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Sweater Easement
by C.W. Carvalho
Certified Crochet Instructor, Certified Knitting Instructor, Certified Master Knitter
The basic outline of a sweater as it hangs on the body (also referred to as silhouette) can be defined as “Body Hugging”, “Tight to Close Fitting”, “Classic Fitting”, “Loose Fitting”, or “Oversized/Exaggerated”.
sweater easement

A “Body Hugging” shaped sweater conforms to the body and hugs the body shape. To determine the measurement of a  “Body Hugging” sweater, calculated the bust/chest measurement minus 5-10%.

The “Tight to Close Fitting” shaped sweater also may conform to the body shape or have a slight ease allowance. To determine the measurement of a “Tight to Close Fitting” sweater, calculated the bust/chest measurement plus 0-5%.

sweater easement
The “Classic Fitting” shaped sweater has a slight drape and ease allowance for movement. To determine the measurement of a “Classic Fitting” sweater, calculate the bust/chest measurement plus 7-10%.
sweater easement
A “Loose Fitting” shaped sweater has an ample drape and ease allowance for movement. To determine the measurement of a “Loose Fitting” sweater, calculate the bust/chest measurement plus 12-15%.
sweater easement
The “Oversized/Exaggerated” shaped sweater is much larger than the body with ample ease and allowance for movement. To determine the measurement of an “Oversized/Exaggerated” sweater, calculate the bust/chest measurement plus 16% or more, depending on the desired exaggerated look.

The following chart shows the measurements, in both inches and centimeters, required to produce the sweater silhouettes defined above.

Sweater Ease Allowance Chart

Bust/Chest Measurement

Body Hugging

Tight to Close Fitting

Classic Fitting

Loose Fitting

Oversized/
Exaggerated

30
(76.2 cm)

27-28 1/2
(68.6-72.4 cm)

30-31 1/2"
(76.2-80 cm)

32 1/8-33
(81.5-83.8 cm)

33 5/8-
34 1/2"
(85.3-87.6 cm)

34 3/4" +
(88.4 cm +)

31
(78.7 cm)

28-29 1/2
(70.9-74.8 cm)

31-32 5/8
(78.7-82.7 cm)

33 1/4-
34 1/8
(84.3-
86.6 cm)

34 3/4-
35 3/4
(88.2-90.6 cm)

36” +
(91.3 cm +)

32
(81.3 cm)

28 3/4-
30 3/8
(73.2-77.2 cm)

32-33 5/8
(81.3-85.3 cm)

34 1/4-
35 1/2
(87-89.4 cm)

35 3/4-
36 3/4
(91-93.5 cm)

37 1/8” +
(94.3 cm +)

33
(83.8 cm)

29 3/4”-
31 3/8
(75.4-79.6 cm)

33-34 3/4"
(83.8-88 cm)

35 3/8-
36 3/8
(89.7- 92.2 cm)

37-38
(93.9-
96.4 cm)

38 3/8” +
(97.2 cm +)

34
(86.4 cm)

30 5/8-
32 1/4
(77.7-82 cm)

34-35 3/4"
(86.4-90.7 cm)

36 3/8-
37 3/8
(92.4-95 cm)

38 1/8-
39 1/8
(96.7-99.3 cm)

39 3/8” +
(100.2 cm +)

35
(88.9 cm)

31 1/2-
33 1/4
(80-84.5 cm)

35-36 3/4"
(88.9-93.3 cm)

37 1/2-
38 1/2
(95.1-97.8 cm)

39 1/4-
40 1/4"
(99.6-102.2 cm)

40 5/8” +
(103.1 cm +)

36
(91.4 cm)

32 3/8-
34 1/4
(82.3-86.9 cm)

36-37 3/4"
(91.4-96 cm)

38 1/2-
39 5/8
(97.8-100.6 cm)

40 3/8-
41 3/8
(102.4-105.2 cm)

41 3/4" +
(106.1 cm +)

37
(94 cm)

33 1/4-
35 1/8
(84.6-89.3 cm)

37-38 7/8
(94-98.7 cm)

39 5/8-
40 5/8
(100.6-103.4 cm)

41 3/8-
42 5/8
(105.3-108.1 cm)

42 7/8” +
(109 cm +)

38
(96.5 cm)

34 1/4-
36 1/8
(86.9-91.7 cm)

38-39 7/8
(96.5-101.3 cm)

40 3/4-
41 3/4
(103.3-106.2 cm)

