Work in between sizes for Top Down sweater

Last Wednesday I gave a “Make It Fit” workshop and talk at the Beacock Library in London, Ontario. The morning was spent working on specific techniques. In the afternoon we discussed why and where you might need these techniques. Because we all come in different shapes and sizes …… the person who has to make your sweater fit is you. I know that puts a lot of knitters off knitting sweaters and I’m hoping that my talk convinced a couple more knitters to knit a sweater for themselves.

One of the questions asked was how to get a size in between the specified sizes on the pattern.  This is quite easy to do for a Top Down raglan sweater.

Let’s say you are working from one of the Cabin Fever patterns which generally have a 3″/8cm difference between finished sizes. Work the yoke to the size which is just smaller than your ideal size. Then work one more set of Increase and Straight Rounds (Rows).

This will add 2 more stitches to the Front and another 2 stitches to the Back. That’s a total of 4 sts added to the body which amounts to 3/4″/2cm for most medium weight yarns. If you do that one more time you have added 8 sts to the body which will add 1 1/2″/3cm to the total circumference of your sweater. That probably makes your finished sweater body smack between the adult sizes. Is that easy? Four more rounds (rows) and you have achieved the exact body size you wanted.

Your stitch numbers don’t match the pattern so use the markers at the raglan lines to work the Great Divide and you’ve made the first move to making all your sweaters fit.

Thanks for reading,

Deb

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Author: debgemmellmods

I'm a Knitter. The capital K means every day, everywhere. I'm co-owner of Cabin Fever with my sister Lyn. We have published over 100 patterns and 11 books. I'm also working on a new set of patterns for Any Gauge knitting. Dive into your stash and cast on for a Top Down sweater that fits, or an accessory to use up those odd balls of yarn. View all posts by debgemmellmods