Sizing in Knitting Patterns

Every time I write a garment pattern, I think a lot about sizing. Not just the number of sizes to offer and the physical/mathematical work of making the pattern for various sizes, but also more generally about the proper size the garment should be for people of particular sizes.

When I first started out I thought if a pattern said its chest measurement and mine were the same that must be the right size for me. In some cases that’s right, but in others you don’t want a piece of knitting that is your exact same size. A bulky sweater, for instance, or even just a cardigan that’s meant to be worn over another piece of clothing, needs to be bigger than you are to fit well and comfortably.

There are standards for the sizes of people you will find within a given clothing size, but that does nothing to account for ease, which is the fancy term for that extra space that makes a sweater more comfortable. And it’s not always easy to tell the amount of ease that ought to be found in a particular garment for the best fit.

Yarn companies and book publishers are getting better about this. Interweave Knits, for example, has its galleries, which show some garments from the magazine on a range of people or offer tips for customization. I’ve read two books recently that suggested how much ease you should have when choosing what size to knit, and the recent Berroco newsletter took on the issue with its presentation of the free pattern Talcott, which is an oversized sweater worked in a cotton/linen yarn (Berroco Linsey, by the way, which is an absolutely beautiful yarn — great to knit with, soft, gorgeous colors…).

Berroco says that its patterns are always the same garment size even if the measurements vary. So if you know you usually knit a medium, you’ll still want to knit a medium in an oversized pattern to get the proper amount of ease.

That makes a lot of sense, and actually is probably the way most people handle it.

How do you decide which size of a project to make? Any ease horror stories? Spill it!

[Photo by Berroco.]

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If you’re a fan of the artist Vincent Van Gogh and of knitting patterns inspired by art, Knitting Van Gogh by Krista Ann is the book for you. The book includes 20 patterns inspired by artwork, as well as the pictures that inspired them and a little information about them.

Patterns are divided into two sections, apparel and decor, and include wraps, scarves, gloves, nesting baskets, a journal cover, a sunflower pillow cover and more.

For some the influence is obvious, such as the red hat inspired by the painting Head of a Woman, or the sunflower cushion inspired by Sunflowers. Sometimes it’s not as obvious, such as the Peach Tree Wrap inspired by the colors of the painting The Peach Tree, or the journal cover that pulls colors from Self-Portrait with Straw Hat.

Some of my favorites include the Wheatfield Brioche Cowl, with colors from the painting Wheatfield and brioche designs that look a bit like grass; Vincent’s Blanket, made from log cabin squares in shades of red based on the blanket in The Bedroom; and of course the Vincent doll.

Four patterns are rated the easiest skill level, with eight each at levels 2 and 3. You can see a few of the patterns on the publisher’s website (as of this writing they are not on Ravelry with photos).

The book includes a glossary and some tips for finishing at the back, as well as a key for abbreviations and a guide to the artworks featured. The book was produced in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and purchasing the book also supports the work of the museum, which is pretty cool.

This would be a fun book to knit from for an art lover, or if you just want to enjoy the hidden meaning in your projects if you knit some where the influence isn’t as obvious.

About the book: 144 pages, hardcover, 20 patterns. Published 2024 by Weldon Owen, suggested retail price $29.99.

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Have you read?

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