How to measure a cardigan
Every point, drawn on the garment so there is no guessing where the tape goes.
Quick answer
Lay the cardigan flat, front closed, and measure ten points in fit order: chest, length, shoulder, upper sleeve, lower sleeve, arm, forearm, cuff, waist and hem. Chest leads, taken with the edges just meeting, not overlapped, the step knit guides fumble. Tap each step on the diagram to place the tape. Sizely turns the numbers into a chart buyers trust.
A cardigan is an open-front knit, so a buyer checks the chest first to know if it closes or drapes the way they want. Knit relaxes as it sits, which is why you measure it loose, not tugged smooth. Generic guides stop at three or four points. This page draws all ten on the real garment, including the arm and forearm runs sweaters need but most charts drop.
- A
Chest
The first thing a buyer checks, so it leads. With the front edges meeting flat (not overlapping), run the tape across the body just under the armholes. Tap this step to see the exact line. On a relaxed knit this decides whether it buttons or hangs open.Double it for the full chest circumference.
- B
Length
A single vertical run from the high shoulder straight down to the bottom hem. Tap the step to see where the line starts and ends, so you follow the knit and not a drooping front edge.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- C
Shoulder
Across the back, seam to seam where each shoulder meets the sleeve. On a dropped-shoulder cardigan this sits wider than the body, which is exactly what the buyer wants to see.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- D
Sleeve A
The upper sleeve run, from the shoulder seam toward the elbow. The chart splits the sleeve so a long knit arm is not hidden inside one rounded total.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- E
Sleeve B
The lower sleeve run, from where the upper sleeve ends down to the cuff. On a cardigan this is usually the longer of the two.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- F
Cuff
Across the very end of the sleeve, the ribbed opening the hand passes through. Knit cuffs stretch, so measure the rib at rest, not pulled wide.Double it for the cuff circumference.
- G
Waist
Across the body at its narrowest, usually mid-torso. A relaxed cardigan reads close to the chest here; a shaped one nips in.Double it for the full waist circumference.
- H
Hem
Across the bottom opening, edge to edge with the front closed. A ribbed hem pulls in, so let it relax before you read the tape.Double it for the full hem circumference.
- I
Arm
Across the widest part of the sleeve near the top, the bicep line. Knit gives, but a buyer with broader arms still reads this number before they trust the fit.Double it for the full arm circumference.
- J
Forearm
Across the sleeve lower down, toward the wrist end. Tap the step to see the spot. It tells a buyer whether the sleeve tapers or stays loose to the cuff.Double it for the full forearm circumference.
Measure flat and never stretched. Knit wants to spring, so let the cardigan settle with the front edges just touching and the ribbing relaxed before the tape goes down. Pulling it taut adds inches that vanish the moment a buyer puts it on. The across points, chest, waist, hem and cuff, double for a body circumference; length, shoulder, both sleeve runs, the arm and the forearm are recorded exactly as measured.
Cardigan size reference
| Size | Chest | Length | Shoulder | Sleeve | Hem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 19 | 25 | 16.5 | 24 | 18.5 |
| M | 20.5 | 26 | 17.5 | 24.5 | 20 |
| L | 22 | 27 | 18.5 | 25 | 21.5 |
| XL | 24 | 28 | 19.5 | 25.5 | 23.5 |
| 2XL | 26 | 29 | 20.5 | 26 | 25.5 |
Frequently asked
How do I measure a knit cardigan without stretching it?
Lay it flat on a hard surface and let the knit settle for a few seconds before the tape touches it. Smooth out wrinkles with your hand, but never tug the fabric tight. Read the ribbing at rest, since a relaxed rib at the hem and cuff can sit two or three inches narrower than the same rib pulled wide. The number a buyer can reproduce at home is the relaxed one.
Should I measure a cardigan buttoned or open?
Measure it closed but not overlapped, with the front edges or button band just meeting. That gives the true chest and hem the buyer gets when they wear it fastened. If the cardigan has no closure and always hangs open, lay it flat with the fronts edge to edge so the chest still reads as a full body width when doubled.
Do I double the chest measurement on a cardigan?
For the flat chart number, no, list it as measured. To estimate the body circumference, double the across points: chest, waist, hem, arm, forearm and cuff. The length, shoulder and the two sleeve runs are single passes, so the flat number is already the real one. Most charts show the flat number because a buyer can verify it with their own cardigan and a tape.
What size am I in a cardigan?
It depends entirely on the brand, since cardigan sizing drifts more than most tops. Take the chest measurement of one that fits you well and match it to the seller's flat chest, rather than trusting the S, M or L on the tag. For converting between US, UK and EU labels, see our women's international size chart or the men's international size chart.
Should I measure a cardigan in inches or centimeters?
Either is fine as long as you stay consistent and label the unit on the chart. Sellers shipping across borders do best listing both, since one buyer thinks in inches and the next in centimeters. Sizely shows both on every chart so nobody has to convert in their head.
Related size charts & tools
Women's international size chart
Men's international size chartSources: Sizely garment engine, spec #16 (Cardigan), ten named measurement points. ISO 8559 body-measurement reference (representative ranges only). Last verified June 2026.
Make the right size obvious.
Join 85,000+ sellers showing measurements buyers trust. Free to start, no card needed.