Knitting a Sweater with a Pattern

I love to knit sweaters because of the fiber. I love soft wools, cashmere, linen, cotton - any natural fiber.

When knitting a sweater first pick the right yarn and fiber for your project. You would never want to knit a light summer sweater out of thick scratchy wool. And it is best for a rugged, every day, sweater to be made out of something durable and easy to clean.

Most important . . . I like my yarns to be nice to touch, smell and feel. After all, I am going to be handling it for hours and hour while I knit, and I want my knitting experience to be pleasant.

Knitting a sweater is quite a project to undertake, and most of us want to be pretty certain that we will end up with something we like... A sweater that fits and is attractive. That is why it is good to take some time, before starting, to prepare for the project.

When working a new project, I like to choose my fiber and yarn first, and then go looking for a knitting pattern. And that is one of the reason's I started designing my own patterns, and making them so that they would work for any size of yarn. I don't like to be stuck to a particular type or brand of yarn when I want to make a sweater!

First I am attracted by the color and sheen of a yarn, then by the touch and feel. After that I start thinking about what to make with it.

The other reason I design knitted sweaters the way I do is because I can envision so many different ways to form knitting yarn around the human body. I want to try them all! Below are some of my designs and tips in why I created them the way I did.

Knitting a Lace Pattern

08.07.04 (7:14 am) [edit]

Knitting lace is pretty cool. But it can be scary for some people. So here are a few tips to get you going comfortable with lace!

SpinCraft Knitting Patterns

LACE TIPS:

When knitting lace patterns, there is generally a compensating decrease for every increase.

This is the thing that makes lace be lace. You could also say there is a compensating increase for every decrease. The increase most commonly used is a Yarn over - so you could say there is a compensating decrease for every Yarn Over.

Just think about it, if you didn't decrease every time you did a YO for an increase, your knitting would grow and grow sideways. Not what we usually want in a piece of knitting (Unless you are making a shawl!--Maybe that's how they invented shawls in the first place.)

A Yarn Over (YO) is done by just flipping the yarn to the other side of the needle so that it wraps around the needle when you make your next stitch. Then on the next row, you knit that extra little piece of yarn, thus making an extra stitch, and a hole in your work.

Measuring Lace GAUGE.

To calculate lace gauge lay the blocked swatch on a flat surface and, using a flat ruler, measure the full portion of lace in which the pattern is worked through twice. To be extra sure, also measure half of the lace, which is the pattern worked through once. Divide number of stitches used in swatch by number of sts. If these figures are both the same fraction you'll know your measuring was correct.

Hope that's useful!!

Connie

Simple Cable Knitting Pattern

08.04.04 (8:33 am) [edit]

Knitting Pattern

Here is the greatest little cable that is easy to add to anything you are knitting. It makes a good ribbing too. Add this to your next knitting pattern project! Great for sweaters, socks, hats, gloves ... anything!

MOCK CABLE PATTERN:
(multiple of 5 plus 2)

YO = Yarn over.
Psso = pass sl st over.

Start your swatch by casting on 22 sts

Row 1: p2, *sl 1, knit 2, psso 2 knit sts, p2; rep from * across.
Row 2: knit 2, *p1, yo, p1, knit 2; rep from * across
Row 3: p2, *knit 3, p2; rep from * across.
Row 4: knit 2, *p3, knit 2; rep from * across.

(When working in the round do this...)
Row 1: p2, *sl 1, knit 2, psso 2 knit sts, p2; rep from * across.
Row 2: p2, *knit 1, yo, knit 1, p2; rep from * across.
Row 3 & 4: p2, *knit 3, p2; rep from * across.

It's a cute little rib-like cable stitch, good for any knitting pattern.

Knitting Pattern Talk

08.02.04 (6:48 am) [edit]

V-Lace Knitting Pattern
This pattern is worked on a Multiple of 8 + 1If you are going to be knitting this pattern as a swatch, cast on a multiple of 8 + 1 stitches. If you are adding this to a knitting project, either adjust your stitches to a multiple of 8 + 1, or center pattern on full number of stitches.
Written Instructions

First and every alt rows: P (on wrong side)2nd row: K1, *k1, k2 tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2, rep from * to end4th row: K1, *k2 tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, rep from * to end.6th row: K2 tog, * yo, k5, yo, sk2p, rep from * to last 7 sts, yo, k5, yo, ssk.

Charted Instructions
To follow chart, start at the right bottom square, and work square-by-square to the left following the symbols in each square from the key.
Knit the second row from right left remembering that you are now on the back of your work. Repeat, row after row.

Key to Chart
rs = right sidews = wrong sidek = knitp = purlyo = yarn overssk = sl 2 sts separately as if to k; insert left-hand needle into the front of both sts tog, and knit them off as one.k2tog = k 2 togetherpsso = pass slipped st oversk2p = slip 1, k2tog, pssocn = cable needle4-st right cable = sl 2 sts to cn and hold to back, k2, k2 from cn

SpinCraft Knitting Patterns