Knitters - urgent gauge question - I need help!

[RubberDuck]

Okay, I've been good and knitted up a gauge square. The gauge instructions for the pattern is 30 sts and 20 rows = 4" in k1, p1 rib.

My problem is that my gauge square comes out at 27 sts = 4" - okay, so I should use smaller needles, right? But for rows I get 23 rows = 4" which implies I should be using bigger needles.

So what do I do? [whimper]

Of course, smaller should read bigger and bigger should read smaller ... I'm glad you all spotted the deliberate mistake [watches tumbleweed]

On larger needles do you get 30 sts and 23 rows = 4" square?

Is the fabric ok on the larger needles? Not too holey?

Often the row count doesn't actually matter, imo. Does the pattern say "knit 72 rows" or "knit until garment measures N inches"? What sort of pattern is it? Can you link to it?

aviatrix - oh don't confuse me, my head is already exploding. Thinks hard ... yes, you're right ... I was right the first time. Doh.

NQC: haven't tried larger needles yet - have only just finished frogging my first gauge square - was trying to get my head round it first. It's a scarf (the windy city scarf in Stitch 'n Bitch) - it does list it by rows, but I'm sure I could work out length and do it by that. Is that the best way to go around it then? Match the stitch gauge and compensate for the rows?

Oh good god. I was hoping it was this sort of thing. It's a scarf! If it's a cm too wide or a cm too narrow, who cares? Just get the gauge square vaguely right, and go for it! (Sorry, am tired, mean to be fluffy and supportive ...)

The more important thing, I think, is, was the fabric nice for the scarf? Did it feel ok, not too holey, not too tight?

Ah, right, rereading your post, I see what you mean, your fabric is coming out too narrow, but too long. So the scarf will be slightly narrower and slightly longer than expected ... and?

Sorry, that was way too irritable a post. Am having shitty week, snow, ice, absent husband, who is now home and jetlagged, etc etc.

I'm glad to hear the guage is on something where size isn't too much of an issue, so we don't have to sort this out. Is this your first project? Is the Windy City scarf the one with the hole in it, so you can tuck it through itself? I did their Alien scarf, only modified it so it had other patterns on it ...

I am amazed that people actually do knit the gauge squares . I have to say esp for a scarf just knit however many stitches you like on whatever size needles you have.
Worry not that gorgeous arran for your bub is just around the corner once you have mastered it

Sorry, sorry ... I know I'm being waaaay to anal about it - you're right. I just had visions of it being toddler sized by the time I'd knitted it I also foolishly thought it would be good to practise getting gauge right so that by the time I got to something important like a sweater, I'd know what I was doing (HAH!)

Yep, the Windy City scarf is the one with the hole in it.

Well, doing the scarf should even out your tension, so that your gauge square closely resembles the final gauge, if you know what I mean. I only really got mine sorted when I made the baby blanket from SnB. Switched from right-hand yarn to left-hand yarn midway through, and made some mistakes, but by the time the blanket was done, my tension and hold were much better.

Oooo... I really want to make that baby blanket, looks gorgeous.

Think I'll master scarves first though

The baby blanket is really really easy. I did it with a Jaeger merino yarn, which was blue and white variagated. Very nice, very easy.

Really? I might give it a go after this then. Well... maybe after the alien scarf

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More like crochet? Wash your mouth out, madwoman!

Seriously, if you hold the yarn in the left hand, you do sorta pluck the yarn like I guess you'd do with a crochet hook. Some people call it 'continental style', but I don't like that term, as the French, Belgians, etc etc all use right-hand hold. German-style is at least an accurate term. The Scandis all hold the yarn on the left side, but some of them have an interesting purl style.

Yes, I saw Twiglett's pictures - that's mainly why I want to knit that one next!! Although my mum has put in an "order" for the fireworks one (only using more natural colours).

I gave my first beginner's scarf away to dh, my second "ribbed for her pleasure" (arf) scarf away to my son (it came up a bit short ... ahem... hence the gauge this time), the little head scarf thing away to a neighbour's daughter (in lovely baby pink alpaca yarn)... and this one is going to a friend's teenage son. The alien scarf is going to be mine though! So I have to be good at it by then