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What You Need To Know About Ease
All you need to know is how you like your garments to fit. Which is actually easier said than done, since most of us don’t really know how big we are, what we look like, and what sizes fit us well. But to put in all the work of knitting a sweater (which you will easily be able to do, if you stick with me) without making sure it will fit right, is a tragedy.
Ask a friend who dresses well which of your sweaters fits you the best. Is it skin-tight? Is is big and baggy? Is it fitted but casual? The size of garment you chose to make should reflect the amount of ease you want in it – the difference between the size of sweater and the size of your body.
Most knitters make things too big, for fear of having their sweaters come out too small. Get a friend’s help and pick a size that you know will fit you just right. If your bust size is 36 inches, and you like your sweaters to fit snugly, make a sweater that is 36 inches or fewer across – remember, yarn stretches. Just measure your favorite sweater if you are not sure.
In addition to understanding ease, I’d like you to consider how the fabric you are making will hang. How stretchy is the stitch pattern? Cables pull a garment in, and hold it close to the body. Ribbing is very stretchy, but it will only hold its shape if the garment is knitted out of a yarn that holds its shape, like wool.
How do you want the garment to fit? Socks, for instance, need to be smaller than your feet in order to stretch and stay on your feet comfortable. Hats, too, need to be a bit smaller than your head – say 10% smaller in both cases. I feel the same way about sweaters.
If you like your sweaters to stretch when you put them on, make the sweater a little smaller than you are. The opposite is true as well.
