How to Knit a Beautiful Sweater

The difference between a beautiful sweater and an average one is in the details.

Learning to knit well and make truly beautiful garments takes practice, preparation and a willingness to learn and experiment. Once these skills are learned, many people find that the sweaters they make themselves are more beautiful than any they could buy because the color, fit and pattern are exactly right for the wearer. There's nothing like the feeling a knitter gets when someone asks where she bought that gorgeous sweater and she gets to reply: "Thank-you. Actually, I made this sweater."

Things You'll Need

• High-quality yarn - 1,200 to 1,800 yards for an adult sweater in a worsted-weight yarn
• Knitting needles of the size indicated on the ball band of the yarn
• Darning needle
• Knitting pattern

Instructions

1. 

   A mitred neckline

   Find a beautiful knitting pattern. Look for a pattern that includes design elements that you find to be especially appealing. Depending on your personal taste, this could mean lace, cables, Fair Isle color work, or an unusual method of construction. Look for a pattern for a sweater in a style that is suitable for the body type of your intended recipient. Small designer details such as a clever hem treatment or a flattering neckline can help bring a sweater from average to extraordinary. Keep in mind that you can fairly easily change small details of a pattern -- such as the length of the sleeves, or whether a cuff is trimmed with clingy ribbing or a less stretchy stitch.

2. 

   Two pretty yarn colors

   Buy the best yarn you can. Even very simple sweater patterns come to life when knit using a yarn that feels wonderful, has lovely depth of color and is as soft or as crisp as suits your pattern. Buy your yarn at a reputable yarn shop where the staff members are familiar with their inventory. They may have samples knit in the yarn you are considering, and will be able to tell you whether a particular yarn is suitable to your pattern and how a garment knitted in that yarn holds up over time.

3. 

   A stockinette-stitch swatch

   Knit a swatch at least four inches square for each stitch pattern used in your sweater. Wash each swatch and let it dry. The swatches let you visualize your finished sweater fabric. Consider whether the yarn is the best one for your pattern; many yarn stores will let you return or exchange unused balls of yarn. Decide if you wish to make any small changes to the pattern based on the measurements of your swatches such as going up a needle size when changing stitch patterns in order to keep the width of the sweater consistent across all patterns. The number of stitches per inch on your swatch can help you decide what size of the pattern to make if you are half-way between sizes. If your gauge is a little large, make a smaller sweater size and vice-versa.

4. 

   Take notes as you go to make sure your sweater comes out perfectly.

   Follow your pattern carefully. Read through the entire pattern before beginning, circle all numbers pertaining to your size and make note of any difficult or unusual sections. Make a photocopy of your pattern to write on if you want to keep your original clean. Enlarge any charts at this time if you wish. Use sticky notes or tick off completed sections with a pencil to keep track of where you are in the pattern.

5. 

   Be careful to use the proper stitches to assemble the pieces of your sweater.

   Sew the pieces of your sweater together carefully. Ensure that your seams are smooth and that the pieces do not stretch or pucker when sewn together. If the pattern calls for a sewing stitch that you are unfamiliar with, practice first by sewing two swatches together.

Tips & Warnings

• Hand wash your sweater and let it dry flat in order to keep it in top condition for years.

References

• Lion Brand Yarn: Estimating Yarn Amounts
• Knitting Daily: 10 Tips To Improve Your Sweaters

Resources

• Free Patterns: Knitting Tips