1. Consider your fiber content. Berroco Folio is super light and airy, a blend of alpaca and rayon, and doesn't have a lot of weight to it. But if you were to work this pattern in a yarn with a bit more weight to it, maybe Berroco Ultra® Wool, the piece will weigh more and the fabric will stretch out vertically. When working a new-to-you yarn, or working in a lace pattern, it's a good idea to do a swatch so you can get a sense of how the yarn behaves—will it block nicely in a lace pattern? How might it behave in a sweater?
2. For most accessories, you should lay the piece on a flat surface—for a long scarf, you can use your floor or bed. For garment pieces, again, laying them flat to measure is the first step.
3. However, as Amanda learned in this blog post, the fiber content of your yarn can play tricks on you when measuring a garment. A scarf gets wrapped up around your neck, but a sweater hangs from your shoulders, and a heavy fiber can drag out of shape. With garments, it's a good idea to measure the piece both flat AND vertically—ideally on a dress form, but you can also hold the work up to your body and ask a friend to measure while you "wear" your work in progress.
4. Refresh your measuring tape every few years—measuring tapes can get stretched out over time and give you inaccurate measurements. Check your current measuring tape (or tapes) against a ruler made of a very firm material, such as wood or plastic, to make sure that your tapes are accurate.

Can you believe it's almost JUNE?! Time sure does fly. 

Happy knitting,