FAQ/Resources
Vintage Crochet and Knitting Stitches
Needle and hook sizes for knitting and crocheting change over time so the sizes called for in vintage patterns may be different from the modern sizes that you are use to. To help you select the needle or hook size that works best for your project, we have provided the following tables.
| Metric Sizes (mm) knit |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7.5 |
7 |
6.5 |
6 |
5.5 |
5 |
4.5 |
4 |
3.75 |
3.5 |
3.25 |
3 |
2.75 |
2.25 |
2 |
1.75 |
| U.K. and Former Canadian Sizes |
000 |
00 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
- |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
| U.S. Sizes |
15 |
13 |
11 |
- |
- |
10.5 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
- |
2 |
1 |
0 |
- |
| Metric Sizes (mm) | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2 |
| U.K. and Former Canadian Sizes | 000 | 00 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | - | 9 | 10 | 11 | - | 12 | 12 | 14 |
| U.S. Sizes | P | - | - | 10 ½ K | - | J | I | H | G | F | - | E | - | D | - | C | - | B |
Source: www.knitting-crochet.com/found/conchafou.html
Yarn Substitutions
Sometimes the yarns called for in vintage knitting or crochet patterns are no longer being produced. To help you find the closest alternative that is still being produced, we recommend searching this site:
www.purplekittyyarns.com/discontinued-yarn
Vintage Crochet and Knitting Stitches
Some of the knitting and crocheting stitches called for in vintage patterns may not be familiar to you. The following links provide instructions that we thought you might find useful. The first two links are for vintage crocheting stitches and the last link is for vintage knitting stitches.
www.heirloomcrochet.com
www.knitheaven.com/vintagepatterns/crochetterms.htm
www.heirloomknits.com/vintageknitting_techniques.shtml
Over time, standard clothing sizes (especially for women) have evolved in the United States. Because of this, many of the measurements used in vintage patterns are for different sizes than we would expect by modern standards. To assist you in selecting the best sizes possible, we have provided the following tables. We hope you find them helpful.
* Bust, waist and hip measurements are in inches
** “Modern Sizes” refer to modern U.S. sizes
*** “Vintage” refers to U.S. sizes before 1970
| Modern Sizes | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Bust | 33½ | 34½ | 35½ | 36½ | 38 | 39½ | 41½ |
| Waist | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29½ | 31 | 32½ |
| Hips | 35½ | 36½ | 37½ | 38½ | 40 | 41½ | 43 |
| Vintage Sizes | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 40 | 42 |
| Bust | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
| Waist | 25 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 |
| Hips | 33 | 35 | 37 | 39 | 41 | 43 | 45 |
Babies, Toddlers, Children & Youth
The sizes for babies, toddlers, children and youth have not changed since many of the vintage patterns were produced so these tables are for both modern and vintage sizes. We have provided them just in case you need help determining a size for your project.
| Baby/Toddler Size | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months | 18 months | 24 months |
| 1. Chest (in.) (cm.) |
16 40.5 |
17 43 |
18 45.5 |
19 48 |
20 50.5 |
| 2. Center Back (Neck-to-Cuff) | 10½ 26.5 |
11½ 29 |
12½ 31.5 |
14 35.5 |
18 45.5 |
| 3. Back Waist Length | 6 15.5 |
7 17.5 |
7½ 19 |
8 20.5 |
8½ 21.5 |
| 4. Cross Back (Shoulder to Shoulder) | 7¼ 18.5 |
7¾ 19.5 |
8¼ 21 |
8½ 21.5 |
8¾ 22 |
| 5. Sleeve Length & Underarm | 6 15.5 |
6½ 16.5 |
7½ 19 |
8 20.5 |
8½ 21.5 |
| 6. Upper Arm | 5½ 14 |
6 15.5 |
6½ 16.5 |
7 17.5 |
7½ 19 |
| 7. Armhole Depth | 3¼ 8.5 |
3½ 9 |
3¾ 9.5 |
4 10 |
4¼ 10.5 |
| 8. Waist | 18 45.5 |
19 48 |
20 50.5 |
20½ 52 |
21 53.5 |
| 9. Hips | 19 48 |
20 50.5 |
20 50.5 |
21 53.5 |
22 56 |
| Child/Youth Size |
2 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
| 1. Chest (in.) (cm.) |
21 53 |
23 58.5 |
25 63.5 |
26½ 67 |
28 71 |
30 76 |
31½ 80 |
32½ 82.5 |
| 2. Center Back | 18 45.5 |
19½ 49.5 |
20½ 52 |
22 56 |
24 61 |
26 66 |
27 68.5 |
28 71 |
| 3. Back Waist Length | 8½ 21.5 |
9½ 24 |
10½ 26.5 |
12½ 31.5 |
14 35.5 |
15 38 |
15½ 39.5 |
16 40.5 |
| 4. Cross Back (Shoulder to Shoulder) | 9¼ 23.5 |
9¾ 25 |
10¼ 26 |
10¾ 27 |
11¼ 28.5 |
12 30.5 |
12¼ 31 |
13 33 |
| 5. Sleeve Length to Underarm | 8½ 21.5 |
10½ 26.5 |
11½ 29 |
12½ 31.5 |
13½ 34.5 |
15 38 |
16 40.5 |
16½ 42 |
| 6. Upper Arm | 7 17.5 |
7½ 19 |
8 20.5 |
8½ 21.5 |
8¾ 22 |
9 23 |
9¼ 23.5 |
9½ 24 |
| 7. Armhole Depth |
4¼ 10.5 |
4¾ 12 |
5 12.5 |
5½ 14 |
6 15.5 |
6½ 16.5 |
7 17.5 |
7½ 19 |
| 8. Waist | 21 53.5 |
21½ 54.5 |
22½ 57 |
23½ 59.5 |
24½ 62 |
25 63.5 |
26½ 67.5 |
27½ 69.5 |
| 9. Hips | 22 56 |
23½ 59.5 |
25 63.5 |
28 71 |
29½ 75 |
21½ 80 |
33 83.5 |
35½ 90 |
source: http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/