Yarn Subsitution

[tuppenny]

Hi--I am looking for a yarn to replace Sirdar Country Style DK.Tension 22sts and

28rows to 10by10cms using 4mm needles.

I hope someone can help, as I have a pattern I'd like to knit for an expected UK

greatgrandchild.

Heres hoping and fingers crossed.

Tuppenny

[missyknits]

hi ther .
Yarn subsition can be a tricky thing .

By the sounds of it yours is a straight dk weight ..which in aussie speak is a 8ply .

What i normally do is a complicated routine of look at the wool- check they are basically made of the same thing .. check the gauge is the same OR close ..then knit a swatch ..you will soon see if your choosen yarn will subsitute for the one not findable /affordable /never heard of !!
 a general guide is ...

4ply /baby /sock yarn =fingering

our 8 ply = dk /double knitting /occacionally lightly worsted

10 ply is aran weight

12ply is bulky or sometimes a thin 12 will do for a aran weight .

please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong ..A good converter appears in the vogue knits mag and our Yarn mag has a good one this issue .
Basicaly check the gauge . knit a swatch ..as boring as that its !!!

[ann]

I agree, But most of the good DK brands have a 22 st per 10 cm tension on 4mm needles.  If you just use any of the other brands like Patons, Cleckheaton, Wendy etc, and check the band when you buy, they should be OK.  But I'd substitute wool and not acrylic. I've done teast swatches on several brands and they came out almost identical.  You may even be able to get Sirdar wools still.

[tuppenny]

 :-)Thank you for the replies.

I found good wools with tensions of 22sts but it was the number of rows that

stymied me.Sirdar had 28 rows ,whereby all others have 30 and that would make

quite a difference to the shape etc.I just do not know how to solve that problem.

The cost of the wool is not a problem it's just that I want to get it right.So often I

 have had garments not come up exactly as should due to using differant yarns to

that of the pattern.

[missyknits]

tupenny ..very frustrating when that happens .

I've leant the hard way to check and double check .
 I'd do a swatch and see what the difference will be in length /width .
good luck and let us know how you went