Hello! Thank you for watching! This episode is a long one and I honestly am talking about just one project...however it's so much more than that. It's a whole cautionary tale loaded with good advice I should have heeded. 😎 Enjoy! HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE WNH CHANNEL? ||Join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content. Thank you! ❤: www.patreon.com/wool_needles_hands ||Enjoying the content here at WOOL NEEDLES HANDS and want to show your support, but not ready to subscribe to Patreon? Consider leaving a small donation in the form of a Super Thanks (right below the video window). It's a one-time, no subscription necessary monetary donation of as little as $1.99 and all proceeds go back into creating high quality, consistent content for everyone to enjoy. Your contribution means a great deal. Thank you. 🙏 ||WE HAVE A MERCH SHOP NOW! HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: www.woolneedleshands.com/merch ||SHOP MY FAVORITE THINGS: Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/woolneedleshands Etsy: shrsl.com/3u07d Shop My Shelves: shopmy.us/taylerearl ||My Ravelry Pattern Store: www.ravelry.com/designers/tayler-earl
My dear, I just want to hug you. ❤ If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t doing anything new! I’ve been knitting and crocheting and sewing since I was 9. Sometimes I frog entire blankets and robes and dusters simply because I don’t love the result. Sometimes I knit a 12x12 square just to see how close I can get by feel or eye. But ALWAYS I knit simply because my hands want to knit! I appreciate your effort in dissecting what happened or your M&M as we say in the medical world. This is a wonderful deep dive in how to set up your best possible chance of success on a new project. I think though, maybe your heart and your hands just wanted to knit. 🤷🏻♀️ Give yourself permission to do something that doesn’t have a deadline, doesn’t have a specific outcome, isn’t about teaching, learning, or gifting. You are a yarn dyer. Perhaps your hands just wanted to touch and feel a yarn not at the ultimate quality you demand of your own work. Your spirit wanted to remember touching the machine products of young knitters purchasing their very first wool. Do a thing only for the sake of doing it whether it’s knitting or dyeing or anything else.
Oh Tayler - don't be so hard on yourself. This is a time for positive thinking - I suggest you frog this one ASAP, throw the yarn back in your stash and put the whole thing behind you. Take what you learned and so generously shared and apply it to the next exciting new project. We have all been there and it's horrid - but this is all part of the knitting experience. Thanks for another passionate and informative podcast.
I wanted to jump into the comments to say that your video background/crafting room always gives me so much joy! The lovely vibe crafting supplies, candles, and mood lighting is such a wonderful pairing with the topic of knitting and always makes me feel calm and cosy while watching your videos :)
Hell I didn’t even notice, focused on the pattern and tidbits you had for it. I would have claimed to be mixing English and Spanish/French/Navajo… none the wiser. My downfall to projects is finding yarn I want to use for a garment like a hat or sweater, then I can’t find a pattern I like with the yarn I selected. I have a whole bin of sweater amounts of yarn and can’t find a pattern that I want to use it with.
Please, if you get a chance, watch “It’s a Sarah” podcast! She LOVES to knit and does these kinds of things a lot. She doesn’t care because she just frogs and does it again because she loves to knit. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you made a mistake, who doesn’t? The knitting is beautiful, the colors are lovely but your sizing is off. Here’s a hug 🤗 to peace.
Ugh- I had the whole body of my recent disaster knit. In my case it was damn row gauge that bit me - it is never important…… until it is. I also wish the designer would have said something about the importance of making sure you hit row gauge too! From now on, I will think critically about the construction of a garment and determine if row gauge matters. Interestingly enough, the sweater I was knitting was a similar construction to yours. I ripped it out, put the yarn in time out and knit something totally different with different yarn. It happens to the best of us! 😳
Thank you for sharing being human being. No one is perfect. We develop mastery from making mistakes and applying what we learn. Thank you for letting us learn from your experience. I makes soooo many mistakes all the time…
Ha! I watched this while ripping back an entire finished sweater that didn’t turn out right for similar reasons. Sometimes we just don’t put in the upfront effort to make things turn out, sometimes it’s simply luck that they do! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I love this. Not that you’re ripping out of course. But the timely nature of the video. Having a hype man in the background while you’re frogging is always uplifting. 😉❤️
Tayler, I so appreciate that you are willing to show that you're human. You were excited to do a thing, and sometimes that excitement gets the better of us. We've all done it... we'll probably do it again, and it'll be okay in the end. We'll also make different mistakes. We're human, stuff happens. The important thing is that you made a video owning up to making mistakes, which makes you a good model for others who can be very hard on themselves and think they have to do everything perfectly the first go at it. That's worth all the tea in the world as far as I'm concerned. Keep up the good work. :)
Oh my I feel bad that you feel so bad! Don't be so hard on yourself! You should see everyone else's fumbles!! But I did learn a lot from yours today, so thanks for sharing!
