Sweater Design - Fitting A Sweater

Fitting A Sweater

The fit of a sweater affects its comfort, its attractiveness and, sometimes, its practicality (e.g., dangling sleeves can fall into food or get caught on hooks).

The simplest sweaters (drop sleeve, cylindrical) require six measurements:

• circumference around the bust/chest (widest point)
• circumference (or width) of the neck
• under-arm length (armhole to sleeve-cuff hem)
• circumference of the arm at the sleeve-cuff hem
• back length (vertical distance from back of the neck to lower hem)
• armhole depth (vertical distance from bottom of armhole to lower hem)

A few more measurements usually produce a well-fitted sweater:

• circumference at the lower hem
• over-arm length (shoulder to sleeve-cuff hem)
• circumference of the upper arm near the armhole
• bust height (vertical distance from back of the neck to bust line)
• shoulder width (horizontal distance between bony shoulder points, measured across back)

For a more tailored look, even more measurements are necessary

• slope of the shoulders (vertical distance from base of neck to shoulder-point line)
• neck-shoulder length (horizontal distance from base of neck to shoulder point)
• circumference at the waist, the point of largest inward or outward curvature
• waist height (vertical distance from back of the neck to waist line)

Ideally, these measurements will be taken directly from the intended wearer, since bodies are idiosyncratic and these measurements may vary independently of one another, e.g., the bust measurement does not determine the waist or hip measurements, just as the height does not determine the arm length or shoulder width. Alternatively, the body measurements may be estimated from clothing that fits the wearer well. As a last resort, standard measurements such as EN 13402 or US standard clothing sizes may be used.

Of course, a sweater need not conform exactly to the wearer's body. Ease may be introduced to make the sweater larger than the body (oversized), typically by increasing the circumference measurements by 2-6 inches. Different amounts of ease can be introduced at different points to give the sweater a distinctive silhouette. For example, a "Gibson-girl" sleeve is produced by adding much ease to the upper arm and none to the lower arm, whereas the reverse is true for "bell" sleeves (also called "bishop" sleeves). Similarly, the bodice can fit loosely in the bust and tightly at the waist, or the reverse. Negative ease (i.e., subtracting from the body measurements) is also possible to achieve a very close-fitting look, but more than 2 inches is not recommended.

By making the sweater match the desired measurements, an excellently fitting sweater can be made. The width of a knitted piece at a given height should equal the corresponding circumference; for example, if the desired bust circumference is 38", then the front or back width at that height should be 19" each. The width of the upper sleeve (just before the sleeve cap, if any) should likewise equal the desired circumference of the upper arm.

Having determined the size and shapes of the knitted pieces, the number of stitches in a row is given by the desired width multiplied by the knitting gauge (e.g., 5 st/inch). Similarly, the number of rows in a column may be determined by multiplying the desired height by the vertical gauge (e.g., 3 rows/inch).