The funny thing is, the longer you knit the more of a habit these hints become, and you aren’t always aware of them. I’ve been knitting for 50 years now and so I have formed a lot of habits. Now it is my job to drag them up from the deep recesses of my mind so that they might help you in your knitting.

Hint #1 –
          Always photo copy a pattern and the instructions before you begin a project. It is especially important to photo copy the stitch diagram. This way you can mark off each row knitted in pencil and if your pattern repeats you can erase the marks and start over with the next round of the pattern. You can also make notations about the changes that you have made to the pattern. When you have completed the project put your copied pages, with notations, into the book. It’s also nice to note the color, weight and brand name of the yarn you used in case you need to order more or you want to make another exactly like it. Now you’ll have them for the next time you do this project. In this way your original pattern stay nice and clean, which is especially nice if you are working from a book for which you paid $40.00!

Hint #2 –
          Measure your favorite sweater, the one that fits you just right. Make these the measurements the ones you use when you knit a sweater and do not use your body measurements. Your sweaters will fit wonderfully every time.

Hint #3 –
            Find 1 or 2 basic sweater patterns that you like and that fit you well. Use these when knitting sweaters. The patterns that you use (cable, texture or multi-color) will make the sweaters appear to be different and no one will know you are using the same pattern. Remember that you need to have more stitches for a cable pattern so adjust your stitch count accordingly.

Hint #4 –
            Collect as many different pamphlets and books with different stitch patterns as you can. These books contain patterns for cable, texture, and color patterns only. They usually do not have many or any patterns for sweaters. These books can be invaluable when you are designing your own sweaters. Pick out 20 different patterns that are new to you and make 12” squares of each pattern. Sew your 20 squares together into a lap blanket and knit or crochet a boarder all around. You can gain a lot of experience from this simple project .

Hint #5 –
            Be sure to save any patterns that you make yourself and keep them in a book for future reference. You can buy graph paper or print your own from the web.

http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/

Just copy and paste the above URL to your browser. This site is nice because they give you several different choices of graph paper and it’s free.

Hint #6 –
            Commercial yarn comes in two types, woolen and worsted.
            Woolen yarn is spun from fibers that are short and the fibers are in a random pattern in the strand. This wool tends to be soft and fluffy and is excellent for sweaters that have no small or intricate pattern. These fibers tend to “pill” more then the worsted fibers.
            Worsted yarns have a long fiber and are carded so that the threads run in the same direction. They tend not to be fluffy and are excellent for texture, cable and intricate multi-colored patterns. They tend to have more loft then the woolen yarns.

Hint #7 –
            Determine the gauge (the number of stitches per inch of knit fabric) for your sweater. You can do this easily by making a ruler from a 6” length of 1/4” doweling by marking a starting line and then a line every inch for 6 inches.  Cut a notch lengthwise across the end of the doweling for inserting the end of your yarn. Wrap your yarn evenly around the doweling for 1 inch for fine yarn, 2 inches for medium weight yarns and 3 inches for bulky yarns. The number of wraps per inch equals the number of stitches per inch, or your gauge.

Hint #8 –
            Remember, the larger the diameter of the strand of yarn you are using, the larger the needle you will use.
 
Very fine yarn             = #00 to #2 needle.   (2mm – 3mm)
Fine yarn                    = #2 to #4 needle.     (3mm – 3 3/4mm)
Medium yarn              = #4 to #6 needle.     (3 ¾mm – 4 1/2 mm)
Heavy yarn                 = #7 to #9 needle.     (5mm – 6mm)
Bulky yarn                   = 13 to 16 needle.     (6 1/2mm – 7 1/2mm)

Hint #9 –
            Determining how many skeins of wool you will need for any given sweater is not easy. Skeins vary in weight and the length of the wool strand they contain. Here’s an easy way to tell how many yards you’ll need for an adult sweater. It is not exact so always buy a skein or two extra (depending on the price of a skein) and check the seller’s return policy. Remember that the leftover wool can be made into gloves and hats and given as gifts, or saved for your multi-colored projects.

The Rule of 100 –
            Count the number of wraps of yarn around one inch of the dowel rod for the yarn you are using, and multiply by 100. In other words, your sweater will need 100 yards of yarn for every wrap around one inch of a ¼” dowel rod. Below is a approximation of the wool needed for an adult sweater.

Very fine yarn             = 1800 - 2200 yards
Fine yarn                    = 1600 – 1900 yards
Medium yarn              = 1400 – 1600 yards
Heavy yarn                 = 1200 – 1400 yards
Bulky yarn                   = 1000 – 1200 yards

Add 10% for heavily textured or cable patterns.

Hint #10 –
            Very old sweaters have been found with the knitter’s initials and the date knitted into the sweater. Sometimes the initials and dates are knitted conspicuously across the front of the sweater as part of the pattern, and sometimes they are placed on the hem or the sleeve where they are less conspicuous. This is a nice touch if you are knitting a sweater as a gift for a friend or a relative. 

Hint #11 –
            I just finished knitting a sweater, bonnet and blanket set for friends who are having there first baby soon and it brought to mind hint #11. As you explore new stitch patterns make note of the ones that look nice from either side. These patterns are especially handy when making blankets for babies etc. You might want to put a special section in your pattern book (see Hint #5) for these two sided patterns so that you will have easy access to them when you need them.

Hint #12 –
            Some people are enraged by the number of catalogues that they receive in the mail. I LOVE them! Look through your catalogues for knitting ideas. I have made many a sweater by marrying two semi-wonderful sweaters into one. Save the pictures and create your own sweater pattern from the picture. It’s easier then you think. Just use your favorite sweater pattern (see hint #3) and create your own stitch pattern based on the picture from your catalogue. These catalogues are also a great place to find sewing ideas.

Hint # 13 –
            There are many commercially produced products to help you mark the row that you are working on. Most employ a magnetic board that you can put your chart on and a magnetic strip to mark your row. You move the strip down the chart as you complete your rows. These are all fine, but I have found that a post-it note will do the same job and you can make notes on the post-it note if you so choose. The notes can’t be as easily dislodged as the magnetic markers, and you can get a supply of notes for free. Ask your doctor’s office or your pharmacy if they have extra. They usually get so many that they end up throwing them away! This is also a great idea for cross stitch or embroidery charts too.