This is actually a very helpful video Taylor. I am making a baby sweater. I am using Berroco Vintage in DK, however they are two different colors. They are not the same weight. After comparing the two yarns, they have two different guage recommendations. I did knit a generous guage swatch with both yarns. I decided on a compromise needle size to get gauge. I also am using two needle sizes: a larger needle for the knit side and a smaller size for my purl side to accommodate the difference in my tension. It is because of all of our conversations, (yes, I consider my time with you a two-way conversation) that I had the insight and patience to consider the tension bugs we encounter. We have all learned so much from this sweater experiment of yours. It didn't fulfil the dream you first envisioned, but it's not a fail. That's why we enjoy your podcast. You dive in head first just like we all do, and we love you for it.❤😊 Thank you.
You are WONDERFUL!!! I loved what you had intended to create so much that I was preparing to do the same sweater using two entirely different worsted yarns. I am not great about swatching and have a tendency to jump right in and then try to fix it. You’re “ upfront” approach to presenting a podcast continues to provide worthwhile suggestions and guidance in enjoying the journey of knitting. BRAVO
Oh, am I in this zone this year. For the last several years all of my projects have turned out fine and to a standard I can live with. For whatever reason (I ran out of luck?) my projects this year have been hit-or-miss. Maybe because I've been feeling more confident because of all of those successes and therefore am taking more risks? And those risks are NOT working out. BUT I am learning so much. So, thank you for this encouragement! I will consider this year my "masters year" and am looking forward to getting an advanced degree LOLLLL
Oh Taylor, thank you for sharing and don't give up! In my past, I also noticed texture differences between knitting flat and knitting in the round. My solution is to choose one (or half a) needle size smaller for the row I have to purl and staying with the "normal" needle size for the row i have to knit. The result is very close to the texture when knitting in the round. If you use interchangable needles it is even easier to manage. Sorry, I am not a native speaker and I hope you get what I mean ;-)
This was so relatable! I wasn't laughing AT you, I was laughing WITH you. 😉But seriously, it was a great cautionary tale with loads of good advice. It's all about the growth mindset - we learn more from our mistakes than our successes. So take it as a good learning experience and knit on!! Good to know even experienced knitters struggle sometimes and I'm not alone!
I think this happens to all of us. Becoming so excited that we throw away everything that stands in the way of casting on this new wonderful project. I frogged different projects for the same reason and normally I swatch now very carefully, but yeah, sometimes I'm faster with casting on than with preparations.
I learned from Irina at Fiberchats that knitting for hours, then realizing you've made mistakes, with a subsequent frog is NEVER wasted time. You just get double the entertainment value out of the yarn. We all have those projects that stall our enthusiasm. I was so eager when I started my first pair of colourwork mittens. Gorgeous yarn and a cute polar bear pattern. Did a gauge swatch, perfect! Started the right mitten, but couldn't get it over my wrist so frogged and used my next size up in needles. Pattern wasn't as crisp but still good. Finished mitten then started on left one. No issues. Well, i have yet to wear them 2 years later. There is no gusset for the thumbs so it fits perfectly if my thumbs were frozen to my palm. The polar bears are sitting quietly in my ex-salad bowl turned yarn bowl with the remaining yarn waiting for me to start over. I have to redo my gauge swatch on the first needles to get the best stitch definition, add stitches on either side of my hand to ensure a good fit, and figure out how to add in a thumb gusset. It may sit there thru another winter. I wish I could help you out with your sweater dilemmas but I'm a newbie to sweaters. As for pronouncing words correctly, I speak with a Canadian prairies accent and get words wrong all the time ... according to my fellow Canadians on both coasts and everywhere in between. Lol.
Thank you, Tayler, for this really useful and helpful podcast. I had not heard of the term 'rowing out' either but did know my purl rows were looser than my knit rows. I change down a size for purl rows and try to knit a little tighter to compensate for this; I do usually go through the purl rows tightening them up on the reverse of the fabric with a tapestry needle when finished. I will try out the under wrap you mentioned to see if that works - thank you. Your 'wasted time' is not wasted - you have learnt loads and passed that valuable knowledge on to us so we wont waste time in future. I certainly have learned so much (including a new word - "contiguously") as well as a new technique, a new term and that rowing out is a common issue and not my being a rubbish purl-er. I knit, mainly, accessories so gauge isn't an issue for me but, will definitely store those nuggets away in the future. Thanks for a lovely, informative, fun and easy to understand podcast channel that informs but never talks down - you have got the tone just right.
