how to resize a sweater knitting pattern

Bind off your stitches. YARDAGE How much yarn? The front and back are knit flat and there's no shaping or decreasing to worry about. 22 / 4 = 5.5 sts per inch. Tin Can Knit's Flax springs to mind. My gauge swatch tells me I have 22 stitches and 28 rows per 4"/10cm. Technique Tutorial | Learn to figure out your gauge and resize a pattern. This tutorial is particularly well timed for me, because my daughter is right smack dab between children's clothing sizes (patterns usually go up to only size 12) and juniors' clothing . STEP TWO: Making sense of resizing a knitting pattern. STEP FIVE: How to resize the front. In fact, if you're scared of steeking this might be a good entry level project because you can buy a cheap sweater you aren't too invested in and if you mess it up, well, at least you didn't mess . The result will be the number of stitches you need to cast on to start to knitting the pattern adapted . If you don't have a convenient target baby, use superwash wool and donate it -- some parent will be very happy!) STEP THREE: Pattern Mad Libs exercise. Changing length is usually a simple thing to do. E.g. Step 1: Gather Your Supplies. Intro to resizing: Understanding what we're doing STEP ONE: Measure a sweater that fits you well Next post STEP TWO: Making sense of resizing a knitting pattern STEP THREE: Pattern Mad Libs exercise STEP FOUR: How to resize the back STEP FIVE: How to resize the front STEP SIX: How to resize the sleeves Block the square. The interactive knitting calculators below use the measurements off a gauge swatch. This creative gas fuels me along to the finish line, especially if I have an event or holiday right around the corner to wear my new design. 4. A gauge swatch is a small (usually a 6 x 6) square knit in the stitch you plan to use for your project. The next size is 25 inches around, and the last size is 27 inches around. Intarsia is used to knit the unicorn design and the eye and nose are added at the end with embroidery. One thing to bear in mind is that 1/4 scale dolls may . Figure your own number pattern based on your swatch. Using No-Sew Techniques, Turn an Old Sweater into a New Cardigan. STEP FOUR: How to resize the back. Even if you've never knitted a sweater before, there's a pattern here that's . Step 6. Wash with ammonia. UNSHRINK WOOL SWEATERS 1 gal. Place your hands firmly on the sweater, and use your fingers to push the material inward. Soak your swatch for 10 minutes in lukewarm water. Step on IT! It's basically a matter of deciding how you want it to fit and doing something like steeking to cut it down to size and reinforce the seams. It is complete with ribbed edges. In the example, the swatch is 4.5 inches (11 centimeters) wide with 12 stitches per inch. Use this rule of thumb to calculate the number of stitches and rows needed for each part of your sweater. I can now figure out how many stitches/rows per inch/cm that would give me by dividing those numbers by 4 or 10, depending on whether you are working in inches or cm. That way if you make a mistake you can go back to your notes and figure out what . But there is also a time when I want an instant gratification project. Rinse. 22 / 4 = 5.5 sts per inch. I'm thinking about making one in my size, too. Since patterns are written differently, these are sure-fire ways t. 28 / 4 = 7 rows per inch. SCREECH . I can now figure out how many stitches/rows per inch/cm that would give me by dividing those numbers by 4 or 10, depending on whether you are working in inches or cm. (the base of the gauge). Begin by laying your sweater flat. According to the pattern, the M size is 104 cm in circumference with a 15 stitch/10 cm gauge. SIZES: 3mths, 6mths, 1yr, 2yr, 4yr. Every time I start knitting a garment, the excitement of getting something new to wear is just indescribable! Step 4: Hem the Sweater With the Heat and Bond. Count the stitches over 4. My gauge swatch tells me I have 22 stitches and 28 rows per 4"/10cm. Determine the measurement of your desired sweater around the chest, skirt around the hips, hat around the head or handbag at the diameter. Step 1 Examine your pattern. Stranded color-work: If you're knitting stranded color-work, it's easiest to knit the sweater in the round, then steek the sweater to create the sleeves. KNITTING TIPS: How to Downsize a Completed Sweater . Subscribe Now:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ehowArtsandCraftsWatch More:http://www.youtube.com/ehowArtsandCraftsShrinking a knit sweate. Same with the neck depth. I re-sized the pattern, but it still won't fit! Melissa from Blank Slate Patterns and Melly Sews shares a tutorial showing how to do it. Adjusting the Knitting Pattern. If you're looking for a bust size of 34 inches, using the Small directions (with a 66 stitch cast-on), let's do the math: 34 inches 2 pieces = 17 inches per piece (that's the front and back pieces of our sweater) 66 stitches 17 inches = 3.88 stitches per inch (or approx 15.5 stitches per 4 inches) That would be the gauge we're looking