How to Draft Knit from Stretch-woven (Method C)

I recommend you read the article: Stretch & Knits for Non-Standard Figures before using this method.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 1

• Draw a horizontal line, A~B, and place your Stretch-woven Torso Front & Back blocks so that the shoulder points touch this line.
• Make sure that your CB & CF lines are at right angles to the A~B line; i.e. A~C and B~D are at right angles to the A~B line.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 2

• Trace the Back Block and mark the waist line; don’t mark the dart.
• Trace the Front Block only from the CF hem to the armhole; not the side seam or the darts.  (Trace just a few inches of the hemline near CF).
• Mark the waist line of the Front Block only at the CF line.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 3

• Draw another horizontal line, E~F, parallel to A~B, so that it touches the back underarm point.
• Draw another line G~Hm 0.75 inches (2 cm) above and parallel to E~F.
• Redraw the front armhole so that it touches the G~H line, making sure the width of the front block remains the same.  Use the original armhole shape near the shoulder and blend into the new armhole shape towards the G~H line.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 4

We will first finish off the back block, then cut it out to finish the front.

• Measure the width of the back dart from your original block (Stretch-woven), value = x.
• Measure in from the side seam of the Back Knit to the value of x.
• Redraw the side seam from  the underarm to the new side seam waist, then down to the hem.
• Cut out this Knit Torso Back to finish the front.

The Knit Torso Back shape is shown shaded in beige. (This may not be the final shape as truing it to the front may change it slightly).

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 5

• After cutting out the Back block, flip it over and place it on top of the Front.
• Place the underarm points together, and rotate the back block until the CB waist point touches the CF line.
• Trace the back side seam.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 6

• Draw the waistline curve.
• Draw the hemline curve.

In the next step the armhole shape needs to be trued using the Back block.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 7

• Line the Back and Front so the side seams match from the underarm to the waist.
• True the armhole; a little may have to be trimmed from both the front and back to make a smooth curve.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 8

• The front and back have to be trued at the shoulder, to make sure the shoulder length is the same, and the neckline and armhole curves need to be checked.  (Shaded blue in the image).
• The front and back have to be trued at the hemline, to make sure there is a smooth curve.

In the next and final image we will talk a little about the curve on the Front waistline and hemline.

Instructions:  Drafting the Knit Block/s –  Method C, Figure 9

The curve on the waistline and hemline on the Front Knit Block in this image are not extreme.  If you have a very large bust you might have a more extreme curve.   This is because when you drafted your woven block you needed that length to go over your bust. As knit fabric stretches, you probably won’t need the same length as you do with woven fabrics.  You could try and raise the armhole and hemline by 1/2 inch so you end up with a gentler curve.