How to measure a sweater

1. Knit until the armhole looks kinda big.


2. Reference the pattern to see how long the arm hole should be.


3. Lay knitting on the floor and take out tape measure.


4. Measure arm hole while cocking head to the side.


5. Measure again.


6. Measure a third time and take the average.


7. Pick up sweater from floor to resume knitting.


8. Panic when you see the sweater stretch and expand as you pick it up.


9. While holding the sweater up on the floppy circulars, take out the tape measure. Use thumb to hold the tape measure zero mark as close to the top as you can while swing the sweater to try to stop the tape measure from spinning.


10. Repeat the above step for about five minutes, or until your arms get tired of holding the heavy alpaca sweater.


11. Stare in shock at the half inch difference between the flat and held-up sweater measurements.


12. Put knitting away while you grumble and curse.


13. Log onto online knitting community and ask how they measure their knitting.


14. Watch the mini stir of activity that erupts.


15. Research measuring online. Slowly realize that there are lots of discussion, and advocates for both methods.


16. Drink wine.


17. Take out knitting and try holding up the knitting and the tape measure, and try measuring again.


18. Realize that other people live in the house and they can hold the knitting.


19. Have them hold knitting. Measure accurately. Realize you've knit to far. Curse. Decide to live with it and keep knitting.


20. Hold tongue as recipient of sweater asks "Is this going to fit me?" Use the energy to knit faster.

On a none knitting note, Little Clover hit a homerun at his baseball game yesterday. The grin that spread across his face as he ran home and received pats from his teammates was the most amazing thing I saw all day.