Can you ever substitute different weights of yarn in a knitting pattern?

[Niecie]

I bought this gorgeous yarn at a knitting show earlier in the year.

Problem is that £12 a skein I couldn't afford very much. I toyed with the idea of making shawl but in reality I probably wouldn't use it, not outside the house anyway and what is the point of the lovely yarn if you can't show it off?!

Anyway, to get to the point, I have been looking for a tank top pattern to use it up. I thought I had found one but having finally got my hands on it it uses a chunky yarn and mine is a DK.

I had thought of knitting the largest size of the pattern (51") in the hope that it would come out about my size (38ish).

But would that work? Would the shapings be all wrong? It really is a very simple pattern so maybe I could work round it. I don't now trust my calculations and don't want to start until I know I am going to be OK.

Or am I better off using my super lovely yarn for something else?

There's nothing for it:- you need to do a tension square.
Once you know how many stitches per centimeter you use you can compare it to the gauge on your pattern and see if it would work.
You can also measure yourself and make up your own pattern.
Also once you have done your tension square, see how much you have used.
If you think you would not have enough yarn, see if you can do the ribbing with something else.
You could also try, but again you need a tension square first to use the needles that are used for your pattern, but the DK yarn that you have got.
But doing a tension square is essential in such cases, much as it irks me to do them.

DK is a finer yarn than chunky so you are really not comparing like with like.

However all is not lost, as DK is a popular weight for knitting, have you tried googling tank top pattern DK and for the US Sport knit or Worsted. You might then find something to better fit the wool that you have.

PS I often buy wool because it is lovely but have no idea what I will do with it!

Thank you for your reply.

Irks me to do them too - I don't usually and everything seems to come out as it should.

Looks like this time I will have to give in and do one. I was hoping somebody would say, just do the larger size and all will be fine! I'm not too worried about the amount of yarn I have - I have 3 magenta skeins but also a green one which I was going to use for something else but I could use it for a few stripes.

It's this one by the way Not exactly complicated is it?! I was hoping the yarn would make it special as it has a lovely sheen to it.

I could put together a pattern myself based on this one but I think I would need to do it on a cheaper yarn of the same gauge just in case I ruin it.

And thank you for mentioning needles - for course they would make a difference. I hadn't thought of them!

Thank lattelady - problem was I saw a design on Ravelry, thought that I might just have enough yarn and then got the magazine off ebay so didn't realise it was for a chunky - it doesn't say on Ravelry. Shame I didn't notice the needle size - that should have given a clue!