Kristina McGrath, Knitting Tech Editor

31/10/2023

✨Pretty proud to be an author today, about something I care very much about. Thank you so much for believing in us , and immeasurable thanks to my co-author for allll the things. ♥️
Go get your copy, y’all!

Posted • ✨🧶 Happy Pub Day to THE KNITTING PATTERN WRITING HANDBOOK! 🧶✨

In this essential reference book for every knitwear designer, Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth (the expert editors of ) offer valuable tips and advice for developing accurate and well-written patterns.

Each chapter of this guidebook provides insight into different components of the pattern writing process—from understanding gauge and sizing to working with a tech editor and making patterns accessible to everyone. Visit the link in our bio to learn more.

21/06/2022

Another in the books. This one - I didn’t get the band tight enough for me, so lucky Lo inherited it, and is having fun wearing more of her fave ♥️

So bummed - was supposed to be for moi! She is having fun tho, and it came out great!

09/04/2022

The make-along has begun! Are you knitting anything from the collection? Such an inspiring group of patterns! Definitely head to their bio and check it out!



Posted • Our spring make-along kicks off today! Follow the link in my bio for all the deets! SO SO SO EXCITED!

23/03/2022

✨There are a lot of new faces here so I am saying hi! My name is Kristina and this first picture is of me, today. I have made a transformation as of late, at least it feels that way to me, all because I got a haircut and needed new glasses. Gone are the buns in my hair everyday to fight the length, occasionally wearing it down, and enter in new very different glasses. If you have been here a while you are probably like, who is that? If not, swipe to see the old me. It’s pretty weird to look in the mirror and not see yourself, but so it is.

✨I am a knitting tech editor and consultant (swipe to the last photo to see my *very first* photo I used as a tech editor on Instagram FIVE years ago) and my goal is to help designers and tech editors put out their best work, so we can have happy knitters. When knitters are happy, everyone is good. ♥️ It’s no easy feat to get there. Designers work hard. You will see me on and here in my posts talking about good fit and style - feel free to chime in with questions or comments, and find all my links in my bio!

✨I am a mom and a wife and a daughter and a sister and a friend. My family and I work to support struggling communities and uplift voices that don’t get heard. We believe people’s lived experiences and listen when we don’t know. We speak up when we see someone being wronged, and we don’t tolerate hate in our spaces. I wish for more diversity in our industry in a real way that makes real change, and work toward that. It sickens me to see the stringent laws that are being passed across the US, stripping people of their human rights, and I hope every day that we can do better.

✨It is the same in knitting! We have so many opportunities to make space for makers of all walks of life and create garments for everyone, and that is what I hope to help in my work. If you have found me, I hope that is your goal too. Welcome!

05/03/2022

Great article on fitting fat bodies and how they work. If you are serious about being size inclusive please take the time to read. Head to my Instagram stories for my thoughts.

Caution: in this post, I talk candidly and openly about my body shape. I use the word "fat" as a neutral descriptor; my body is fat, and that's okay. I talk about how my body shape makes it difficult or impossible to buy or wear certain things; these comments are to help you understand my

21/02/2022

🌟Read on for the juicy bits:


This is a snippet from my last article on schematics (which you can find at the link in my bio). I share snippets here and in my newsletter, and when I am looking at Instagram, I find snippets so annoying! Just give me the whole thing! But I am here to tell you, these platforms don’t make it easy to do that. I am thinking I will start sharing whole articles in my newsletters. So much easier than having to click away. Thoughts? Anyone as annoyed as I?

🌟Anyway, hell yes to the upper chest measurement as a sizing guide. Why are we asking knitters to choose a size based on their full bust/chest measurement when in MOST sizes, that will *not give you proper fit!*?

Will not, my friends. Your full chest be bigger than your shoulders any day of the week and twice on Sunday, and shoulder fit is where it’s at for good garment fit. 🙌🏻

Let’s encourage designers to give knitters guidance on choosing a size based on their upper chest circumference and not their full bust/chest, and then make allowances in the pattern for the full bust/chest measurement. What are your thoughts on this? What have your experiences been?

If you haven’t seen the articles on my website, I invite you to click on over. Let me know if they resonate with you. 😊

-style

17/01/2022

Knit for Food is raising money to help fight hunger with a knitathon in February. Can you join us or donate?
Sharing this post is another great way to help!

A fundraiser for Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, No Kid Hungry, and Meals on Wheels.

