wool weight?

[LabRat]

I recently borrowed a book from the library with vintage made modern knitting patterns. There are a couple that I would really like to attempt for myself, but the wool guide only lists certain brands rather than weights. I'm fairly new to knitting and I have no idea how to find an equivalent. Perhaps one of the knitting gurus on here might be able to point me in the right direction.
The first is a bolero type jacket with a lace pattern for the main body worked on 5mm needles and the bands in garterstitch using 3.75mm needles. The pattern recommends 100% alpaca DK with the gauge 22st and 24 rows = 10cm on the 5mm needles. If i want to substitute what ply do I look for?

[growingclothie]

DK = double knit = 8ply

fingering = 4ply
sport = 5ply
dk = 8ply
aran/ worseted = 10ply

[Razz]

22 st gauge is usually dk/8ply. Most of the yarns at spottie are 8ply so should be easy to find. I doubt you would use 5mm to get that gauge tho unless you knit super tight. Most people get a 22 st gauge on 4mm ( I use 4.5mm as a fairly tight knitter)

[LabRat]

Awesome thanks for that. If I do a test gauge sample and it comes out big do I then go down a needle size? I've only knitted milo vests and booties so far and these seem to come out the right size.