Knitting is a craft and an art form that can be mastered by anyone with the desire to learn. The skill requires patience and time to learn but once mastered can be used to create garments, accessories and homewares.
The basic technique of knit involves interlocking loops of one or more yarns either by hand with needles or using a machine. A variety of stitches can be formed from these loops, depending on the desired effect. In addition to fashion garments, knit can also be used to produce technical fabrics such as the filter material for coffee and the catalytic converter in cars.
When knitting a sweater, it’s important to be sure that you are working up the correct gauge. If you are not, your finished product may be too small or too big to fit. The best way to check your gauge is to knit a swatch with the recommended yarn, then block it. This will ensure that your completed garment will have the correct size and fit.
Once you’ve worked up your swatch and made any necessary adjustments to your pattern, it’s time to get to work on your actual sweater! This is a great opportunity to use all of your newfound skills, especially the techniques you learned in the previous steps. You’ll want to take extra time to sew the seams correctly, using mattress stitch for side seams and a horizontal seam for joining bound off stitches together (such as shoulder seams). The proper finishing will make all the difference between a sweater that you love to wear and one that lives in the back of your closet!