42 5/8-
43 3/4"
(108.1-111 cm)

44 1/8” +
(112 cm +)

39
(99.1 cm)

35 1/8-37
(89.2-94.1 cm)

39-41
(99.1-104 cm)

41 3/4-
41 7/8
(106-109 cm)

43 3/4-
44 7/8
(110.9-113.9 cm)

45 1/4" +
(114.9 cm +)

40
(101.6 cm)

36-38
(91.4-96.5 cm)

40-42
(101.6-106.7 cm)

42 3/4-44
(108.7-111.8 cm)

44 3/4-46
(113.8-116.8 cm)

46 3/8” +
(117.9 cm +)

41
(104.1 cm)

36 7/8-39
(93.7-98.9 cm)

41-43 1/8
(104.1-109.3 cm)

43 7/8-
45 1/8
(111.4-114.6 cm)

45 7/8-
47 1/4"
(116.6-119.8 cm)

47 5/8” +
(120.8 cm +)

42
(106.7 cm)

37 3/4-40
(96-101.3 cm)

42-44 1/8
(106.7-112 cm)

44 7/8-
46 1/4
(114.1-117.3 cm)

47-48 3/8
(119.5-122.7 cm)

48 3/4" +
(123.7 cm +)

43
(109.2 cm)

38 3/4-
40 3/4
(98.3-103.8 cm)

43-45 1/4"
(109.2-114.7 cm)

46-47 1/4"
(116.9-120.1 cm)

48 1/4-
49 1/2
(122.3-125.6 cm)

49 7/8” +
(126.7 cm +)

44
(111.8 cm)

39 5/8-
41 3/4
(100.6-106.2 cm)

44-46 1/4"
(111.8-117.3 cm)

47 1/8-
48 3/8
(119.6-122.9 cm)

49 3/8-
50 5/8
(125.2-128.5 cm)

51” +
(129.6 cm +)

45
(114.3 cm)

40 1/2-
42 3/4
(102.9-108.6 cm)

45-47 1/4"
(114.3-120 cm)

48 1/4-
49 1/2"
(122.3-125.7 cm)

50 3/8-
51 3/4"
(128-131.4 cm)

52 1/4" +
(132.6 cm +)

46
(116.8 cm)

41 3/8-
43 3/4
(105.2-111 cm)

46-48 1/4"
(116.8-122.7 cm)

49 1/4-
50 5/8
(125-128.5 cm)

51 1/2-
52 7/8
(130.9-134.4 cm)

53 3/8” +
(135.5 cm +)

47
(119.4 cm)

42 1/4-
44 5/8
(107.4-113.4 cm)

47-49 3/8
(119.4-125.3 cm)

50 1/4-
51 5/8
(127.7-131.3 cm)

52 5/8-
54 1/8
(133.7-137.3 cm)

54 1/2" +
(138.5 cm +)

48
(121.9 cm)

43 1/4-
45 5/8
(109.7-115.8 cm)

48-50 3/8
(121.9-128 cm)

51 3/8-
52 3/4
(130.5-134.1 cm)

53 3/4-
55 1/4
(136.6-140.2 cm)

55 3/4" +
(141.4 cm +)

49
(124.5 cm)

44 1/8-
46 5/8
(112-118.2 cm)

49-51 1/2"
(124.5-130.7 cm)

52 3/8-
53 7/8
(133.2-136.9 cm)

54 7/8-
56 3/8
(139.4-143.1 cm)

56 3/4" +
(144.4 cm +)

50
(127 cm)

45-47 1/2"
(114.3-120.7 cm)

50-52 1/2"
(127-133.4 cm)

53 1/2-55
(135.9-139.7 cm)

56-57 1/2"
(142.2-146.1 cm)

58” +
(147.3 cm +)

51
(129.5 cm)

45 7/8-
48 1/2
(116.6-123.1 cm)

51-53 5/8
(129.5-136 cm)

54 5/8-
56 1/8
(138.6-
142.5 cm)

57 1/8-
58 3/4
(145.1-149 cm)

59 1/4" +
(150.3 cm +)

52
(132.1 cm)

46 3/4-
49 3/8
(118.9-125.5 cm)

52-54 5/8
(132.1-138.7 cm)

55 5/8-
57 1/4
(141.3-145.3 cm)

58 1/4-
59 3/4
(147.9-151.9 cm)

60 3/8” +
(153.2 cm +)

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copyright © MM, C.W. Carvalho. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This material is not for sale or reproductions
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