I’m currently working on my first “grown-up” sweater and got to thinking about the brain trust of experience that is available to make the process easier. That led me to thinking how useful it would be to have that information grouped by the type of item being created, especially for items that are considered somewhat difficult to make and for which experience is most definitely a plus to the finished product…like sweaters.
I’d like to pick the brains of fellow knitters and create a thread of the tips, tricks, & techniques they have found most useful to making a long-wearing, well-fitted, beautifully finished sweater. For example, applying grosgrain ribbon to the back of the button band to stabilize it. Or a favorite technique for creating/reinforcing buttonholes. Or tips for strengthening seams to reduce shoulder/neckline droop. I’d like to keep it to the tips, tricks, & techniques that you have actually used and declared a winner. What do you think?
I think neat seams are the key to a good-looking sweater and 3-needle bind off combined with mattress stitch make all the difference in the world.
Also, don’t be afraid to make the sweater fit [I]you. [/I]Lengthen it, shorten it, make the sleeves longer or shorter, narrower or wider. We are not chiseling marble into statues–yarn and patterns are flexible and you should be happy with the result after all the hard work.
One of the things that drives me crazy is that occasionally my gauge changes through the course of a sweater so I am sure to check it not just when I’m swatching, but many times over the course of the sweater.
I also measure things early on to make sure that they are meeting the specifications of the pattern.
Two sweaters that went horribly wrong taught me to do these things.
