern.
Look for the size in your pattern that works on around 118 stitches for the widest part of your garment. That is the size you need to knit.
You can also double check your calculation by dividing 82 (stitches normally needed for that size at a gauge of 18sts to 10cm), by 98 (number of stitches specified by your pattern.
82 ÷ 98 = .83
This will give you a factor of .83
Check the number of stitches you calculated that you needed for a gauge of 22sts to 10cm ie 118sts and then apply that factor .83
118 × .83 = 97.94
Which is close enough to the 99 stitches you calculated you'd need for a finer gauge yarn
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