Fit

Last Thursday I spent the day in an Anne Hansen workshop. The topic was knitting well fitting sweaters.

It was my third workshop on this general topic in recent months. It reinforced learning from those earlier sessions and provided important "aha" moments of understanding. (These things are so obvious they are probably better described as "Duh" moments but honestly I hadn't really considered them like this before) For example...

• Aha! I need to invest money to buy patterns with thoroughly detailed schematics or to invest time and effort developing one myself from a bare bones pattern.

Duh! I expect detail in sewing patterns and understand the necessity of altering them for fit. I would never cut fabric for a garment based on unaltered pattern pieces or choose a pattern without considering my measurements but I create knit fabric all the time with little idea of how the pieces will come together to fit me.

• Aha! Do three swatches* on three different needle sizes to be sure of stitch and row gauge.

Duh! . Row gauge is critical, among other things, to spacing increases and decreases for shaping. Since I do prefer, for example, the waist shaping of my sweaters to fall at the waist of my body, why not try to achieve both stitch and row gauge.

• Aha! Wash and dry swatches.

Duh! Why use unwashed swatches to give me information about fabric for a garment that will be washed?

• Aha! I have been a lazy knitter!
• Aha! Rather than admit to my laziness I've blamed...patterns, my figure, my knitting skills, the math (really the simplest of elementary school arithmetic is all that's required - what have I been so afraid of?). 

Duh! The magic of new yarn and casting on has grabbed me and I've indulged in it without a plan as to what to do after that yarn crazed moment has passed.

Duh! I try to "fix" things the next time with more of the same clueless casting on.

• Aha! This knitter needs to drop the excuses, do a little math. knit a few swatches, wash and dry them and then get on with actually enjoying the process of knitting sweaters again.
• Aha! My fond memories of sweater knitting in the 80's was on the then fashionable shapeless sweaters with drop sleeves - no fitting required so my laziness didn't show ! The fabulous yarns and patterns available today necessitate that I bring my best game in order to fully enjoy knitting and wearing them!

Duh! When I just can't be bothered, I can always indulge in socks, scarves, bags, mitts, afghans, even top down, try as you go sweaters with yoke construction forgiving of knitting without much consideration of details until you're into the thick of things.

(BTW) A top down try as you go yoke sweater is just what I'll post about tomorrow with my long overdue simple Swingy Garter Sweater FO!

'Hope to "see" you then! Thanks for dropping by today!

*What's my problem with swatching anyway?  It is just knitting, after all and isn't that supposed to be something I enjoy?