craftgrrl | ... problems meeting gauge in a crochet pattern ...

crossposted to crochet

I picked up the Spring/Summer 04 issue of Family Circle Easy Knitting because there is a crocheted boyshort pattern in there I really want to make.

However, I canNOT, for the life of me, get gauge on this pattern.

Here are the vitals as written in the magazine:

Materials:

Cotton-Ease by Lion Brand (3.5oz/207yd)
2 balls in Pineapple
Size H/8 hook or size needed for gauge
Four safety pins, 2 silver 2 gold
Open ended stitch markers

Finished Measurements:
Waist 28 (30, 34, 36)"
Hip 35 (37, 40, 44)"
Length 6.5 (7, 7, 7.5)"
Leg Opening 21 (22, 23, 25)"

Gauge:
8 sts to 3" and 14 rows to 4" using H/8 hook

Instructions:
Beg at waist edge, ch 69 (73, 77, 85).

*etc*

I just can't get that gauge. I checked the Easy Knitting website for a correction and there isn't one for this pattern. While I'm not using Cotton-Ease, I've never had a problem substituting before, and in fact, I looked up the info on Cotton-Ease (linked above) and I get gauge on it's label with the yarn I'm using if I go up a hook size (my most recent yarn attempt for this pattern is Red Heart Cotton Twist or something like that).

I've crocheted very loosely, I've tried doubling the yarn, I've gone up the alphabet of hook sizes to a very impractical L and STILL haven't gotten gauge! I had some Wool-Ease around, so I tried to get gauge on that since they're similar weight - no go. Not even close.

I wrote to the webmaster, but haven't heard back yet (I only wrote yesterday, so I'm not overly pissed or anything about that yet *L*). I'd think it a misprint, but another pattern in the same article lists the same gauge requirements. I mean, they could have just copy/pasted and both are wrong, but still.

Even trying to work backwards, that gauge just doesn't seem to work, unless I'm doing the math wrong (that's why I included all the other pattern info besides the gauge). It doesn't seem that I'm chaining enough to get around my waist if I do what it says...

So, am I a basket case who can't read a pattern all of a sudden, or does something seem wrong with this? I just don't know how to get 8sts/3" in what's supposed to be a smidge bigger than generic worsted weight.

Help?

~A Depressed Yet Determined Kissy