Unlock the Secrets of Sweater Sizing with the Rose Thrift Knitalong

One of the potential problems with knitting garments that can keep people from wanting to knit them is that they have to fit your body. Not only do you have be aware of what your actual measurements are, which can be hard for some people to face, you also have to make sure you’re getting the right gauge and knitting the right size so that the finished garment will actually fit.

If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around how you might figure out the right size to knit for you or how to alter a pattern to make it fit the best for you, check out the Rose Thrift Cardigan knitalong guidance from Plymouth Yarn Magazine.

This cardigan (you can buy the pattern on Ravelry for $5) is interesting because the back is worked in a lace pattern that has a 12-stitch repeat. That means each change in size is an increase in 3 inches in width on the back and about 6 inches on the front.

If you don’t need all that extra width, you can work different parts of the sweater in different sizes that will fit your body better. The blog post goes through how to think about which parts should be worked in which size, how to swatch in lace, tips for other ideas for altering the pattern and more.

Even if you don’t knit this particular pattern, this post provides lots of great advice for how to think about sweater knitting, sizing and alteration that will no doubt be helpful in the future.

[Photo: Plymouth Yarn Magazine.]

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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Many times when I write these posts I will say something like “you can use any yarn you want” or “this would be a great stash-busting project.” That’s just how my mind works. And my stash, too, since I probably have sweater quantity of two or three yarns at most, but tons of singles and odd balls and leftovers.

Blankets are generally a really good way to use up those bits, but in this case, I think you’re going to want to plan it out a bit better.

Looking at photos of the Color Study Blanket from Purl Soho, it looks like it’s made with two yarns held together, and that block in the center is worked with one of each color from the adjoining sides to make a mixed up color.

But that’s not actually how it’s done. This is three separate colors (four, really, with the neutrals in the corners) chosen form a yarn with an expansive palette so they play off each other. The project calls for a worsted weight superwash wool, which is a great choice for a blanket that’s both warm and washable.

This pattern was originally designed by Laura Ferguson and was updated by Hiromi Glover. It is worked in one piece in garter stitch intarsia, which is a great way to learn the intarsia technique if you don’t already know it. It comes in crib or throw sizes.

Despite the introduction to this post, I am going to go ahead and say that, yes, of course you could do this blanket with scraps or odd balls or even just choose five colors that don’t blend together so easily. But I really do love the look of the color play, and I think it would be worth your time to find colors that play well together to get a similar effect.

This pattern is available for free from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]

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