Updated: How to Make a Big Sweater Smaller

Update: The original link doesn’t work anymore. Here is an updated and active link.

Whether you like buying sweaters from the thrift store, are gifted something the wrong size, knit something the wrong size or have lost weight and need garments in a smaller size, there may be times when you want to make a big sweater smaller.

Jennifer, who blogs for Jordana Paige, recently scored a great Fair Isle sweater at the thrift store that was way too big for her, and she documented the process of resizing it for herself.

It’s basically a matter of deciding how you want it to fit and doing something like steeking to cut it down to size and reinforce the seams. In fact, if you’re scared of steeking this might be a good entry level project because you can buy a cheap sweater you aren’t too invested in and if you mess it up, well, at least you didn’t mess up something you’d spent hours knitting.

Have you ever resized a sweater (handmade or purchased)? I’d love to hear about it.

[Photo via Jordana Paige.]

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I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]

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