Table of Contents
chapter1
Using the Master Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Choosing the Right Yarn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Check Your Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
chapter2
Scarf Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Scarf: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Shawl Shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Rectangular Shawl: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Triangular Shawl: Master Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Make a Shawl into a Poncho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
chapter3
Hat Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Hat: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Finishes for the Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Tutorial: Knitting in the Round on Double-Pointed Needles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
chapter4
Bag Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Rectangular Bag: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Round Bag: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Create Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Line a Knitted Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Felting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Tutorial: Felted Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
chapter5
Things to Consider Before Knitting Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Socks: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Tutorial: Toe-Up Sock Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Mittens, Gloves, and Hand Warmers chapter6
Mitten and Glove Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Mittens and Gloves: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Hand Warmers: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
chapter7
Vest Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Vest: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
More Vest Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Tutorial: Vest Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Sweaters chapter8
Sweater Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Assembling a Sweater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Sweater: Master Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Tutorial: Sweater Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
chapter9
Adjusting a Design to Suit Your Taste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Working with Stitch Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Adding Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
Changing the Body Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Altering Sleeves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Designing Your Own Knits chapter10
Looking for Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Choosing the Right Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231
Designing in Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Perfecting the Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Doing the Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Determining Yarn Yardage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Appendix A: Techniques and
Embellishments . . . . . . . . .242
Appendix B: Reference Materials . . . . . .276
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
Getting Started Designing Knits
Some knitters like to follow patterns down to the last detail, without making any changes. Many other knitters like to alter patterns: They choose a different yarn than a pattern specifies, omit a collar, use an alternate stitch pattern, or add embellishments. This book provides a wealth of modifiable knitting patterns and helps you understand how to create your own unique knit designs.
Using this book to design your own knits is easy: You simply choose an item and a yarn, and then you select from the various master patterns for scarves, shawls, hats, bags, socks, mittens, gloves, vests, or sweaters. The master patterns include instructions for a wide range of sizes and gauges. Particular yarns are not specified, but yarns for the sample projects are listed, in case you want to replicate them.
A large part of knitting design is math; this book does most of the math for you, allowing you to focus on the fun of choosing colors, stitch patterns, and embellishments. Once you’ve followed a few of the master patterns through, you’ll have a good understanding of how handknits are designed and constructed. When you’re ready to depart from the master pattern and do your own math and invent your own handknits, you can consult Chapter 10 for design guidance. Pretty soon, the only things you’ll need to start a knitting project will be a few balls of yarn, a pair of knitting needles, and your imagination.
Using the Master Patterns
Have you ever found a pattern that you liked in size and shaping, but you didn’t like the yarn weight or the stitch pattern? Or perhaps on impulse you bought a beautiful yarn, but you have no pattern to suit it. Or maybe you want to experiment with designing your own knits, but you have no idea where to begin. With the help of the master patterns in this book, you can learn to alter an existing pattern, use that beautiful yarn, or create your very own designs.
You may have seen a cookbook that presents a master recipe, followed by ways to change the recipe to create whole new dishes. In this book, the master pattern functions in the same way. Materials specifications, stitch counts, and, in some cases, shaping instructions appear in the master pattern, and alternate shaping, finishing, edging, and stitch patterns accompany it. You can easily design your own knits by choosing the various options you’d like to put together. For example, you start with the same basic pattern to create a pair of mittens or a pair of gloves. You choose a size, find the appropriate directions for the yarn you’re using, and then select from a number of cuff options, stitch patterns, and embellishments to make your mittens or gloves uniquely yours.
One Master Pattern, Many Options
The master patterns allow you to learn to create your own unique styles without having to tackle too much complicated math. Each master pattern contains instructions and specifications for at least three gauges. The master hat pattern, for example, covers six gauges. Combine that with numerous brim styles, crown-shaping options, and embellishments, and you have an infinite array of options. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can go beyond using the various options suggested in the master pattern: You can incorporate color work, cables, or textured stitch patterns into your design by referring to the stitch pattern glossary at the back of the book.