Guage Question

I have never done anything like this, but wanted to get some feedback from you experienced knitters.  I am looking to make the textured tunic next (the one on the cover).  I have found a rust colored silk tweed that I am in love with and want to use.  I was able to get guage on the number of stitches with a size 5 needle (rather than 10 per the pattern).  I could not get exact guage on the rows, but I figure that is ok since it is a top down sweater -- I can try it on as a I go and adjust row counts.

Has anyone out there ever made a sweater that required SUCH a HUGE change in needle size to get guage?  Does this really work? Seems like it should - math is math, right? But I am looking for some validation pretty please.

Comments

[Marion]

I'm having the same problem and I have the same question, except that I tend to knit tightly and I'm getting gauge on 11's instead of 10's but I don't like how it looks on the 11's, so I'm thinking of doing the next size up on the 10's. Does this work? These patterns have run big on me (the spicy T and the Alexandra). I'm lazy, don't make me convert the pattern...

And my row gauge is always off, but it's easy to tinker with the length of Stefanie's patterns, yeah.

Thanks for any help!

[Marion]

Having pondered this further, if I have 15 stitches instead of 13 on size 10 needles, I need to go down a size, right? Size 9 still isn't good enough, and I like the drape of the yarn (Plymouth Outback in soft teal) in the size 10. I think I'll start it and see what happens.

It's just yarn, right!!?

[Robin]

I think Stefanie happens to be a loose knitter, as I know I am and I usually get her gauge right on. She's one of the only ones. Usually I have to go down two needle sizes. I'd say go for it and just adjust the length.