Choosing patterns for plus sizes

A sweater in size 2XL is not an enlarged version of the sample size. When grading is not done properly, you will get an unrealistically wide shoulder width, exceptionally long neck to waist measurement, etc. I had a hard time picking a good pattern when I was looking for a pattern for a plus size friend.

Fortunately it is relatively easy to identify a poorly graded pattern from the schematic measurements. It won’t take you much time and will potentially help you save a huge amount of frustration. The key measurements to compare are shoulder width (or back width), back length (neck to natural waist) and armhole depth. You can compare these measurements against a sweater you already own in a similar style. A slight difference is perfectly normal, but any difference above 5 cm / 2″ is an alarm that the pattern may not be properly graded. You should then check how these measurements vary among sizes. This is a more advanced topic that I hope to discuss in the future.