For a design to be comfortable to wear there will always be an additional measurement calculated between the physical dimensions of the body it is designed for and the actual size of the finished knitted garment; this is known as the ‘ease’.
Each design in this book has a considered amount of ‘ease’, which is sometimes close-fitting or, more generally, oversized with a generous amount of ease – this is the way I like to wear a sweater. The amount of ease is a personal choice, and will vary between the patterns.
In general most designs conform to an industry ‘standard’ which is 5cm of ease i.e. the garment will measure approx. 5cm more in circumference than the chest size it is designed to fit. This is approx. 2.5cm wider across the front and the back – perfect for a piece that will be worn over a fine t-shirt or lightweight layer. An additional 2.5cm to 5cm is added to this basic ease for outerwear garments that are to be worn over clothes, i.e. 7.5cm to 10cm of ease. But you will find that some of the patterns in this book feature a calculated ease in excess of these standards (e.g. Thicket), where they are designed to be deliberately voluminous and ‘oversized’. Other designs (e.g. Kelp) have a negative ease, where the actual measurement of the finished garment is smaller than the actual body measurements, calculated by using the construction of the stitch or fabric of the design to be close fitting to the body. The amount of ease will also depend on the yarn that the design has been knitted in, as wool and other protein fibres are naturally more elastic than plant-based fibres such as cotton or linen.
For each of the patterns in this book, measurements are provided at the beginning of the pattern for each size. In addition to this, most patterns has a schematic drawing that shows the dimensions of the design’s pieces before they are sewn together. The schematic will also indicate (in parenthesis) the measurements for the different sizes. The schematic will help you to assess the fit and ease of the design in order to make a choice about which size to make to ensure a good fit. It is important to note the finished measurements of the pattern, and to measure yourself.
The most important measurement to start with is the chest width. The body length of the garment, or the sleeve length, can be easily adjusted when you are knitting – for example you can add or subtract rows before you start the armhole shaping.
Chest—measure under your arms and around the fullest part of your chest.
Length—measure from the centre of the back of your neck to your natural waistline, or from the top of the shoulder to the hem of your favourite sweater.
Waist—measure around your natural waistline below your ribcage, leaving the tape measurealittle loose.
Hips—measure around the fullest part of your body, above the top of your legs.
Sleeve length—with arm slightly bent, measure from your armpit to your wrist.
Armhole length—with arm outstretched, measure from the top, outside edge of your shoulder, down to your armpit.
Alternatively choose a favourite sweater or t-shirt, something that you feel comfortable in and that you feel fits you well. Lay the t-shirt or sweater out flat and measure. Note the measurements down. Compare to your actual body measurements. Select an appropriate size to make, add on or reduce measurements as appropriate, either for adjusting a pattern or designing from scratch.
Achieving the right fit for you is one of the benefits of making something by hand, creating garments that are bespoke-made by you, for you.
