Confused about worsted weight and hook size!

[FlorallyBankrupt]

I've got a couple of patterns for wrist-warmers which are in US terminology, but I'm bemused by the sizing.

They seem to specify "worsted weight" yarn which is aran weight/5mm, I think, yet the pattern requires a 3.5mm or 4mm hook?

If that wasn't odd enough, I just tried knocking up a couple of swatches (of crocodile stitch, that's a new one on me and I've made a gazillion amigurumi projects in my time ) - I started with a 50% cotton yarn which was a bit fine at 3mm but a lovely colour, and the swatch came up about right. But it was so horrid to work with that I tried a bog standard acrylic DK, and the swatch came out too big.

So if DK on a 3.5mm hook is too big, won't aran be massive? Or have I totally misunderstood yarn weights?! I've used Paintbox aran to make chunky projects before!

The pictures on the pattern make it look quite fine.

No that does sound a bit confusing! You are right that worsted is aran- it definitely doesn't say light worsted which would be DK?
I think if you have done swatches (kudos to you for that, I never bother!) and it works with a 3mm yarn ignore the yarn type, assume it's a mistake and just use something finer.

So bizarre - I wouldn't fancy trying to work up aran weight on a tiny hook, that's just BEGGING for split stitches!

Oh it's the first time in my life I've done a swatch, it was partly to get to grips with the V stitch (still doesn't look right).

I suppose I could just buy the exact yarn recommended in both patterns - Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, there is 1 colour in stock on Love Crafts - but it really does look thick. Baffled.

But thanks for confirming that it might not just be me!

Worsted weight is a bit of a moveable feast and can be equivalent to a slightly heavy DK or light or medium Aran depending on the brand.

Sounds like the gauge of the patten is quite tight. If it’s not a commercial pattern it could be that the designer tugs her stitches really tight after forming.

You could either go down a hook size, change how you hold your hook as that can change the size of your stitches, or if the pattern allows you could skip a couple of rows or stitches (depending on if you are making them horizontally or vertically) to get the finished size you want.

@FlorallyBankrupt

So bizarre - I wouldn't fancy trying to work up aran weight on a tiny hook, that's just BEGGING for split stitches!

Oh it's the first time in my life I've done a swatch, it was partly to get to grips with the V stitch (still doesn't look right).

I suppose I could just buy the exact yarn recommended in both patterns - Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, there is 1 colour in stock on Love Crafts - but it really does look thick. Baffled.

But thanks for confirming that it might not just be me!

That yarn says to use a 6mm hook! Is the pattern on ravelry? That'd be my next port of call, to look at other peoples projects. If not, I'm quite impatient these days, I'd just ditch the pattern and find another one!

Well I'm with you Dax, normally I'd just find a better pattern - but I paid for and downloaded two different patterns from Etsy, and they both say similar things and use the same yarn! I checked and its not even the same designer, so I thought maybe I was being dense.

Time for plan B perhaps. I'd already given up on one pattern this week - I'm about to become a step granny so I was making some really smart baby booties, but could I work out how to start a standing half treble crochet in a new colour? Could I buggery. After watching me huff and puff and turn the piece every which way for 30 mins, saying some very unladylike things, DH helpfully suggested I try another pattern. So now I have baby crocs which are adorable but include some macrame...

I wouldn't say I'm a beginner but some of these twists and turns play havoc with my menopause brain.

😆 I am right with you! I started a jumper this week in some horrendous fluffy mohair blend yarn with a weird stitch pattern. 4 rows in and I'd somehow lost 2 stitches and because the damn thing is so fluffy there's no way I could find out where. Scrapped it and bought a more straightforward pattern. I'm a reasonably experienced knitter but also menopausal and just can't be arsed with complicated things.

Ugh I once made quite a big amigurumi sheep with eyelash yarn - never again! He did look good though to be honest (pic attached).

You were dead right, I ditched both patterns and found another which uses bog standard DK yarn and a 4mm hook - even the instructions are better so I sussed the crocodile stitch no problem.

Now I've just got to buy TWO of the self striping yarns so I get a matching pair of wrist warmers...

If you have more than half the yarn left after one you should just be able to wind through to get to a matching starting colour - the stripes are generally the same order unless it's hand-dyed. Just make a note of what you start with. I got into knitting socks last year and made a beautifully matching stripy pair like that. And then my DD after one wear put them in the wash and shrank them to the size of dolls socks. 😭

He is an absolutely fabulous sheep by the way! I feel like he should be called Lawrence, don't know why. 🐑

I never thought of winding it on to get the right starting colour, duh.

Close, his name is Rambert! He currently resides with my sister in Switzerland.

Hi @FlorallyBankrupt I don't know if this is the problem with the hook size but in the US and Canada they sometimes just use numbers for the hooks rather than mm size , trying to add a picture to show what I mean .

@FlorallyBankrupt posted too soon , got giddy that I'd managed to add a photo lol .
Love your sheep by the way .

Haha thanks!

Yes I wondered that about the hook size, searched for all the US to UK equivalent details for the yarn and the hook but just couldn't make it work! Found a better pattern with standard DK in the end.

Now to wrestle my other hooks out of the loft...I have a little pouch with a couple in but they're all 3s and 3.5s, need a 4. Started the pattern off with some acrylic yarn and a 3.5 hook for practice, it's going well but if I finish it off they will probably only fit someone with Donald Trump hands...