Category: Knits That Fit

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The Joy Of Knitting

Many pleasurable hours can be spent on knitting projects.  I seem to enjoy the cardigans, jackets  and coats the most.  In determining how to knit the items so the yarn is showcased and is the right weight for the project adds to the creativity for me.

I’m launching my video series showing how to start from selecting the yarn, to knitting and on to finishing.  Then when you wear one of these masterpieces you can have the most amazing satisfaction experience. I call it layering satisfaction.

The satisfaction of:

  • selecting yarn you really enjoy and want to work with
  • actually knitting the garment
  • finishing the project
  • assembly of your garment
  • wearing your garment
  • and of course the compliments

There is nothing quite like it in the enjoyment of each area.  OK maybe not the assembly so much but even that has a level of completion that satisfies.

If you are in the Branson, MO area you can take a class in person with me.

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Yeah! Sweater Weather Is Here

Sweaters have always been an important part of my wardrobe, so I really enjoy weather which allows me to wear my favorite item of clothing. However, I do find during the summer where air conditioning is so cold inside buildings that sweaters continue to be an important staple in my wardrobe almost year round.

Because there are so many different types of sweaters, make a list of those that are favorites for your personal wardrobe. See if you can find additional new ways to wear that same style of sweater. Review fashion magazines, watch for sweaters on your favorite TV shows, go shopping and just observe the people that are around you and how they are wearing their sweaters.

It will give you great ideas when you begin to knit with variations that can allow you to enjoy your favorite sweater style just knit in a slightly different way.

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Knitting Items That Fit Begin With These Simple Things

There are many types of knitted garments. Sweaters, jackets, coats, shawls, and capes are just a few. As a knitwear designer, I see many beautiful garments that do not fit well. There are several things that need to be taken into consideration to achieve a finished knitted item that is properly fitting the person who will wear the item.

1. Before you begin, you need a plan.

2. Select the yarn you will use and the size needles or the machine settings that match the yarn.

3. Knit a swatch to get the feel of the yarn. For machine knitters, I suggest a scarf, so you feel like your work has not been wasted, as re-knitting when machine knits are unraveled changes the look and feel of the yarn, so you do not want to include it in the finished item.

*NOTE: It is important that you put the swatch through all of the processes you will use to care for the final item. Wash and put through the dryer on the temperatures you will use, or wash and lay flat to dry.

You may catch a major problem at this part of the preparation, so be on the watch to see if your swatch size changes dramatically or stays close to the same. It may require something as simple as changing the wash water or dryer temperatures.

4. From the swatch, see how much the yarn stretches.

5. Measure the pattern template you will be matching and cross reference the data to be sure you will be close to the finished size you want before you go through all of the work of knitting the pieces.

6. Armed with this information you can have more confidence that your finished item will be worth your effort. I will offer a series of video tutorials for those who would like help

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