Congratulations!!! Your sweater is done and good on you for finishing it! Please comment below and tell me about your sweater. What yarn did you use? What was easy? What was more challenging?
I hope you enjoyed the course and I hope you’ll tell me your favorite thing about it.
Thanks, Cheryl
p.s. You can learn more about Sweater 101, the book that is the inspiration for this series, if you click HERE. It’s a classic (thus, so am I, apparently).
Cheryl this is exactly the way I used to make (and design) sweaters on my knitting machine! Like an idiot, I’ve struggled with gauge on handknit patterns, sworn at the written instructions, played with numbers until my head hurts converting the pattern’s gauge to my gauge and THEN (and only then), when I’m thoroughly disgusted and frustrated, grabbed a pencil and made a schematic.
I could have been doing this all along, just like I did with my knitting machine! DUH!
I especially love the More or Less Right Formula. That’s going to make a lot of my pattern drafting so much easier.
Your book will go right next to my Elizabeth Zimmermen and Barbara Walker books as I’ll be referring to it as often as I do theirs.
Thank you so much for putting this Aha! Moment together like this!
You are so welcome Laura and thanks for this great comment. YES! It wasn’t until I started machine knitting in 1984 that I thought of making schematics for hand-knitting patterns. I didn’t think about it so much as I just started doing it. That was back when there were no schematics for hand-knitting patterns but machine knitting patterns always had them. I think Sweater 101 went a long way toward introducing hand knit designers to them, and I for one am grateful for them.
Dear Cheryl
Thank you so much for making this series available to us! I am a fairly experienced knitter but I have always been nervous of making sweaters. As a child I would watch them almost fly off my mother’s needles and it seemed like alchemy! I am more of a slow, steady knitter and so they always looked beyond my staying power as much as anything else and I didn’t really want to buy the yarn to make a project only to get started and then grow weary of it. You have made it all look so attainable. I may yet become an alchemist myself! Thank you again,
You are so welcome Yvonne and thank you for this lovely comment.
Thank you, Cheryl! I can’t wait to get my copy of Sweater 101. I have a nice collection of patterns ready to be adapted for me and now, thanks to you, I know how to do it.
Cheryl,
Thanks so much for this class! I learned a great deal from you. I’m an experienced knitter, but still learned so much! I usually like to work with wool but decided to use an acrylic for this. I used Big Twist Baby worsted in the Elephant color and put yellow, green and dark turquoise buttons on it. I loved the way you worked the placket in and especially like the way the collar lays so nice and flat! I’ve ordered your book now and am thinking about all the lovely sweaters I can make for my grandchildren! Thanks again!
You are so welcome Marie! And thank you for this lovely comment. Can you please send me a photo or two of it so that I can share it here and maybe on Facebook and Ravelry with your name? I don’t know this yarn and would love to see it. And I sent your book yesterday. 😀 I hope it serves you well for a very long time. cb@cherylbrunette.com
I am an advanced knitter making all kinds of sweaters, ponchos, scarves, coats, etc., using difficult patterns and colorwork. I have your book but have never followed it YET. I have always purchased patterns and made any necessary changes. My question to you is–when following your Sweater 101– how do you determine how much yarn to purchase to complete a project. Unless I overlooked it in the book while paging through, I haven’t noticed anything about determining the amount of yarn to purchase. Would love to know how to project the correct yardage…
I have learned so much following your educational videos–they are wonderful–and have made my knitting easier.
Hi Carlene,
My favorite resource is Patternworks “Yarn Yardage Guide.” I love it for its simplicity and it was included in the first edition of Sweater 101 which was published by Patternworks but it is no longer available. There are much more sophisticated tools now. A very popular one is “The Knitter’s Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements” by Interweave.
I bought an interesting guide called “Stashbot,” that includes “all size sweaters and accessories.” I have the little booklet but I believe it may be an app as well. It’s quite comprehensive.
Beyond that, I never mind having extra yarn, but I am a nervous wreck if I am running tight. That has not happened many times in my life . . . like maybe once or twice.
