Hi there! I hope it's ok to ask this here.
I've been wanting to crochet an almost floor length cardigan, so I would need a lot of yarn.
The pattern said they used a Level 4/Worsted weight yarn and had a gauge of 8 stitches and 6 rows on 4"x4". Now, I can't really find out what equals as worsted weight yarn here in Europe, and the ones I found all feel too thin to achieve that gauge. I've been to a local store where they recommended some cotton yarn and wool to me that should be equal to worsted weight. Now the thing is, they are quite expensive and I still can't get close to that gauge, meaning I would need even more. However, what I found of WW yarn, they all seem to be acrylic and honestly not much cheaper.
So I'm currently a little stumped, am I looking for the wrong things or do I have to face the fact that this cardigan would cost me about 180€ of yarn?
A worsted is a bit finer than an Aran, heavier than a DK.
Knitting with worsted normally gives 20 stitches per 10 cm/4in in stocking stitch. Aran would give 18, DK 22.
With crochet, the hook size and stitch type will make a huge difference. If you use the stated hook with a worsted instead of an Aran weight you’ll have a more open fabric. That may be what you want, especially with a cotton.
Best advice to give is to do a sample of at least 15 by 15 cm / 6 x 6 inches. That will give you a benchmark of the stitch size, the amount of yarn used and the stiffness or drape of the fabric you’re creating.
Thank you so much for your help! May I ask, do you see any way to achieve the patterns gauge with 8sts x 6rows on 4"x4" with 6mm hook? It says with front loop stitches, does that actually make a huge difference? I did make a test patch, but had double the gauge size (16sts x 12rows). Now, it looks nice this way, but after using up a whole skein to estimate the needed yarn, I realized it would actually be more than ~210€ worth of it, which just seems so much to me 😅 but that's why I'm asking, I have actually no idea how much is usually needed.
Yes, front side of the stiches only will make a significant difference, and a looser fabric.
But it’s also true that as we become more seasoned at crochet our tension will change. If you’re too tight or too loose, definitely do another test swatch with a different hook-size.
Last, while the measurements are for a 4x4” swatch, you really have to have a bigger square to get a true measurement of the tension. The edges do affect things. That’s why, I always go for a 6x6” swatch and measure inside of that.