[ReptilianFeline]

Is there a way to figure out the needle size based on swatch directions?

The pattern is old and asks for yarn that is no longer available. I have no idea if the yarn is thick or thin. I have the instructions on what the swatch should be, but no needle size. It's not surprising, since this is a pattern for machine knitting, so there is a setting for tension. I usually look at the recommended needle size for a yarn to know how well it will work with my machine, and also how thin the yarn is. Needle size is one of those things that is usually listed for yarn, so I find that very helpful.

Anyway, I'm hoping one of you experienced knitters can at least point me in the general direction when it comes to the yarn weight.

The swatch should be 10x10 cm with 24 stitches and 34 rows.

 

[Nanxy]

Check https://www.purplekittyyarns.com/discontinued-yarn. They may have the yarn listed in the pattern and would have information. Mind you, they don't have all the yarns.

 

[rainie]

#2 sport, baby, 3.25-3.75 mm, US3-5 https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/yarn-weight-system
This is a guesstimate. Better to run the name thru Ravelry or PurpleKitty.

 

[ReptilianFeline]

Check https://www.purplekittyyarns.com/discontinued-yarn. They may have the yarn listed in the pattern and would have information. Mind you, they don't have all the yarns.

Thanks for the link, but it turns out the yarn isn't there. The yarn might have been exclusively Swedish or north European.

 

[targa416]

That gauge seems to indicate the yarn is between DK weight and sport.

 

[Celt Knitter]

This is my go to for yarn guides for machine. She also has other resources too. https://yarn-store.com/machine-knitting/about-knitting-machines/different-yarns-for-different-knitting-machines/

Someone may recognise the yarn if you give us the name or the pattern notions page. It sounds something like the UK 4 ply.....sport, sock, etc.

Is there a way to figure out the needle size based on swatch directions?

The pattern is old and asks for yarn that is no longer available. I have no idea if the yarn is thick or thin. I have the instructions on what the swatch should be, but no needle size. It's not surprising, since this is a pattern for machine knitting, so there is a setting for tension. I usually look at the recommended needle size for a yarn to know how well it will work with my machine, and also how thin the yarn is. Needle size is one of those things that is usually listed for yarn, so I find that very helpful.

Anyway, I'm hoping one of you experienced knitters can at least point me in the general direction when it comes to the yarn weight.

The swatch should be 10x10 cm with 24 stitches and 34 rows.

 

[ReptilianFeline]

Looks like it could be sports weight based on the tension setting, but I'm not that familiar with inches and fractions of inches, so I'm not sure.

The yarn used is called Kaskad, and alternatives are Angorina Lyx, Atena, Superwash Safir and Safari.

Tension is set to 10 for plain knitting and 8 for rib.

The pattern is in Swedish and so are the yarns. The instructions are pretty straight forward, but I hate to waste yarn by trying out those that are way off, just to find out it doesn't fit.

 

[rainie]

https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/jakobsdals-angorina-lyx worsted, https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/jakobsdals-atena sport,
https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/marks--kattens-superwash-safir sport .
Do you need 2 strands of some yarns and only one of others?

 

[ReptilianFeline]

https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/jakobsdals-angorina-lyx worsted, https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/jakobsdals-atena sport,
https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/marks--kattens-superwash-safir sport .
Do you need 2 strands of some yarns and only one of others?

I should smack myself! I never realised that Ravelry might have the yarn listed. Then I realised that I have some Angorina Lyx in my stash (most yarn I have lacks labels, bought in thrift stores). It's one of those yarns that are so hard to work with. Thin yarn, plenty of fluff, but I have used some on my machine. I try to avoid it because of the fluff.

So, needle size at the edge of what my machine can do, but not impossible. The yarn I'm thinking of using is too thin, but if I double up, it should work, and give a nice effect as well.

Thanks! I'm off to making some swatches.

 

[EstherOne]

Is there a way to figure out the needle size based on swatch directions?

...snip...

Anyway, I'm hoping one of you experienced knitters can at least point me in the general direction when it comes to the yarn weight.

The swatch should be 10x10 cm with 24 stitches and 34 rows.

I had a similar dilemma a long time ago. Went on-line to some of the yarn shops, and checked their yarns.
Many (if not all) have the swatch sizes printed on the website with the yarn.

 

[ReptilianFeline]

I had a similar dilemma a long time ago. Went on-line to some of the yarn shops, and checked their yarns.
Many (if not all) have the swatch sizes printed on the website with the yarn.

Thank you for the tip!

 

[IndigoSpinner]

Or you could use the Wraps Per Inch (WPI) method to determine the weight of your yarn, which would give you an idea of what sized needle you might want to try with it.

You take something to wrap the yarn around, such as a ruler, and wrap the yarn around it without stretching it and keeping the wraps up against each other without packing it in hard, and the number of wraps in an inch gives you a number to use to determine (with a table of different numbers of wraps per yarn size) what weight it is.

You can buy Wraps Per Inch gauges, and some of them have grooves cut out to give a quick and dirty estimate of a yarn's WPI.

https://burningimpressions.shop/collections/tools-gadgets/products/spinnerzz-stix-gauge-%C2%A9

But look around. There are a lot of places that make these, in different designs and prices.

http://karensknittingtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/substitute-yarn-wraps-per-inch.html

 

[ReptilianFeline]

Or you could use the Wraps Per Inch (WPI) method to determine the weight of your yarn, which would give you an idea of what sized needle you might want to try with it.

You take something to wrap the yarn around, such as a ruler, and wrap the yarn around it without stretching it and keeping the wraps up against each other without packing it in hard, and the number of wraps in an inch gives you a number to use to determine (with a table of different numbers of wraps per yarn size) what weight it is.

You can buy Wraps Per Inch gauges, and some of them have grooves cut out to give a quick and dirty estimate of a yarn's WPI.

https://burningimpressions.shop/collections/tools-gadgets/products/spinnerzz-stix-gauge-%C2%A9

But look around. There are a lot of places that make these, in different designs and prices.

http://karensknittingtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/substitute-yarn-wraps-per-inch.html

Interesting suggestion! That should work fine for the metric system as well. Thanks!