Sizing an Open-Front Cardigan: What the Pattern Really Means

When we choose a size for the sweater that we want to knit, we usually think about the bust or chest circumference (or sometimes the upper chest circumference).

This works very well for a pullover, where it’s easy to tell the finished size of the sweater: the circumference at the underarm if worked in the round, the width of the front and back minus the seam stitches if worked in pieces. To find your size, measure your chest, add extra for ease, and you have an estimate of what size you should choose for the finished sweater.

For a cardigan with a button band that is intended to be buttoned, the body circumference is calculated similarly: measure the width of the fronts and back plus the width of one band, because the bands overlap when the cardigan is buttoned. The widths of the two fronts plus one band is usually equal to the width of the back.

The fronts of the Morland Cardi by Alison Green are designed to hang open, with a stockinette front band that curls in gently.

When the Fronts Don’t Meet

But what if your cardigan doesn’t button in the front—in fact, what if the fronts don’t meet at all?