The relationship between yarn, needle, and gauge really comes to life when one knits the same design with different weights of yarn and different needle sizes. I explored this thoroughly by using three weights of Berroco yarns to design socks based on one basic template. Ultra Wool Fine is a fingering weight and knits up as a dressy sock. The lightweight Ultra Alpaca Light version knits up oh-so quickly while being supple enough for casual shoes. The medium weight original Ultra Alpaca sure makes an excellent boot sock. To top off the gauge experiment, I decided to combine these three yarns with three related but different designs that all fit into the same sock structure so that a knitter could choose to make any one of 9 yarn/design combinations, working from the same pattern in any of 4 different sizes—quite the wide range, indeed.

Here are the gauges for the three weights of yarn:

In Super Fine yarn (Berroco Ultra Wool Fine), 36 sts & 47.5 rnds = 4”/10cm.
In Light yarn (Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light), 32 sts & 44 rnds = 4”/10cm.
In Medium yarn (Berroco Ultra Alpaca), 27.5 sts & 42.5 rnds = 4”/10cm.

Depending on size and length knit and yarn used, yardage requirements will vary. I recommend for the sizes given the following yarn amounts:

Berroco ULTRA ALPACA (219yds, 3.5oz, 50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian wool) 2 (2, 3, 3) skeins

Berroco ULTRA ALPACA LIGHT (144yds, 1.75oz, 50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian wool) 2 (3, 3, 4) skeins

Berroco ULTRA™ WOOL FINE (400yds, 3.5oz, 100% superwash wool) 1 (1, 2, 2) balls