Gauge Help!

[ACrawford]

Hi! I am having a difficult time understanding the gauge for my pattern. This pattern uses two hooks which they refer to as "smaller" and "larger." This is what the Gauge says:

12 sts = 4" (10cm); 8 rows = 3" (7.6cm) in dc with larger hook.

Should the 12 stitches be done with the larger hook? On the yarn label itself, it says that a 4" with a 5.5 crochet hook should be 12 sc across and 15 rows. The second part of the gauge is confusing me. How can I fit 8 rows of double crochet into 3 inches? That just doesn't make sense to me. 

Thanks in advance!!

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi, welcome to the Ville!  

You should make the gauge swatch with the larger hook, that is what the swatch directions say specifically to do.  

Do not worry about the difference between the swatch directions and the gauge on the yarn label.  Any yarn can be worked to different gauges.  

To make your swatch, it needs to be bigger than twelve sts and eight rows.  Then you measure the central four inches by three inches and count the stitches and rows in that space.  

[magiccrochetfan]

I meant to also say I would make it at least twenty sts wide and at least twelve rows.