for. Sweaters. Most patterns come with a recommended yarn weight and needle size and offer a "gauge" consisting of a number of stitches per inch and a number of rows per inch. If you're looking for a bust size of 34 inches, using the Small directions (with a 66 stitch cast-on), let's do the math: 34 inches 2 pieces = 17 inches per piece (that's the front and back pieces of our sweater) 66 stitches 17 inches = 3.88 stitches per inch (or approx 15.5 stitches per 4 inches) I LOVE NEW CLOTHES! Therefore, divide 12 by 4.5, which equals 2.6. For example, you can give a plain crew-neck sweater a V neck or boatneck. If the pattern states the width of the chest, then you just have to multiply by 2 to get the garment's chest measurement. If you're working a pattern that involves a stitch pattern with a multiple, make sure your adjusted numbers will work with the pattern. Resizing Calculations First, you need to figure out how many stitches fit in 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) by dividing your width into your number of stitches. Includes free, printable knitting patterns in all sizes and several styles. Gather Your Supplies: Step 2: Cut the Sweater in the Front. Step 2 Knit a swatch. If you need to produce a pattern for a size other than those designated in the original pattern, this is the technique to use. Rinse again. Start by knitting a small square in the yarn for your project . Grip the sweater with your hands to gently squish together parts of the fabric that you want to shrink. Changing width can be tricky, however. And I am not talking a cowl or hatI want a sweater. Subtract a row or two (between the armhole and neck shaping) if that's too long for you. Then follow the pattern. Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 12 rows, or until the swatch is about a square. When changing the number of stitches in a row, make sure you don't interfere with a pattern stitch, e.g. Step 3: Lay Sweater on a Hard Surface. Go Your Own Way and Track Your Results. While you're altering the pattern, remember that you don't have to stick to doing things exactly the way the pattern suggests. When changing the number of stitches in a row, make sure you don't interfere with a pattern stitch, e.g. If you are planning an ewrap scarf make sure you use ewrap for your swatch. For example, if your gauge is 3.5 rows per inch: 31 3.5 = 8.9. a 4 stitch repeat means you must add or subtract stitches in groups of 4. I think the best thing would be to follow a good beginner's pattern for a conventional sweater in a baby size. Whenever you alter a pattern, you should take notes on exactly what you did and how it turned out. Find the recommended yarn weight and needle size. Changing width can be tricky, however. Width of the piece in your size - X (number of stitches needed for the width of your size) To do so, multiply the width of your garment in cm by the number of stitches in your swatch, and divide by 10 (the base of the gauge). To get my projected bust measurement (the best way to size a sweater), I multiply the smallest bust measurement (29 inches) by that 1.25, and I get a bust measurement of 36.25. Using the same yarn and needles the pattern calls for, divide everything in the pattern by 3 or 4, depending on the size of your doll (3=60cm or 1/3 scale; 4=45cm or 1/4 scale). Changing the style: A pullover style can be cut straight up the middle to turn it into a cardigan. Measure the width from the cast-on side. 28 / 4 = 7 rows per inch. Step 5: Clip Off . Adjust Accordingly Learn how to knit a sweater with one of our free knit sweater patterns! Just knit more rows to make longer sleeves or a longer skirt. But I really think the result is well worth it for a special baby. Whether you're team top-down or bottom-up, these patterns are great for your next stylish piece of knitwear. a 4 stitch repeat means you must add or subtract stitches in groups of 4. The little unicorn sweater is knit back and forth in stockinette in 4 pieces, front, back and two sleeves from the bottom up. E.g. Instructions for this crucial step in knitting often impose do-or-die rules: Knit a 6-8 square. Remember to divide the number of stitches and also the number of rows! [22 inches x 2.25 per inch = 49.5, round to 50] That means you're working with 8 extra stitches for the front and 8 extra for the back, so you need to figure out where you'll put them. Adjusting the Knitting Pattern. If you haven't already, pick out your yarn and your needles. In this example we show how to use a swatch to take a pattern width and make it wid. I measure my 9 stitches and I get 3.75 inches or 1.25 times bigger than the original sweater (3.75 inches divided by the original 3 inches = 1.25). lukewarm water 1 cup ammonia 1 cup baking soda 1 cup vinegar Mix these ingredients together and soak the sweater, pull it into shape and leave it in the mixture for 3 - 4 days. Take off your sweater and get started with the hand stitching.Stitch one of the staple's sides onto the side stitch of the sweater, slacks, or whatever else you're working on.This