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Puzzled which size to choose for a sweater that’s just right—not too loose, not too tight? Learn what designers have to say about fit, comfort, and how to make a sweater that fits.
Karin Strom6 min read
In her classic volume The Principles of Knitting, originally published in 1988 and revised in 2012, June Hemmons Hiatt says, “Ease is the difference between the body measurements and the garment measurements.” Sounds simple enough, but just what does it mean in a knitting pattern?
There is positive ease and negative ease. If you are totally new to the concept, take a look at how your favorite sweaters fit. Do you like a loose and oversized look? These comfy garments have positive ease, and measure more than your body measurement. Let’s say you have a 34-inch chest, and your favorite pullover measures 42 inches at the chest. It has 8" of positive ease.
Brooklyn Mitts are a good example of negative ease in a pattern, which provides a snug fit.
While most sweaters tend to have at least a little positive ease, there are times when negative ease works better for a design. For example, if you prefer a tighter, clingier fit that expands when you put it on, that garment probably has negative ease. Think ribby camisoles or springy brioche. In this case, the garment measurement would be less than the body measurement. The actual garment’s chest (bust) measurement might be 32 inches and stretch to fit your 34-inch chest when you put it on. Negative ease often comes into play for accessories such as fitted caps, socks, and handwarmers, like Olga Putano’s Brooklyn Mitts, which stretch when you put them on for a cozy fit.
Check the Finished Size section of a pattern for the information on how much ease the designer has planned for. The highlighted section shown here indicates the photographed garment has 8½" ease.
Most knitting patterns indicate somewhere how much ease the designer has planned for and what the photographed sample shows. In Farm & Fiber Knits garment patterns, this information can be found in the “Finished Sizes” section. For example, in Deborah Newton’s pattern, Clematis Yoke Pullover (above), it indicates that the photographed sample has 8½ inches ease. When choosing what size to knit, generally if you like the way a patten fits the model in the photo, you can pick the size that corresponds to your chest size plus the amount of ease shown. In this case, the model has a 36-inch chest, so 36 + 8½ inches of ease = size 44½. If you fall between sizes, you can decide if going up a size (more ease) or down a size (less ease) is better for you.
In addition to referring to the photo to see if you like the fit, another good reference tool is the schematic drawing included in most garment patterns. It’s a visual cross-reference to the measurements in the Size section and is especially helpful to visual thinkers. It’s like seeing a sweater pattern presented like a flat sewing pattern.
The schematic drawing corresponds to the Size section of the pattern.
To further understand the importance of ease, we talked to a few Farm & Fiber Knits designers about how it fits into their design process.
Amy Gunderson designed the Raglan Lace Hoodie with only ¾" ease for a more snug fit.
Amy was a sewer before she was a knitter and says that when she started designing she didn’t understand how forgiving knitwear is compared to woven, sewn garments. “In the beginning of my knitwear design career, I did many fitted garments. I’d put in bust darts, waist shaping, etc.” she says.
Now she tends to design roomier things. “I think it’s a combination of trends and my own personal style that have led me to design sweaters with 4 to 8 inches of positive ease these days. Sweaters tend to be inherently casual, and I believe a looser garment lends itself to that casual nature. There’s nothing like throwing on a favorite roomy sweater for ultimate comfort.”
That said, there are times a “shrunken” style looks more modern. For her Raglan Lace Hoodie, Amy chose to go with only ¾ inch ease, even though hoodies are generally slouchy. “I wanted this piece to have a more elevated look and felt keeping it more fitted would do the trick. Also, pants are trending toward a looser fit lately and having a slimmer-looking top balances out an outfit that includes wider-legged jeans.” But fit is a personal preference. As Amy points out, “This sweater could easily be sized up for a more oversized look.”
The Charlie Slipover features a bit of positive ease so you an wear it over a long-sleeve blouse or button-up.
For her Charlie Slipover, Juliette wanted something with a boxy shape and shoulder emphasis to match the structured diamond pattern of the King Charles Brocade stich pattern she chose. The versatile top has 5½ inches of positive ease. “For this slipover in particular, I wanted it to be easily worn over a long-sleeve blouse or button-up, so extra ease was important to accommodate a looser garment underneath.”
“My number-one consideration when designing a garment is comfort, and most of my designs start off as something I would want to wear myself,” she says. “I love wearing my knits and I refuse to wear something that I’m not comfortable in. I often design things with quite a bit of positive ease, so that I can easily throw it on and not worry about whether it will feel restricting on my body throughout the day.”
While she loves designing things she wants to wear herself, Juliette aims to make her patterns accessible to all and size-inclusive, so she typically grades for 10 sizes that maintain the same suggested ease across the entire range. “I also like to add notes about modifications so knitters can customize their garment to their own shape, using the size chart as a reference point for their own measurements,” she adds.
The Butte Meadow Top is designed with a small amount of ease to flatter the figure.
When Faina is designing, she starts with the silhouette and chooses stitch patterns that help her to achieve the look she wants. “At the very beginning of my calculations, I need to decide on the ease for the garment body.” Faina agrees that a knitter should know what looks and feels great on her or his body by identifying favorite sweaters and store-bought clothes.
While she appreciates a boxy top with 6–12 inches of ease and drop shoulders, she also loves the figure-flattering look of a garment with less ease, and as a mathematician she enjoys the design challenges they present. In the case of her Butte Meadow Top, she wanted to design something for a busy person who needs comfort to move and likes to look good for whatever comes along in her day but isn’t too dressy.
“Two inches of ease gives some space between the body and the top and looks good on just about any body shape,” she points out.
“For a sleeveless top with armhole shaping like this one, too much ease can be a problem. For something with this construction, it is very important that the shoulder/back width has no ease. If you have too many stitches, the shoulder seam will slip off and make for a sloppy look.” After blocking, the top has 1¾ inches of ease.
In her book Good Measure: Knit a Perfect Fit Every Time, Deborah Newton delves into more advanced ease issues and how to customize a pattern to all of your measurements.
All the designers we spoke with agree that ease is key to the look, fit, and comfort of a knitted garment. Is it a coincidence that the dictionary definition of ease is “the state of being comfortable”?
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