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?
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Stitch Gauge (in inches) | Stitches needed |
---|---|
4 | 20″ x 4 = 80sts |
5 | 20″ x 5 = 100sts |
6 | 20″ x 6 = 120sts |
7 | 20″ x 7 = 140sts |
8 | 20″ x 8 = 160sts |
9 | 20″ x 9 = 180sts |