For years, I followed the Craft Yarn Council (CYC) measurements when designing my knitting patterns for women’s sweaters and dresses. The CYC’s standardized measurements are popular among many designers, and they’re familiar territory for knitters. But after some time, I realized they were simply not giving the fit I wanted for my patterns. I kept noticing issues, especially in larger sizes. Sweater knitting measurements, as I’ve discovered, need to be more inclusive and adaptable to a wider range of body shapes and sizes.
Recently, I decided to switch over to the new and updated measurements from Digits and Threads for all my ladies’ sweater and dress patterns. This was a conscious choice to make my designs more inclusive, comfortable, and, ultimately, flattering. In this post, I’ll walk you through why I’m making this change, the challenges with traditional CYC measurements, and how the Digits and Threads measurements will help me design better-fitting patterns for every body.
Why Craft Yarn Council Measurements Fall Short
When I first began creating my own knitting patterns, I trusted the CYC measurements because they were considered a reliable standard across the industry. Using a recognized guideline seemed logical for ensuring consistency in sweater knitting measurements. However, I started noticing problems when I looked at how my designs fit different bodies, especially for women in larger sizes.
The CYC’s sizing chart often fails to accommodate the way bodies actually vary. Its approach tends to generalize body types based on averages that don’t necessarily translate to real women’s proportions. For example, the bust-to-waist ratio doesn’t always reflect the needs of larger sizes, often leading to sweaters that are too snug in one area or overly loose in another. And while the CYC attempts to cover a range of sizes, it doesn’t do enough to address the unique needs of those outside the standard “average” size bracket.
For someone like me, who wants my patterns to work well for all knitters, this lack of flexibility was frustrating. I wanted my designs to reflect a better understanding of how women’s bodies actually vary and to provide sweater knitting measurements that would result in a great fit for more body types.
Why I’m Switching to Digits and Threads Sweater Knitting Measurements
After some research, I came across the measurement standards from Digits and Threads, which focus on a more realistic approach to sizing for women’s sweaters and dresses. The Digits and Threads measurements offer a wider variety of measurements for each size, taking into account how women’s bodies change as sizes increase. This new standard provides more information on how bodies differ in multiple areas, not just the bust or waist, but across shoulders, arms, and torso length. For someone who’s spent countless hours trying to fine-tune patterns for fit, this kind of precision was exactly what I’d been looking for.
Switching to the Digits and Threads measurements gives me a new level of freedom to design patterns that fit beautifully across all sizes. Instead of relying on generalized sweater knitting measurements, I now have access to a more inclusive and nuanced system. With Digits and Threads, I’m able to offer a fit that works more naturally with the diverse shapes and sizes of my audience.
Making My Patterns More Size-Inclusive
One of my core goals as a designer is to be size-inclusive. I believe everyone should feel comfortable and confident in their handmade garments, and this means that patterns should be accessible to women of all sizes. With CYC measurements, achieving this goal was challenging. Larger sizes often didn’t fit as intended, which was disheartening for knitters who took the time to follow my patterns and still ended up with a sweater that didn’t work for them.
Digits and Threads provide sweater knitting measurements that truly serve larger sizes. Their measurement system acknowledges that a size 3X, for example, needs more than just a bigger bust circumference. Instead, it accounts for variations in the shoulders, arm circumference, and torso proportions. This results in patterns that don’t simply “scale up” but instead respect the actual proportions and differences that come with each size.
By switching to these updated sweater knitting measurements, I can ensure my patterns reflect a greater attention to detail and a commitment to inclusivity. It’s important to me that knitters of all sizes find joy in creating and wearing their handmade garments without worrying about whether the pattern was designed with them in mind.
Improving Fit for Every Body
Good fit is not just about making something that goes around the body; it’s about creating something that complements the body. For too long, standard sweater knitting measurements have been too generic, and this one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in knitting. Unlike ready-to-wear clothing, knitting gives us the power to tailor garments to each individual’s shape, and I wanted to harness that potential in my designs.
The new Digits and Threads measurements allow me to create garments that flatter the wearer, fitting them comfortably across the shoulders, providing the right amount of ease in the bust, and offering accurate sleeve lengths. When a garment fits well, it’s not only more comfortable but also more wearable. This is a key aspect that I want for my designs – that they are truly worn and loved.
How This Update Will Affect My Future Patterns
Moving forward, all my ladies’ sweaters and dresses will use the Digits and Threads measurements as the standard for sweater knitting measurements. This means that you can expect my patterns to be more detailed in their sizing instructions and more specific in their fit suggestions. I want to give knitters confidence in the sizing and fit of their final pieces, knowing that these updated measurements are based on real bodies.
In practical terms, this change will result in more specific fit notes within my patterns. For example, I’ll include additional measurements such as shoulder width and arm circumference for each size, not just the bust and length. These finer details will help knitters make informed decisions about size selection and modifications. And since the Digits and Threads measurements are rooted in more realistic proportions, I hope this will simplify the process of choosing a size and yield a garment that requires fewer alterations for personal fit.
A Commitment to Quality in Sweater Knitting Measurements
As someone who designs with care, I want every knitter who picks up one of my patterns to experience the joy of creating something that feels right for them. Sweater knitting measurements may seem like a small detail, but they’re the foundation for a well-fitting garment. And when I think about the time and effort each knitter puts into their project, I want to make sure that investment pays off with a beautiful, wearable result.
Switching to Digits and Threads is part of my commitment to producing patterns that reflect high-quality standards. I’m grateful for this new tool that allows me to better serve my community and to celebrate the diversity of bodies in a meaningful way.
The Future of Size-Inclusive Knitting
Ultimately, I see this change as a step toward a future where all knitters feel seen and celebrated in the crafting community. The knitting world is filled with people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, and I want my patterns to reflect that inclusivity. Updating to the Digits and Threads sweater knitting measurements is one way to contribute to that vision, ensuring that my patterns are accessible to a wide range of knitters and that everyone can find something they love and feel good wearing.
This change marks the beginning of a new chapter for my patterns and for my approach to designing. I am excited to create pieces that are truly shaped for the people who will be wearing them, using sweater knitting measurements that honor the diversity and individuality of each knitter.
So as I make this shift, I invite you to join me in embracing a new standard for sweater knitting measurements that values inclusivity, comfort, and, above all, fit.
I hope you’re as excited as I am about this update as I am, and I’d love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions. Just comment on this blog post. Which of my current ladies patterns would you love to see the sizing updated first?