may be done anywhere around the hem of the garment.Stitch the second half of the staple onto the side stitch at the location where you just positioned the needle. So a kid's sweater pattern might say something like: Chest: 23 (25, 27) inches. With a little know-how you can size that baby up or down as needed. That means the smallest garment is 23 inches around at the chest. Gently squeeze out the water from the knit. (From a Pinellas Weavers' Guild Newsletter. Mattress stitch is used to seam the pieces. Just knit more rows to make longer sleeves or a longer skirt. It's basically a matter of deciding how you want it to fit and doing something like steeking to cut it down to size and reinforce the seams. First, divide your 4-inch gauge by 4 so you know how many stitches per inch you're getting, then multiply by your finished piece measurement to determine how many stitches to cast on. Count the rows over 4. Stretch your swatch just enough to make the sides straight. Sweaters and Such. If you're looking for a fast knit, the super bulky yarn and large needles make this free knitting pattern a breeze. Wool DK to knit this gorgeous sweater knitting pattern Knit from the top down in the round Purga features a bold colorwork pattern knit with a solid color yarn set against the color shifts of Berroco Pixel Book Typographic Knitting From Pixel to Pattern R . You don't need many stitches to achieve this: in fact, the fewer stitches there are between seam and cut, the less there is to unravel. With your selected yarn or yarns and a size 15 US needle, cast on 12 stitches. The steek comprises some extra stitches that are added for the express purpose of sewing the outer ones in order to secure them, then cutting down the middle. STEP ONE: Measure a sweater that fits you well. Fat needles, big yarn, something I can have done in 3-5 days. Next post. Polyhymnia on DoA wondered how to proceed "if, say, my 1/4 scale doll (Soulkid) has a bust measurement of 7.5 inches and I multiply that by 4 to get the corresponding human measurement, [getting] 30 inches, which is quite a bit smaller than the small sizes of an adult knitting pattern.". Manipulate the fabric with your hands to shrink areas of the sweater. Supposing that your sweater should measure 60 cm long: The measurement of your size (60 cm) x the rows in the swatch (8 rows) divided by 10 cm of the swatch = 60 x 8 / 10 = 48 rows needed to reach the 60 cm of your size. You'd need to cast on 50 sts per piece instead of the 42 the pattern calls for. Divide the number of rows (31) from armhole to bind-off by your row gauge to see what your depth will be, and adjust as needed. In this example we show how to use a swatch to take a pattern width and make it wid. If the pattern states the width of the chest, then you just have to multiply by 2 to get the garment's chest measurement. But it is top-down and seamless -- you will have to look somewhere else if your dream sweater has set-in sleeves. I have learned to love swatching, as I'll explain in " How to Knit a Swatch, Part 2: Advanced Gauge Tricks .") First, let's change the conversation about swatching. The number of stitches that you will need to cast on in order to begin knitting the design in the appropriate size for you will be the outcome of this calculation. There are times I like to dive into a long term knitting project that I know will take at minimum a month to knit. That means the smallest garment is 23 inches around at the chest. STEP SIX: How to resize the sleeves. It's a slightly fiddly pattern because you have to knit each of the leaf pieces separately, then stitch them together, knit along each side of the finished square to make the rest of the body, then stitch the fronts and sleeves. Of course child-size would also work if you have a child in your life. The turtleneck collar is picked up and knit on circular needles. In this video I give you some pointers on choosing the correct sweater size in a pattern. How do you turn a knitted cardigan into a sweater? I don't have the pattern myself, but the math works out to there being somewhere around 156 stitches in the pattern (104 cm * 1.5 stitches/cm = 156). The next size is 25 inches around, and the last size is 27 inches around. Enter the instant gratification sweaters. In order to accomplish this, multiply the width of your garment in centimeters by the number of stitches in your swatch, and then divide that amount by 10. In fact, if you're scared of steeking this might be a good entry level project because you can buy a cheap sweater you aren't too invested in and if you mess it up, well, at least you didn't mess . (Knit it a little large for where they are now, and they will grow into it even if the fit isn't quite as intended. So a kid's sweater pattern might say something like: Chest: 23 (25, 27) inches. If you don't have a convenient target baby, use superwash wool and donate it -- some parent will be very happy!) Technique Tutorial | Learn to figure out your gauge and resize a pattern. This free poncho knitting pattern is perfect for beginners.