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before starting and also brush up on your math skills to check on the calculations as you increase and decrease.

As your knitting skills progress, you should begin to think about knitting your first, more challenging project—possibly your first sweater. The first step in making a well–fitting sweater is to take the time to take proper measurements so you can be assured that the finished garment will fit you based on the measurements and the schematics provided in the instructions.

One of the most important modern advances in knitting patterns has been the introduction of schematics: the outline drawings that indicate the final measurements of a garment. To use this to your best advantage, you will need the precise measurements of your own figure (or that of the person for whom you are knitting). Take time to obtain accurate measurements. Not only will this allow you to choose the correct size in a commercial pattern, but it is also the first step to learning how to design your own sweaters.

TAKING YOUR MEASUREMENTS

Take your measurements and mark them down, updating them from time to time. Understanding what they mean, and how you can use them to adapt existing patterns or write your own, is a crucial step to becoming an accomplished knitter. Note that these are “actual measurements” and don’t account for how your garment will actually fit you. The standard allowance for a sweater’s normal fitting is about 10 percent more. For a looser–fitting garment, allow about 15 percent more.

Bust/Chest Size: Hold a measuring tape around your bust, measuring the circumference starting from the left underarm. Hold the edges of the tape measure to the side, under your arm, and not the front; this will provide a more accurate measurement. Measurements taken from the front can result in the bust/chest size being as much as 2 inches off.

Back: Hold the tape measure from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.

Neck: Measure across the back of the neck.

Arm Length: With your arm down at your side, measure from 1 inch below the armpit to your wrist.

Upper Arm: Measure the fullest part of your arm.

Wrist, Waist, Hip: Place the tape measure around these body parts.

Desired Length of Sweater: With your arm at your side, measure from one inch below the armpit to your desired length.

[EDITH KNIT TIP]

Learning to Read a Pattern

Always read your pattern first. Circle the number pertinent to your size. Make sure that you understand what the symbols in the knitting pattern mean, for instance, commas, parentheses, a repeat. Then start knitting!

BEING DIPLOMATIC

The great thing about knitting is that no matter what your size, you can customize a pattern to meet your specifications. As a shop owner, I meet and design for all types of women, in all shapes and sizes. What might look adorable on a smaller, petite frame won’t necessarily work on a broader, full–figure woman. That’s when I have to assert a certain level of discretion and diplomacy. I help many women to make more appropriate designs to flatter their figures.

USING YOUR MEASUREMENTS TO ADAPT PATTERNS

People come in all shapes and sizes, and so do arm lengths, so it’s important not to skip this step and to realize that the lengths of the sleeves may vary. Nothing looks worse than a sleeve that is either too long or too short.

Before you attempt to modify your sleeves, you must understand two important facts of sleeve construction. First, sleeves generally look best when all the increases are spaced out over the first 12 inches of the sleeve. Second, you should have 5 inches of straight knitting between the last increase and the point where you first cast off to shape the armhole. When altering the measurements of a sleeve, it’s important to maintain these proportions in order to have a well–fitting sleeve.

You can modify the length of a sleeve as follows:

When shortening the sleeve by 3 inches, you will do all your increases over the first 9 inches rather than 12. Remember, you want to knit your last increase 5 inches before your armhole shaping begins.

When shortening your sleeves by 2 inches, with a new total length of 15 inches before armhole shaping, you want to knit your last increase at 10 inches. To determine how to space out your increases, first figure out your row gauge. For example, if your row gauge is 6 rows per inch, you will have 2 inches of ribbing and 13 inches of stockinette before you begin shaping your armhole. You will calculate your increase as follows: 6 rows per inch times 13 inches of stockinette means that you have 78 rows to space your increases. According to your pattern, you have to increase 8 stitches on each side. To do this, divide 8 into 78. You need to increase every 9.75 rows. Since you obviously can’t split a row in half, you will need to increase every 9th and every 10th row alternately, 8 times.

ALTERING A BUST MEASUREMENT

[EDITH KNIT TIP]

Measuring Armholes

This is the advice I give my clients to ensure that their armhole measurements will be accurate. After you’ve made your first armhole bind–off, work across the row and place a safety pin in the middle of your work. As you measure your armhole, you will measure from this point forward. This applies to all knitted pieces of the sweater.

When selecting your desired size, you’ll need to account for ease in the fit of your sweater. For instance, if you have a 36–inch chest and want a form–fitting sweater, you should still allow for an inch of ease on each piece and knit a size 38–inch sweater. If the pattern doesn’t allow for your size, you can use your measurements to help figure out a size that will fit you. For example, if you are a 40–inch chest, you’ll need to make a garment that is a size 42. However, if on the pattern you find that the biggest size listed is only