Adjusting for ply?

[AidanM]

I'd really like to make this pattern, but the yarn I want to use is 4 ply and the pattern calls for 2 ply. Plus, the smallest hook I have is a G not an E. Do I need an even smaller hook for the ply I want, or am I going to need to alter the pattern in some fashion?

[sjkmaurice]

Working with a G hook and 4-ply yarn is going to make it huge, or you will have to seriously alter the pattern and it won't look like the picture. The cables will be too wide, so you won't have as many. It's going to be a whole lot easier to get an E hook and some 2-ply yarn.

 

Side note - that vest is FABULOUS! I wonder how difficult it would be to add sleeves and make myself a sweater...

[natalie058]

What you need to worry about it hook size and the *weight* of the yarn, not the ply. You can have a single ply bulky yarn, or an eight ply thread.

[threeolivemartini]

right .. agreeing with Natalie.. you need to make a guage swatch .. that is why swatching is so important

[xaviera]

That's what I thought... but then, why is ply so often listed as in the yarn info. What importance does it have?

[threeolivemartini]

just to let you know what they used ..

 

for reference

[natalie058]

The way I've had it explained to me, ply is really only important for durability - with more plies, there is less wearing on each ply and therefore an item made with several ply yarn will probably be more durable.

 

So - it would be unwise to crochet a dishcloth with a signle ply yarn.

 

Otherwise, as Beth said, they list it just so you can buy a similar yarn.

[AidanM]

What sort of weight would be similar to 2 ply? It seems awfully small, even the baby yarn I have doesn't seem like it would be that tiny.

[threeolivemartini]

i have some two ply that is worsted weight.. it comes in all sizes just like anything else.. think about it.. some of my bulkier yarns are just two plies..it just depends on how fat the plies are when they are spun together

[mythunderbird]

depends on the yarn. is it yarn or thread, cotton or acrylic or ???? would be more help if we could see a picture of it. good luck:hug

[natalie058]

The pertinent information in this pattern is that the yarn she used was 165m/40g balls. A little math and we've figured out that there are 4.51125 yds/g of this yarn. So, you need to substitute a yarn with similar yard/weight ratio...

 

My guess is that it's somewhere around fingering weight... since the hook she calls for is 3.5mm... This yarn from Knitpicks is 4.62yds/g - probably just a little bit thinner. This yarn is very close... about 4.578yds/g.

 

Of course, if you want to be exact, you could always contact the designer: evenvista 'AT' hotmail 'DOT' com.