Unless it is an unusual looking sweater, the two front halves ought to measure the same length. That said, here's what I do. I divide the front edge, for example, into 4ths by marking each point with a safety pin. I know for 97 stitches evenly spaced, one of the sections will have 25 stitches, and the other 3 will have 24 stitches to pick up. I like to use a crochet hook to pick up the stitches, but you can just use a knitting needle too. With the right side of the sweather facing you, pick up the first section's 25 stitches. Then transfer them to the knitting needle you will use. For the next quarter, pick up 24 stitches on the crochet hook. If you find you are picking up too few or too many, it is easy to drop them off the hook and start all over again, but you won't have to take the first 25 off as well to start over. You will be surprised how they seem to even out when you knit the next few rows so that it does not particularly show when you picked up more or fewer than usual in one spot. Just keep going and do it. It will turn out nicely. Be sure to get a stitch in the very top and very bottom stitch along the edge so that the edge will look nice.

Thanks Sheilajoyce. Yes both sides should be the same length but I think, I hope, the shorter side is that way because it still had the stitches I picked up, just removed the needle, so they are probably keeping the side from stretching as easy as the other side. I'll reblock them to get them even before I start again. I have to mark the corners and put a stitch on the corners as that's where stitches are added on each side to make the turn. Also, will probably have to buy at least one or two more circular needles to leave stitches on rather than bunching them up on one or two. I understand the needle that does theknitting is the one that counts as to the size so maybe I can use the ones I have. And, yes, I picked up stitches with a crochet hook and switched them to the k.needle when the hook fills up. I'm really getting experience here.