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for this wonderful class. I have always been too impatient to knit a gauge swatch and have often been disappointed with the results. Hence I stick to shawls, scarves, mitts a and hats and of course children’s sweaters as they can always grow into them.
The more or less right formula has eliminated the guess work for picking up stitches. Brilliant!
I am now confident to once again try a sweater for myself or anyone else for that matter.
You are so welcome Carol and thank you for commenting. And congratulations!!!
Thank you Cheryl for the wonderful steps of knitting a sweater. This is my very first piece of knitting where I managed to complete the whole project by myself. Though I still have to improve my knitting skill, I must say that I am indeed very happy and enjoyed your class.
You are so welcome Alicia! You’ve taking a big step and I’m happy for you.
Yay! I finished! Being a newish knitter, I’ve learned a lot. Thank you for teaching me how to look past the written pattern and use math when needed. I now know what to do if I need to make a sleeve bigger or use a different size needle because I like the fabric better. This class was wonderful!
Congratulations Robin!!! And thank you.
Cheryl,
Thanks so much for the course. I knitted a little girls sweater mostly in the car on the way back from visiting grandchildren in Florida. One thing I did, that you didn’t mention, was to add a extra yarn over on the collar bind off so I had to pass two stitches over each time. It made the collar nice and ruffly for a little girl.
Funny thing is that I had watched many of your you tube videos way before starting this course. It was nice to view them again and to see them in order. I am truly a fan!
Thanks so much.
You are so welcome Kathy and thanks for commenting. I love your idea of the ruffled collar and will post your photo on the student projects page soon.
I can’t even begin to explain how much fun this course has been. I have learned so many skills along the way. I’m a self taught knitter, my Mother crocheted, and have never made a sweater for myself that I could actually wear. I not only completed the class sweater but I made a cotton sweater for me that I wore for the first time today! My class sweater could be improved upon though. I should have gone 2 sizes down on the smaller needles rather than one and made the button holes smaller (fixable). I need to learn to bind off with the right amount of tension. Most edges are sloppy looking but I was too afraid of them being too tight. Maybe you have a video covering that, I haven’t looked. Thank you so much for creating this class. I can’t wait to do another sweater!
Congratulations Vicki, on making 2 sweaters, one that you can actually wear! If you pay attention (and you obviously are) you’ll learn new things with every project you do. And thanks for this great comment!
Thank you so much for this tutorial that you have generously made for free. The first one is blocking and I have gained confidence to restart a different baby sweater using your techniques. But perhaps, I’ll just do this one again, one more time. That failed attempt is what brought me to your site.
You are so welcome Angie. Thanks for commenting.
Cheryl, I am amazed at the simplicity of adjusting the pattern based on my gauge. Wonder that I had not ever figured it out on my own. So thank you for getting me there. The finished sweater matches the dimensions. Wow! I used Berroco Comfort – 50% fine nylon, 50% fine acrylic. Love the more-or-less formula to figure out the rate of pickup, decrease and increase. Takes the guess work out of the equation. Have tried it on an existing pattern – great result.
The book is a great resource. Will be on the shelf with other resource books.
I know Carole . . . isn’t it simple?!?! And common sense. I only figured it out by helping hundreds of knitters when I was a troubleshooter at a yarn shop.
Hello Cheryl,
Just finished my “Sweater 101” sweater and I think it turned out pretty good!! Just want to say I really love knitting a sweater using a “blueprint” as opposed to written instruction. Thank you Cheryl for producing this tutorial… I’m so glad I stumbled upon it in my internet searches. It has opens my eyes in so many ways..thank you. You have a wonderful way of teaching that makes so much sense and is so easy to follow. I know I’ll be using this method for ALL my future sweaters.
Sue
You are so welcome Sue! And thank you for your very kind comment. It really is a common-sense process. It’s just hard to see that if your only experience has been working from written patterns.
Just finished my size 1 sweater. I definitely learned a lot. Your explanation of mattress stitch is the best I have ever followed and my seams look great. I admit to lots of redoing but totally my fault trying hard to follow along with every step and tip. I have posted photos on your Ravelry site.
