Before reading today's post, I recommend reading
this (it's the first part of the topic I'll discuss below).
In
Part II I gave some indications on how to calculate the amount of cashmere needed for scarves and stoles.
Today I will talk about sweaters.
Our starting point (the basis for calculating the amount of cashmere) will be a classic, simple sweater, made with stockinette stitch. If you want to enrich it with fancy stitches, cables, slipped stitches, crossed stitches, etc., you need to increase the amount of yarn.
As I already emphasized in my previous posts, the
yarn count is more important than the weight.
If the yarn is thin, it weighs less and yields more, and conversely, if the yarn is thick, it weighs more and yields less. Knowing how many meters of cashmere or wool you need to make a sweater, you will be able to precisely calculate its weight.
The tables below approximately indicate how many stitches there are in a 10 cm swatch of stockinette stitch and how many meters of yarn will be needed to make a sweater.
I remind you that these numbers represent an average: those who knit tightly will have more stitches, while those who knit loosely might have fewer.
Children: chest circumference (finished sweater)
|
Approximate number of stitches in 10 cm
(stockinette stitch)
|
66 cm
(2 years)
|
71 cm
(4 years)
|
76 cm
(6 years)
|
81.5 cm
(8 years)
|
86.5 cm
(10 years)
|
|
12
|
297 m
|
369 m
|
442 m
|
505 m
|
580 m
|
|
16
|
421 m
|
523 m
|
627 m
|
716 m
|
822 m
|
|
20
|
532 m
|
660 m
|
791 m
|
904 m
|
1038 m
|
|
24
|
753 m
|
934 m
|
1120 m
|
1279 m
|
1469 m
|
|
28
|
829 m
|
1028 m
|
1233 m
|
1408 m
|
1617 m
|
Adults: chest circumference (finished sweater)
|
Approximate number of stitches
in 10 cm
(stockinette stitch)
|
91.5
cm
|
96.5
cm
|
101.5
cm
|
106.5
cm
|
112
cm
|
117
cm
|
122
cm
|
127
cm
|
132
cm
|
|
12
|
657 m
|
704 m
|
753 m
|
801 m
|
853 m
|
927 m
|
994 m
|
1049 m
|
1125 m
|
|
16
|
931 m
|
998 m
|
1069 m
|
1136 m
|
1210 m
|
1315 m
|
1410 m
|
1488 m
|
1595 m
|
|
20
|
1175 m
|
1259 m
|
1349 m
|
1434 m
|
1527 m
|
1660 m
|
1780 m
|
1878 m
|
2013 m
|
|
24
|
1664 m
|
1783 m
|
1909 m
|
2030 m
|
2161 m
|
2350 m
|
2520 m
|
2659 m
|
2850 m
|
|
28
|
1832 m
|
1962 m
|
2102 m
|
2235 m
|
2380 m
|
2587 m
|
2774 m
|
2927 m
|
3138 m
|
-
-
|
Needle size
|
Approximate number of stitches / 10 cm swatch (stockinette stitch)
|
|
2.25 – 3.25
|
31 - 26
|
|
3.25 – 3.75
|
25 – 28
|
|
3.75 – 4.5
|
28 – 20
|
|
4.5 – 5.5
|
20 – 16
|
|
5.5 - 8
|
15 – 12
|
Here's a practical example:
Step 1: I take one of my sweaters and measure its width (at chest height) - it's 49 cm. I multiply the figure by 2 to get the full chest circumference: 49 cm x 2 = 98 cm. Since the table doesn't have a chest circumference of 98 cm, I have to choose between 96.5 and 101.5. I'll choose 101.5, it's better to have a few extra meters of yarn :-).
Step 2: I choose a needle size. I'll look for yarn to work with size 4/4.5 needles (my favorites, because the knit isn't too thin or too thick).
Step 3: I check how many meters of yarn I will need.
Step 4: I open the Hircus Filati website and search among Cashmere and Fine Yarns. In the description of each yarn, I find all the necessary information, i.e., count, needle size to use, weight, and yardage.
Step 5: I place the order :-).
I hope this post will help you calculate the amount of cashmere needed to make a beautiful sweater, even if it is always an approximate calculation.
I recommend you visit the Hircus Filati website often so you don't miss out on any exceptional opportunities.
In addition to yarns, you can also purchase
classic and elegant cashmere clothing and accessories and fine yarns at truly affordable prices.
Happy knitting and… see you next time!
Alicja Kwartnik for
Hircus Filati
Happy knitting and… see you next time!
Alicja Kwartnik for Hircus Filati