How to size up a knitting pattern...help!

February 21, 2010 9:44 AM

Looking for help sizing a knitting pattern up from size 12 months to size 18 or 24 months...is it possible?

My mum just finished knitting the most amazing zip up the back hooded sweaters for my twin girls who are 13 months old. She used this pattern. However, she would like to knit two more in size 18 months (or even size 2.) A thorough search of the internet has yielded nothing. Does anyone here know how to size this sweater up?

posted by ms.v. to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 answers total)

You can size up a pattern finding out the measurements of the size you want the pattern to be, your knitting gauge, and then increasing the number of stitches as appropriate.
Here are some references.
posted by ishotjr at 10:08 AM on February 21, 2010

Ok, that was vague as written. Your mom will want to find out the measurements for the size sweater she wants. Then she will want to find out how many more stitches she needs to start with in order to get those measurements. I would google "resizing sweater pattern" "resizing knitting patterns" "altering knitting patterns."
posted by ishotjr at 10:10 AM on February 21, 2010

Ugh, just to clarify I meant what I wrote was vague, not the question. Ok, I'm done now!
posted by ishotjr at 10:10 AM on February 21, 2010

You can size up a pattern finding out the measurements of the size you want the pattern to be, your knitting gauge, and then increasing the number of stitches as appropriate.

Does that work with raglan sleeves, though? You'd have to make sure that any adjustments you made didn't prevent the sleeves from matching up with the body.

This seems like a good question for Ravelry. Are you on Ravelry? If not, you should be.
posted by craichead at 10:15 AM on February 21, 2010

How much bigger is that? 30% larger? 50%? etc. This will be important for the math and the swatching.

Other than reconfiguring the pattern, as ishotjr says, she could try adjusting the gauge rather than the pattern. That is, she could try using a larger yarn, or holding 2 strands of the worsted, with larger needles, and just following the same pattern. As long as the swatch is x% bigger than it calls for, it should work ... I think.
posted by librarina at 10:15 AM on February 21, 2010

I haven't attempted to modify sweater patterns before, so I have no personal advice, but I know where I'd seek help.

craichead is right that Ravelry is likely the best place for this kind of advice. I found a thread asking the same question (rav login required), and there are some good answers there.

I've also seen some good knitting help given in the live journal community.

And if your mom has a nearby yarn store, staff are usually happy to help or point you in the right direction when you have questions. (And when the staff can't help, sometimes other customers can.) I think this is the sort of question that can be answered well online, but sometimes you just need someone to show you in person.
posted by katieinshoes at 10:36 AM on February 21, 2010

Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns (It's really called that).

This is the book you want!
posted by bilabial at 12:28 PM on February 21, 2010

Because it's a top-down raglan pattern, it should be really easy to modify -- they're the ultimate in knit-til-it-fits. Just work out the measurements you'll want at those ages, and keep knitting til you get them, rather than stopping the raglan shaping.

So where it says "Repeat Rows 2 & 3, 9 (10-11) times more 134 (144-154) sts.", you might end up repeating them 18 or 20 times... until you think it will be big enough to fit.

Also, looking at the sleeves, I see no reason you wouldn't be able to knit them in the round by picking up stitches all around the arm-holes. That would be a lot easier than seaming as well, to my mind. (I hate seams, and I'm not sure if I've mis-read something but I can't work out why on earth they would be seamed for this pattern).
posted by indienial at 6:27 PM on February 21, 2010