Thank you so much Cheryl for this wonderful class. I have just finished the sweater and it’s looking great. I have learned so many new things and feel confident to try other projects…in fact so many ideas I don’t know where to start! The only thing I regret is not using better yarn for the project. I usually prefer wool but used an acrylic wool blend. I wasnt sure what the English equivalent of “worsted” yarn was, so used an Aran. It’s quite thick, and perhaps a slightly lighter yarn, maybe a “double knitting” would have been better. is an area I’ll study some more. Always learning, and I don’t think my grandson will give two hoots! Thanks once again Cheryl.
You are so welcome Carole and thank you for this kind comment. American “worsted weight” is usually about halfway between your Aran and DK. DK weight is even better for small pieces, I think.
Dear Cheryl,
Thanks for a wonderful class.I have finished the sweater. Wish I could upload the image here. Since its lockdown time, I worked with leftover worsted weight yarn. More than the pattern, I like how meticulously you construct each piece. Finishing was a big lerning for me. The minute detrails like 2 extra stitches on the side for joining ets were an eye opener. Now I am confident my sweaters will be the size I want them to be.
Thanks a ton for your generosity
Best regards
Prashanti
Thank you for this lovely comment Prashanti! You are so welcome and you make me feel like the work to create it was well worth it. (Sorry it took me such a ridiculous amount of time to answer your comment. I simply haven’t checked here for them in months. This coronavirus had me in a tizzy but I’m better at managing my response now.)
Dear Cheryl,
I have knitted for more years than I can count, am self-taught, have too many knitting books and though I loved knitting, felt that I lacked skills and knowledge, particularly with gauge and finishing. Halfway through your class, I purchased your “Sweater 101” pdf, as my skills and understanding improved radically. You are indeed a born teacher, the video showing how to pick up and where exactly to pick up stitches, finishing ends, sewing on buttons and working where to place buttonholes……. are easy to see and follow.
I am so thrilled to finally comprehend knitting and go forward with confidence to make so many projects. My heartfelt thanks. Be safe in these unprecedented times.
Take care,
Ingrid (Melbourne, Australia)
Thank you for this kind comment Ingrid, and you are so welcome. It has been my privilege to teach. You take care and be safe too. These are challenging times, especially in the US right now.
Thanks to you and your wonderful lessons, I made a sweater that is ACTUALLY the size it was meant to be. I am still amazed. Thank you so much for making this on-line course available. I have your book, and have read it, but seeing your hands do the work and watching you do the math, was just the extra tutoring I needed.
I’m a very experienced sewer, so the way you plan a sweater makes so much more sense to me. (making pieces that will fit when sewn together.) I’m already planned to unravel two sweater I made that are both too wide and too short.
In your book, there is a set-in sleeve cap chart. It would be great if you made a video on using its as I’m still a bit confused.
Thank you again Cheryl, for your encouraging lessons.
Sheila, Portland, OR
Thanks Shela and I apologize for not checking in comments earlier. For some reason I have stopped getting notifications of them. I haven’t been making many videos for several years . . . I’ve had some health challenges (open-heart surgery is one of them), but I’ll take this into consideration.
Hi Cheryl,
I have finished the sweater and am very happy with the sweater. Can you tell me if the measurments for the sweater shown are the finished size ? Is there and adjustment for seaming ? Thank you.
Congratulations Elaine! Yes. The measurements are for the finished size. You added extra sts for seaming along the way.
Hi Cheryl,
I finished my sweater and am thrilled . I learned so much ! I was wondering if making a scarf or headband, can gauge method be used for items as headbands, hats and scarfs .
Thank you again !!
I need some work with tension but it was a wonderful !!!
HI, Cheryl, I’ve enjoyed your lessons. I’m not quite finished with my toddler sweater. I have a cute child’s sweater pattern. Is it too much of a stretch to convert it to adult size, using the techniques I’ve learned here?
Hi Cynthia,
It’s not that much of a stretch at all, especially now that you have Sweater 101. Your sweater is adorable! Thank you for sending me a photo. And now you’re ready to fly!