As of August 1st 2023, Solvara Knitwer patterns will be available in the size range XXS to 5XL, based on the Craft Yarn Council's standard sizing, to the extent possible for each design.
We take care to ensure that each element of a garment is graded on an individual scale, as all body parts shrink/grow at different paces. In practice, this means that instructions can differ between sizes within one pattern. Sections that do not apply to all sizes are marked by the sizes to which they apply.
Solvara Knitwear patterns list recommend ease in percentages. This is due to the fact that 10 centrimetres of ease will not look the same on a person with an 80cm bust, as on someone with an 150 cm bust.
To find the recommended range of ease, multiply your own measurement - measured at whichever point is stated in the pattern - with one (1) point the percentage listed.
Example:
The recommended ease is 10 to 20%
Your measurement is 100 cm.
Lower recommendation: 100 cm x 1.10 = 110 cm.
Higher recommendation: 100 cm x 1.20 = 120 cm.
This means that your recommended size is one where the finished width of the garment falls between 110 and 120 cm.
Note that this range is only a recommendation - all bodies are preferences are different, so use this range as a guideline to choose your perfect fit.
To avoid the hurdle of having to ask for a specific size and/or commit to a testknit, we choose to release the full size range of XXS to 5XL, whether all sizes have been testknitted or not.
If a size has not been testknitted, this will be noted in the listing desctription. If you are interested in testing a size that is marked as such, feel free to email katrin@solvaraknitwear.com.
The gauge listed in Solvara Knitwear patterns is always measured after washing and blocking, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Treat your swatch just as you would the finished garment in order to get accurate measurements - this includes swatching in the round if that is how your garment will be worked.
In patterns released after August 1st 2023, the listed gauge differentiates between rows and rounds.
Please note that if you do not obtain the gauge listed in the pattern, the finished garment will not have the listed measurements.
The recommended needle size in the pattern is based on the average needle size that testers obtained gauge on.
If you have too few stitches per 10 cm, try a smaller needle. If you have too many, try a larger needle.
The recommended yarn is listed in grammes - as a general rule, in units that match the amounts the recommended yarn is sold in.
Solvara Knitwear is based between the Faroe Islands and Denmark, and therefore mainly works with Scandinavian and Faroese yarns.
For yarn substitutions, we recommend consulting your local yarn store in order to get an overview of the alternatives available to you.
Keep in mind that although a yarn substitution may meet the same gauge, if the fibre is different - be it due to the content or the way it is spun - that can affect the look of the final garment.
As a general rule, multiply the units of the recommended yarn by its length per unit to see how many metres/yards you need, and divide this by the length per unit of your substition in order to find out how much you need.
Keep in mind that if you use a thicker or more voluminous yarn where you can obtain gauge on a smaller needle than with the recommended yarn, you will need a smaller amount - and vice versa if you use a yarn for which you need a larger needle to obtain gauge.
