The Year of the Sweater

As 2015 starts to come to a close, I find myself – like many people – looking ahead to 2016. I’ve been going through Ravelry and Pinterest, and I realized that I am most attracted to sweaters right now. I’m in a sweater kind of mood, even though sweaters and I don’t get along.

The last sweater I made came out much bigger than I expected it to. Now, I will freely admit that I didn’t swatch it (critical error #1), measured with my tape on uneven surfaces (critical error #2), and didn’t block it. Obviously, I was a more immature knitter at the time. Additionally, I’m really picky about the clothes that I buy, as so many key details really impact how garments look on me, and I can’t stand the idea of investing time and money into a garment I will never wear because I’m unhappy with the fit.

But clearly, it’s time for me to take the next steps in knitwear. I’m ready and I’m dying to transition my wardrobe over into one that contains significantly more knitted items. To prep myself for “the Year of the Sweater,” I’ve  taken Sarah Peasley’s “Getting Gauge: Perfect Knit Fabric Every Time” class on Craftsy, where I learned quite a bit about the fundamentals of swatching and getting gauge that I didn’t previously know. I also took Amy Herzog’s “Knit to Flatter” class. She does a great job of explaining how to find a good pattern, and also de-mystifying key changes that will help sweaters look better.

I’m test-driving my resolve by knitting a sweater for my daughter. I haven’t made anything specifically for her in quite some time, and I know she will be excited by my making something just for her. I’ve taken her measurements, and I also took the “My First Sweater” class by Amy Ross, which has a pretty basic raglan sweater (available in pullover, cardigan, and shawl-collar cardigan versions) that doesn’t feel too intimidating. After measuring my daughter, I actually communicated with Amy Ross, who helped me pick out the right size to knit, and she also sent me some pattern adjustments as I need to make the arms just a touch longer than what the pattern offered. I’m really excited to get this going, and really conquer sweater knitting.

Bring on the Year of the Sweater!