The sweater wizard

General Knitting
1

There has been a number of knitters who are thinking about creating their own sweater designs. Over the past few months I’ve recommended the SWEATER WIZARD.

It has occurred to me that folks might be hazy about what it does for you, and also, how to use it, and the advantages of using it. Also, there are some things it does not do for you!

First, here is a [U]big advantage[/U] in the form of a question:
Ever had a bunch of yarn in your stash…and ya just can’t seem to find a pattern that will fit the gauge of the yarn? Tearing your hair out rummaging around in your leaflets and printouts? Are your fingers sore from keyboarding through every online pattern place?

[B]Well, suffer no more![/B]

Here’s all ya have to do:

  1. assemble your intended yarn
  2. get out your knitting stitch bible
  3. cast on a gauge swatch using your yarn and the pattern stitch
    you’d like to use for the body of your sweater-to-be

Next:

  1. open up SWEATER WIZARD
  2. he will walk you through a number of choices you will have to make for him, such as [B]A)[/B] cardigan? pullover? [B]B)[/B] cropped length? tunic length? [B]C) [/B]round neckline? v-neckline? [B]D)[/B] for child? woman? man? [B]E) [/B]top down? bottom up? cuff-to-cuff?[B] F)[/B] flat? in-the-round? [B]G)[/B] raglan sleeves? set-in sleeves? drop shoulders? etc etc etc.
  3. he will ask you about the [U]needle size you used[/U] for your swatch and [U]the gauge[/U] that you got
  4. he will ask you about the size you want to knit

Then, you ask the Wizard to give you a pattern!
Voila! The pattern will include the yardage you need for this sweater using the yarn and pattern stitch that you worked up as your first step. The pattern will INCLUDE schematics. The pattern will tell you to create an edging such as ribbing, but that is all up to you about the type of edging for the bottom of the garment, and for the cuffs.

This is where you can interject your ARTISTIC taste! You can decide how you want to style other elements of the sweater such as colors, stripes, buttonbands, trims, collars, etc.

Here are some garments that I made this year, using the Sweater Wizard as my ‘architect’! I also used Nicky Epstein’s KNITTING ON THE EDGE book for some of the ruffle embellishments!

These 4 sweaters are not particularly FANCY designs. All of them are pretty straight forward plain designs, but sometimes the best sweaters are plain to start with, and then depending on the yarn, the pattern stitch, etc…you make them into something special!

Meant to add what the SWEATER WIZARD does not do for you:
it doesn’t create unconventional sweater patterns, such as an ‘asymmetrical sideways upside down’ cardigan! :teehee:

All 4 of the projects above are in my Ravelry Projects folder, if you are interested in how they were developed. I don’t have any official ‘written out’ patterns for any of them. Just a notebook with lots of notes, sketches, and of course, my Sweater Wizard ‘blueprint’ printouts! Not a Ravlery member yet? Right now, Ravelry is giving memberships to folks on the SAME DAY that they apply. No more waiting around for weeks or months.

Feel free to ask any questions about how the SWEATER WIZARD works! I will answer all questions as best I can!

2

The program sounds great but I have a Macintosh computer. It doesn’t work on my machine.

3

I hear ya, Ma!!! I’ve put both the Sweater Wizard and 4 sets of the blocking mats into my wish list on Knitpicks!!! Great testimonial! :muah:

4

Yeah I can’t wait to get it!

And this is just one of the reasons I stuck to my PC instead of Mac.:wink:

5

I love my Macintosh. My name is mathwizard and I used to teach math and the graphics on my pc plus the graphing calculator are priceless. I will have to see if there is help for us Macs. I seem to remember:rofl: seeing something about it but had a brain hiccup and can’t remember where.

6

Gorgeous sweaters btw. Thanks, this will help me try my hand at knitting a sweater.

7

Thanks! The Sweater Wizard delivers all sorts of very nice, easy, basic patterns! The best part about it is that you visit the Wizard AFTER you’ve decided upon your yarn, your needle size, your gauge, and your desired pattern stitch! Then VOILA…he will work with your further input and deliver!

It’s like having your own personal ARCHITECT.

But, you are still the DESIGNER, making the artistic decisions,
and you are also the BUILDER!

Here’s a scenario:

If we were going to build our own house, first we would decide upon the design. We’d take our ideas to our architect. Based upon our discussion, he would draw up the blueprints. Then you’d take your blueprints to your builder!

