Free guides

Free guides to knitting from vintage patterns: old needle sizes, 3-ply yarn, tension, abbreviations, resizing, fit and more.

• Old knitting needle sizes: UK, US and metric conversion chartConvert old UK knitting needle sizes (000 to 14 and finer) to mm and US sizes, tell UK from US numbering on vintage patterns, and see where there's no match.
• What is 3-ply yarn? Modern equivalents for vintage 2, 3 and 4-plyWhat vintage 2-ply, 3-ply and 4-ply mean today, how Australian 5, 8 and 10 ply compare, typical tensions, and how to pick a modern yarn that will actually fit.
• How to measure knitting tension (gauge) accuratelyMeasure knitting tension (gauge) properly: swatch size, blocking, counting stitches and rows, half stitches, tricky yarns and what to do if you're off.
• Vintage knitting abbreviations and old terms: a decoderDecode vintage knitting abbreviations and old terms: w.fwd, w.r.n., m.1, k.b., p.s.s.o., Victorian "seam" and "narrow", plus UK and US equivalents.
• How to resize a vintage knitting pattern (the right way)How to resize a vintage knitting pattern: check tension, draw a schematic, grade bust, armhole and upper arm separately, with a full worked 34" to 42" example.
• Plus-size vintage knitting: patterns, sizing and fit tipsWhy vintage knitting patterns stop around a 36–40" bust, and how to knit them bigger: bust short rows, armhole depth, upper arm, length and styles that suit.
• Short-row bust darts: adding bust room to a knitted sweaterHow to add bust room to a vintage sweater with short-row bust darts: measuring, how many rows, where to turn, a full worked example, and cardigans, stitch patterns and stripes.
• How vintage knitwear should fit: ease and silhouette, 1940s to 1980sHow vintage knitwear should fit, decade by decade from the 1940s to the 1980s: ease in plain numbers, "to fit" versus actual size, and how to choose your size.
• Why vintage knitting patterns go wrong (and how to fix them)Why vintage knitting patterns go wrong: misprints, missing row tension, one size only, assumed knowledge, and how to check a pattern before you cast on.
• How much yarn do I need for a vintage pattern? (ounces, skeins and balls)Convert vintage yarn amounts in ounces to 50 g balls: why weight isn't length, metres per ball by yarn weight, a worked example and how much spare to buy.
• How to read a Japanese knitting pattern (diagrams and symbols)Read Japanese knitting patterns without speaking Japanese: schematics in cm, the 2-1-3 shaping code, chart symbols, key words and needle sizes in mm.
• Found a box of old knitting patterns? What to do with themFound old knitting patterns in an attic or a loved one's things? How to sort, date and store them, knit one today, make a family piece, or pass them on.
• Where to find vintage knitting patterns (free archives and more)The best free archives and libraries for vintage knitting patterns, how to search them, where to hunt in person, and how to check a scan is complete.