Login
Gauge and Size Question
January Kit Questions | January 31, 2008
This is my first year in the club and obviously my first pattern but I was wondering what shoe size does a Women’s Small, Medium and Large correspond to? How does this take into account foot width and circumference? I would greatly appreciate any input from the more experienced members (or those who have already started/finished their socks.) I have small ankles and thin, long feet (depending on the shoe 10.5 to 12). I am a bit torn as to which size to try.I know that gauge varies from knitter to knitter, but I am curious to know what size needles people are using to knit their socks to obtain this gauge? I apparently don’t own small enough needles to obtain the proper gauge. (I need 00 or 000 needles, my US 0 just isn’t small enough.)
Site design by
14 Responses to “Gauge and Size Question”
It’s easy to make the socks longer, so I would measure the circumference of your foot and go by that.
I have pretty small feet (size 6 or so), but I also have a high instep and normal-sized ankles so I’m making the medium.
I’m using a size 1 (2.25mm) needle and my gauge is right on.
What Stariel said. Pick your pattern based on the one closest to your circumference of your foot (if your feet are thin, that’s usually around the ball of your foot). That will give you your number of stitches to cast on. Then follow those directions for that size for increases/decreases, but insert your own lengths.
Stariel and Tara have it right: pick the size with the right circumference, and knit to whatever length is appropriate for you.
The labels “small,” “medium,” and “large,” are just that: labels. They’re a way to distinguish between the sizes when talking about the pattern. For example, Stariel says she’s making the medium. And the pattern itself could use one of the labels, if it needed to say something like “for size medium only.” That’s more concise and direct than having to say “the second size.”
More to the point, the labels “small,” “medium,” and “large” do NOT reflect any particular sizes in an absolute sense. They’re just the relative sizes within this particular pattern.
So, how do you choose which size to make? Measure around your foot, then consider ease. When we’re talking about sweaters, ease is the extra width of a garment, above and beyond your actual measurements, that’s added for comfort and to achieve a particular style. When we’re talking about socks, we’re using talking negative ease: because sock fabric stretches, and because most people like their socks to fig snug within shoes, you’ll want to knit socks that are smaller than your actual foot circumference. How much smaller? 10% is a good rule of thumb, but 5% works if you like looser socks, or 15% if you like snugger socks. So, if your feet measure 9″ around, you’ll probably want to knit socks that measure closer to 8″–in the case of this month’s sock, size medium.
One last thing: it doesn’t matter what size needle others are using. All that matters is that you’re using a size that lets you knit at the gauge required by the pattern. Use too large a needle, and the fabric of your socks will be loose and flimsy, and the socks will wear out quickly. Use too small a needle, and the knitting may be hard on your hands.
Laura- I also get freaked out by size and wanting to fit into the right category. This pattern tested my “think outside of the box” ability- the “listen to gauge/not size” rule. I wear a size 9. My size 1 needles are 2.5, not 2.25. Making the medium, the gauge was less than 8, and the weave was open and flimsy. So,I am making a small on 2.5s. My gauge is 8 st/in and the fabric is perfect. They look like all my other favorite (successful) socks. I have made this mistake on many garments…perhaps I am finally surrendering to gauge (Tina’s ultimate 2008 mission?). Ann
I found when I was doing the Inside Out socks last year that the only way I could get gauge was to wrap the yarn through all my fingers instead of just around my pinky for tensioning. I was getting the same gauge on 0s, 00s and 000s when I was using my normal tensioning of just around the pinky. I posted to my blog about the technique I ended up using if my explanation here is not enough and you want to try it. photos here
Apparently I am a *very* tight knitter. I knew that already, but I didn’t realize *just* how bad I was until now.
I’m doing the size large, on the recommended size 1 (2.25) needles, and I wound up with a circumference of only 8, not 9. Apparently I’m getting 38 stitches per four inches instead of 32 (or 9.5 stitches per inch instead of 8). Um. At least I was only two inches into the sock. Okay, consider that my swatch.
I may have to switch to 2.5, 2.75, or 3.0 needles at this rate…
Measure the circumference of your foot, and use that as your measure of how wide the sock should be. You can always add to the length, but it’s difficult to add to the width.
cyd- pattern gauge in stockinette is 8.5 sts/inch not 8 sts/inch.
nice swatch - how do you do smiley faces?!
Apparently this blog is smiley-sensitive.
If you do a colon : followed by a close-parenthesis ) , it’ll do a smiley.
I automatically put them into my writing a lot, so I got a graphical smiley without even trying!
At any rate, gauge in stockinette is 8.5/inch. Gauge in lace is 8/in. I’d already gotten an inch into the lace when I measured and realized how much smaller I was getting!
Be still my heart, look at all the gauge and size talk.
hey, tina, wasn’t that the lesson of the day?! :p (trying to see if i get a tongue-sticking-out smiley)
Maybe the smiley with the tongue will be with a capital P? (trying now)
And my gauge seems to be a bit closer with 2.5 needles… Although I’m only as far as the ribbing, I guess I’ll be able to tell once I get to the lace…
I just began the heel. I’ve never down a heel like this and it seems to be working out. We shall see. I’m a walking skeptic. Also, I switched to the size zero needles and went down to 55 stitches and now I’m afraid the socks won’t fit. Again, we shall see.
I got 8 sts on US size 0 (2.00mm) not the 8.5 required. I don’t own any smaller needles for sock knitting, I wonder if I can just go ahead and make the small…
what are your measurements? can’t advise to size without some info
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.