Holy Shit. I seem to have knit a sweater!
It's true. I seem to have finished my first garment. I started it, oh, I can't even remember when... I should have recorded the date, but I didn't. I know that I was at least working on it in April of 2014, and it is September 2014 now.
And, I did it. I finished.
Yes, it has a few mistakes and a couple areas of questionable stitch integrity, but it's complete! I mean, your first sweater isn't supposed to be perfect - right? Otherwise it wouldn't be your first sweater. Kind of like first loves - they call them "firsts" for a reason. You learn and make better decisions the next time around.
This is the Lion Brand "my first sweater" pattern and I utilized the online class by Amy Ross. The class was OK. It was good to have visuals, but I've taken better online classes. But, cheers to Amy. She got me through this and she just seems so very sweet. I did enjoy knitting with her, even if some of the directions weren't totally clear, which I think had to do with the many different versions of this pattern that she was trying to teach all in one class (cardigan, pullover, different collars.... oh my!)
Skills mastered :
1) Picking up dropped stitches * I honestly wasn't all that good at recovering from a dropped stitch before this project. If I dropped a stitch, I ripped out and started again. After the 8th rip out of the back of this sweater, I located my previously unused crochet hook at the bottom of my supply box, watched a few YouTube videos on picking up dropped stitches and, voila! Much better option than ripping out 15+ inches of sweater.
2) Un-knitting * I'd done this before (another method for correcting stitch errors), but I really mastered this skill during this sweater project and it saved some time and frustration. (Some time and some frustration - operative word alert).
3) Seaming - like the real kind! I've done very little seaming in the past. It's actually easy and (gasp!) fun!
4) Picking up stitches to make a collar or button hole ribbing. Not my favorite, but a useful skill.
5) Button holes and sewing buttons. I think I finally know how to sew a button for real. It makes me feel, to quote Mrs. Isobel Crawley, so useful!
For me, the most difficult part was the back - which is probably the easiest part of the sweater for most people. But I got hung up on the small details and dropped stitches, and I think the repetition was actually difficult for me.
I loved creating the raglan detail - it was fun to knit, as was the arm and neck shaping. My least favorite part was picking up stitches - however, I must admit to being quite proud when it all worked out for the collar and the button and buttonhole bands. That definitely felt like the biggest accomplishment of the sweater for me.
This won't be my last sweater. But, you do have to start somewhere. My advice for anyone thinking of trying this or any other sweater pattern for the first time - do it with someone, either an online class or an actual class. It's nice having new skills and techniques demonstrated. And, don't be afraid of seaming - it's not as hard as it seems (oh gosh, a pun!). Finally, take your time. Knit some smaller projects while working on a big thing, like a sweater. I needed confidence builders and made several small projects that I could finish and wear while working on this. And, I'm glad I finished. I think I'll understand and like my next sweater more because of everything I learned while making this one.
This one is titled: Like my sweater? I knit it myself! (Photo disclaimer: pay no attention to my Monday morning face and hair.)
And, I did it. I finished.
Yes, it has a few mistakes and a couple areas of questionable stitch integrity, but it's complete! I mean, your first sweater isn't supposed to be perfect - right? Otherwise it wouldn't be your first sweater. Kind of like first loves - they call them "firsts" for a reason. You learn and make better decisions the next time around.
This is the Lion Brand "my first sweater" pattern and I utilized the online class by Amy Ross. The class was OK. It was good to have visuals, but I've taken better online classes. But, cheers to Amy. She got me through this and she just seems so very sweet. I did enjoy knitting with her, even if some of the directions weren't totally clear, which I think had to do with the many different versions of this pattern that she was trying to teach all in one class (cardigan, pullover, different collars.... oh my!)
Skills mastered :
1) Picking up dropped stitches * I honestly wasn't all that good at recovering from a dropped stitch before this project. If I dropped a stitch, I ripped out and started again. After the 8th rip out of the back of this sweater, I located my previously unused crochet hook at the bottom of my supply box, watched a few YouTube videos on picking up dropped stitches and, voila! Much better option than ripping out 15+ inches of sweater.
2) Un-knitting * I'd done this before (another method for correcting stitch errors), but I really mastered this skill during this sweater project and it saved some time and frustration. (Some time and some frustration - operative word alert).
3) Seaming - like the real kind! I've done very little seaming in the past. It's actually easy and (gasp!) fun!
4) Picking up stitches to make a collar or button hole ribbing. Not my favorite, but a useful skill.
5) Button holes and sewing buttons. I think I finally know how to sew a button for real. It makes me feel, to quote Mrs. Isobel Crawley, so useful!
For me, the most difficult part was the back - which is probably the easiest part of the sweater for most people. But I got hung up on the small details and dropped stitches, and I think the repetition was actually difficult for me.
I loved creating the raglan detail - it was fun to knit, as was the arm and neck shaping. My least favorite part was picking up stitches - however, I must admit to being quite proud when it all worked out for the collar and the button and buttonhole bands. That definitely felt like the biggest accomplishment of the sweater for me.
This won't be my last sweater. But, you do have to start somewhere. My advice for anyone thinking of trying this or any other sweater pattern for the first time - do it with someone, either an online class or an actual class. It's nice having new skills and techniques demonstrated. And, don't be afraid of seaming - it's not as hard as it seems (oh gosh, a pun!). Finally, take your time. Knit some smaller projects while working on a big thing, like a sweater. I needed confidence builders and made several small projects that I could finish and wear while working on this. And, I'm glad I finished. I think I'll understand and like my next sweater more because of everything I learned while making this one.
This one is titled: Like my sweater? I knit it myself! (Photo disclaimer: pay no attention to my Monday morning face and hair.)
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