A fellow knitter recently asked about our pet vest pattern. As a new knitter, she was surprised that her pattern instructed her to cast on 180 stitches. “That sounds like a lot of stitches for my little dog”.

Her gauge is 9 stitches to the inch. (Yes she is knitting it VERY tightly for warmth) Her dog measures 20″ at the chest.

We’ve heard this question quite a few times when new knitters are planning a hat. (When I started hand knitting I thought 80 stitches was too many) An average adult head is about 20″

Below are some examples at common gauges.

Are you surprised at the number of needles needed?

[wp-svg-icons icon=”pushpin” wrap=”h2″] If you don’t have enough needles, check out the Knit it Now Subscriber Series “Not Enough Needles” for a collection of  tips and ideas for knitting wider fabrics.