Knitting Advice Needed

[grandmoon]

I have been given a knitting pattern for America it is for baby wool and said to use size 8 needles.

It does seem right to me.

[horizon1907]

grandmoon I don't knit but could it have something to do with the USA not using metric ?

[grandmoon]

I tried googling the conversion re the needle size and the needles seem far to large for the thickness of the wool.

[aquamareen63]

US size 8 is 5mm according to a chart that I have - hope that helps

[grandmoon]

thanks that makes more sense

[jimmyjoejoe_jnr]

Baby wool usually uses size 10 and 12,in metric that is 3.25 and 2.75 if the wool is 4ply,if it is 8 ply it would use 8 and 10 which is 4mm and 3.25mm.Hope this helps.

[grandmoon]

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@jimmyjoejoe_jnr wrote:

Baby wool usually uses size 10 and 12,in metric that is 3.25 and 2.75 if the wool is 4ply,if it is 8 ply it would use 8 and 10 which is 4mm and 3.25mm.Hope this helps.

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I am now trying the pattern with 8 ply on 5mm needles and I will then try it with 4 ply on 3.25mm needles and see whic is best.

[getting_of_wisdom]

They do seem to use a lot of worsted (what we would call Aran or 10ply) thickness yarn over there, even for babies, though it is treated to be softer for baby yarn, and 5mm is around the right needle.

If your experiments don't work out, google the name of the yarn, the manufacturer will have listed its standard stocking stitch tension (usually 20st/10cm/4ins for worsted) or 22st/10cm/4ins for DK/8ply.