31/10/2021

A word on size inclusivity. ♥️ I am so happy to see so many designers embracing this, especially when so many didn’t before.

But are you grading for proper fit? Are your patterns making good on what you’re selling? Be sure.

If you need help, grading resources are out there; pattern consulting and tech editing is out there. Take advantage of those resources so you don’t fail your very eager knitters! ♥️

Click the link in my bio for more info!

18/10/2021

For me, this year’s festival definitely turned out to be about making new friends. Rhinebeck is a busy overwhelming thing, and I missed a lot of friends I had hoped to see. What I did do was meet a lot of people I hadn’t before and that was pretty amazing. ✨

Amanda and I got to share our airbnb with and walk around with her and it was full of shenanigans and knitting talk! 📷 Saw some of my tech edits out in the wild and that is always a thrill! 🧣👚

I had such special conversations with Alison and Andrea from and ♥️ Got to show off my new sweater (although by the end of Saturday I traded it for a tank from !!!)

I got to meet knitters and designers who love and that was an exciting first for me, so thank you so much and - you ladies made my weekend! 🌟

I made friends with Bluma from 🐑and that afforded me some peace in the busy weekend. ♥️

I also got to catch up with my neighbor and too, which is always a treat. ✨

I found some yarn I couldn’t resist from Will-Ewe Farm and snagged a bag, perfect .habit Black Lives Matter pin from and goodies from 🍶

My favorite thing might be the vintage blanket I found that reminds me so much of my favorite one that was lost 20 years ago. It’s drying on the line right now in the sunshine. ☀️

Until next year friends!

07/03/2021

It is common to add a Stockinette stitch gauge to your patterns even if there is nary any Stockinette stitch to be found in the pattern. Mostly this is done for yarn characteristics. You might not be surprised that I am gonna push back.

Click the link in my bio and see my article on why this might not be a good idea, and how there is a better, more clarifying way to help your knitter, both with their gauge, and with their yarn choices. 🧶

04/03/2021

See this sweater I made my mom? Nice, right? Not really. Look at the shoulder seam. Is it on her shoulder? Nope.

This is a set-in sleeve, and meant to fit on the shoulder. It is sized by bust size, which often fails us, especially in the larger sizes. Were this sized by upper bust circumference, it would fit her much better. So I did my knitterly duty and made sure the armhole wasn’t too deep and the bicep fit well and the sleeve and hip was the length she wanted. But the shoulder being wrong? Nothing I could do about that. I picked her right size! But it doesn’t have good fit.

Sizing by bust can fail anyone with a big bust, really, if your bust measurement is much greater than your upper bust measurement. It isn’t just about bra cup size. Her cup size is actually not that big!

The difference between your bust measurement and your upper bust measurement can sometimes be a big difference. Alllll the important business for fit of a garment happens in the shoulders *before you ever get to the bust*.

So sizing by the bust may not be our best bet. I understand it is the common way, but is it serving us well for good fit? If not, why do we do it? Maybe because it is mostly the upper sizes that run into this problem? (Hello fatphobia.) I am not sure. But I would like to encourage you to think about it. What has your experience been with fit in the shoulders in your knits and designs?

In this video I am sharing tonight, Sarah and I talk about size charts, which ones we like and why, which ones we don’t, and what to do when no size chart works; how a tech editor uses size charts, and what you need to pay attention to for sizing and working with sizing standards. And yes, we talk about how to size your garments. Click the link in my bio and have a listen.

People we mention to watch for good sizing info:

Size charts we talk about that we rely on:

What size charts do you use? Are you building your own?

25/02/2021

EMBODY by is a book all about making while honoring your body, and includes sewing and knitting patterns that can be truly your own, with impeccable attention to fit and style.

I can’t even begin to tell you all how excited I am about all this work, and what a pleasure it is to work with someone who puts so much care and thought and love and beauty into what they do. ♥️

You can pre-order your copy from or from (SIGNED copies, and also all the amazing fabric and yarn!), and find all the details and fun - check her post and comment some congratulations!




・・・
✨ OPEN FOR PREORDER ✨
This is for the fat makers at our sewing machines in our underwear. 💕
Check out for the full cover and book title!
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Wearing:
in Helix in color “Jonna” held double, leopard print underwear set from , and holding a tunic in botanically dyed tencel from .
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Image Description:
Jacqui, a fat white woman, is sitting at a sewing machine in her underwear and a handknit forest green cardigan. She is wearing leopard print un**es and holding a pale pink tunic in front of her.
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