Voila! A new house!

8

So, Dolly…I just bought 12 skeins of yarn with no particular pattern in mind. Does this program offer multiple choices in a sweater design? Do you put in what needle size you’re going to use and your swatch information? I would really like to get this program because I want to get back to knitting sweaters. I’ve gotten away from sweaters and I want to start again.
Mary

9

Yes, the Sweater Wizard offers all sorts of sweater designs.
Mind you, they are basic pattern designs. But there are all sorts of possibilities! You can elect to work ‘in the round’ or ‘flat’. You can elect to work ‘top down’ or conventional ‘bottom up’ or side-to-side! You can elect for raglan sleeves, set in sleeves, drop shoulder style sleeves, and others. You can elect for cropped length, normal length, or tunic length. You can elect for round neckline, or v-neckline. You can elect for snug fit, close fit, normal fit, or oversized fit. You can, of course, elect for pullover, cardigan, vest, and other basic designs.

But first YOU must find a ‘pattern stitch’ that you want for the body…such as st stitch? garter stitch? faux rib? moss st? dbl moss st? WHATEVER! Then, you must knit a 4"x4" swatch with the recommended needle size from the ball band, for starters. If that pleases you (not too holey, not too compact)…then you have 3 important components to start your Sweater Wizard pattern design:

  1. you have the yarn
  2. you have the pattern stitch& you have the ‘gauge’ for it
  3. you have the needle size you used for it

After that, you open the Wizard and start to tell him what you want in a sweater. He will walk you through the decisions, step by step. When you’ve answered all his questions, click OK and he will spit out the blueprints (pattern) for you!

Just remember: you must come into ‘his office’ with your swatch in hand! He needs that information to create your pattern! He’ll walk you through the remaining choices!

If you are happy with the design he gives you, SAVE IT to your computer. You can print it. If you want to modify it a bit…maybe trying out a different sleeve, just re-do your steps. Or if you want to see if you have enough yarn for a longer sweater, just recreate it with ‘tunic length’ and see how many yards the pattern says it will require. There is no end to how many variations you can create and recreate!

Happy Knitting, sister! :knitting:

10

She gave a thorough review on the first post. :wink: It sounds awesome, I can’t wait to get it!

11

Love all the sweaters but the ruffled ones are my favorites. I’m new to knitting but the Sweater Wizard sounds like a great investment for me since I love sweaters. I’ll be picking up a copy of the edging book you mentioned, and would love some advice on a good “knitting stitch bible”. There are so many out there, I want to be sure I choose a good one that will truly become tattered with use, if you know what I mean.

12

This is a very good, and not-too-expensive, Knitting Stitch Bible!
I got mine from Amazon!

I particularly wanted to get a hold of THIS stitch that another Ravelery used for her cami/tank! It’s called TRIANGLES, and I wanted to embellish a plain tank top!

13

I’ll be checking out Amazon for this one. Your work is beautiful. Gives me something to aspire to. Thanks again for all of your help.

14

I’ve made up my mind…next time hubby goes to Bass Pro Shops and buys yet another salt water rod and reel, little wifey here’s gonna order Sweater Wizard. Hope he makes a trip into town tomorrow :slight_smile:

15

:pray: Please buy another rod and reel! Please buy another rod and reel!

:wink:

16

My thoughts exactly…he’s out in his shop as I type building himself a wooden tackle box…don’t ask me why…something he saw on Ebay and decided he could make himself. Gotta love him.

17

Well, it ain’t all bad! When he’s the age of this ole guy, he’ll still be gettin’ around!


(the 44 Red Hawk Reuger is in case of bear and cougar attack…not humans)

Ya gotta love a man that keeps busy with “man stuff”!
They’re usually out of the house and out of your hair!

And this would be me…knitting away…whilst he cuts, chops and hauls…


We live in the city in the Puget Sound area most of the year.
This is our high mountain retreat! 20 acres at 4300 ft elevation, Nighthawk Summit! DH is building a log house for spring-summertime use!

This is the little bunk house (storage, too) that he built as a preliminary
for the big log house. Just to hone his skills for the “butt-and-pass method” of log house building.

18

I am so totally impressed already with you and your talents…now a husband that is as talented as well!!! My husband and son are both gifted in so many areas. We; you and I are fortunate…I’ll have to be more grateful for my men and thank you for reminding me how nice it is to have them. :muah: