Sizing Information

Common Questions from Knitters
Below are common questions that knitters have asked me when choosing my Purl &Jane patterns:

What size do I knit from your patterns?

I don’t use standard sizes in my patterns. I feel there isn’t anything ‘standard’ about hand knitted garments or us!

I let the shape and the yarn dictate the finished size. I recommend to always check the Actual Measurement or Actual Chest Size. Sometimes I feel the garment is better tighter or looser however that is my personal choice and the beauty about hand knitting is that you can knit to your own personal choice, so that is why it is important to check the Actual Measurement or Actual Chest Size.

In each pattern there are measurements, which include To fit chest (suggested) and Actual Measurement or Actual Chest Size.

It is a good idea, once you have chosen the garment you wish to knit, find a similar garment that fits you or the person you are knitting for.

Lay your existing garment out flat and measure across the chest (about 2cm/1in under the armholes). Once you have this figure, double it (e.g if it is 90cm times that by 2, so 90 x 2 = 180cm) compare it to the Actual Measurements or Actual Chest Size and chose the knitted garment size that is nearest to this figure.

I love the shape of the garment I’ve chosen but I would like it longer/shorter than shown.

This is very easy with my patterns, it’s how I design them.

Everyone is individual and no one is the same.

My sister and I are the same height, however she has a longer body than me. So while we can wear the same clothes, my t-shirts are always shorter on her than they are on me. For manufactured clothes there is nothing we can do. For a hand knit garment this is easy to solve. We knit the same pattern but we will knit to different lengths.

I understand how we all are different and I make sure my patterns are easy to lengthen or shorten to your preferred length.

If you wanted to lengthen or shorten the garment the best place to do this is in the instructions before the ‘Shape Armholes’ instruction, if the pattern has this instruction, otherwise it is just the total length.

Remember to work the same length on the back and front.

How do I make my sleeve’s shorter?

Everyone has different wants when it comes to sleeve lengths so most of my sleeve patterns are really easy to lengthen or shorten.

Once you have knitted the back and front, pin or sew the shoulders together.

Pin the side seams and put the garment shell on.

Measure from the seam under the arm to the desired length.

To lengthen or shorten the sleeve, find the instruction in the pattern that states, for example: ‘Continue in pattern without shaping until the sleeve measures 45cm/17¾ins from the cast on edge, ending with a wrong side row.

Change this measurement by your different amount.