How Long to Knit a Jumper?

I often get asked “How long does it take to make a sweater?” That’s a complex question as we know. How long is a piece of string? It depends on a lot of factors. How big is the sweater, how complex is the pattern, what type of yarn are you using? How good is your knitting?
As I’ve been designing my latest handknit sweaters and jumpers, I have been considering this question a lot, so that I can price my work accordingly.

How Long Does it Take to Knit a Jumper

Knitting depends on the skill of the knitter, the size of the sweater, and the complexity of the design. I have been knitting for a number of years, so I consider myself to be a fairly fast knitter. I usually knit in the evenings while watching TV, as I don’t need to concentrate a lot on the work. And I can watch TV without feeling guilty.

For an average cardigan with a simple design it takes me about 4-6 hours to knit the back of the sweater, about 3-4 hours to knit each sleeve and about 2-3 hours for each front piece.

Sweater Finishing
When all the pieces have been knit, the work is not complete yet. The secret to a well made handknit is in the finishing. All the pieces must be carefully pressed and blocked. They are then handsewn together. And the edges, trims and buttons are then sewn on. Finishing can take up to another day to complete.

As you can see, making a jumper from scratch is a long and complex process. Surely we could invent a machine to do this faster for us… But then it wouldn’t be handmade, now would it?

Knitted Jumper