I hadn't either until I saw the comments from the last video. Then Andrea Mowry talked about it on her podcast the next day answering a viewers question! Funny how that works and great to learn something new!
Taylor, thank you so much for being brave enough to share your stumbles and struggles with us. I ran into many of the same issues on sweaters I have made and being a fairly new knitter without a community to go to with questions I thought I had made a mistake. I still wear and love the sweaters, mistakes and all. Also, we all mess up words it's no big deal...I forgot the word spoon a few months ago and called it a food shovel. It's all good, and we all still love you. Thanks for being here.
Excellent video. Very informative. Some patterns I call " Assumption Patterns" because the designer ASSUMES I know what I am doing. I wish designers would give those extra details. I learned how to knit technically from patterns later in life. Those before me, who taught me how to knit learned intuitively. They didn't have pattern books and Ravelry. Just like my Grandma who learned how to cook without a recipe books. It makes a big difference.
You are healing the beginner knitter in me who just did projects willy nilly with no regard to fiber, weight, gauge, or blocking and REGULARLY made things wayy too big. My inner kid thanks you ❤️
Hi! Marica from Uppsala, Sweden! Thanks for charing so generously the good and the bad!! So, uplifting and educational! I,m listening to you almost every episode! Your the best!! ❤🎉🥳
Love that you are willing to "ramble on" about your learning errors. Just something I learned years ago when knitting stockinette flat, use a smaller size needle for your purl rows. I only use circs now and will put smaller needle on my "purl" side. Then when switching to in the round needles are the same. Always look forward to your podcasts and rambles.
Oh, we've all been here! 🙂 Haven't read through all the comments but, in case no one else has mentioned it, if you decide to wrap your purls the other way (which is a great idea), you'll need to knit through the back loop on the knits of the following row...
Months after you sent this out I have found you...I am a very new knitter and have only really done socks and fingerless mittens. However I am obsessed with the Lulu slipover and have bought the pattern, found the yarn and was about to goooo. Thanks for this info, I will slow down and remember everything that you have said and try to only cut once!
This was such a genuinely helpful video. I've crocheted for years but am a much more recent knitter. I remember all of the things I did wrong crocheting my first sweater that I wish I would have realized before I started. You don't know what you don't know sometimes. So, this video gave me lots of good information for what to pay attention to for knitting sweaters. I'm sorry you were so frustrated but I'm grateful I could learn vicariously through you.
Hi Tayler- I always wait for your podcasts as I find you to be so real and as a very new knitter to garments I am always afraid to approach them and think that all you knitters are amazing. When I would get frustrated with myself, my aunt would always say, you are human and boy did that help. Growth comes from making mistakes. I was a Kindergarten teacher and as a teacher you know, the learning is in the process. So do not be hard on yourself. Through this video, I am learning so much and feeling braver to move on it to socks and sweaters. I am telling myself that all you experts did not get there overnight. So thanks to you, I plan to start swatching, read patterns even if I do not understand much of it and if I do not love what is happening, rip it out and try again because I will get there. Thank you for everything you do. You are my Sunday, Wednesday treat to myself.
Loved this episode! This is exactly why I am so thankful for podcasts. I am still a fairly new knitter, but a few months ago, I started listening to podcasts, while still not knowing much about the craft or being able to follow due to the minimal knowledge of the vocabulary. But I kept listening and learning from others experiences and mistakes. This has saved me so much frustration (and money) and I’m happy to say I haven’t made too many of the usual “new knitter” mistakes. Gotta give love the comment section too and the collective experience of the community. It now takes me days to pick projects and yarn…it’s such a process, and I love every part of it.
I really like this episode. Seeing people struggle, fail, making mistakes is such a breath of fresh air in our "filter perfect social media appearance" that it immidiately makes you so much more relatable and friendly and human. I love that you are turning this frustrating experience as a cautionary tale and also way of connecting with the community. I will choose this over any other podcast that non stop has project after project all done perfectly fast and fit amazingly well...
Thank you so much Slastenushka. This means a lot to me and I enjoy sharing these sorts of things for these very reasons. We all need to be reminded that to err is human and it's ok to be human. Thank you for watching!
Hey!! At 29:42 you mention wrapping your yarn in the opposite direction for your purl stitches. Please look up "combination knitting" to look into this further! When I was first learning, I used to do my purls in the "wrong" direction going under instead of over top, and it ended up twisting my stitches. I went years not realizing until I started doing cabling and was wondering why my cables looked effed. Calling this out because for stockinette it may not end up mattering, but if you employ this technique for other things it absolutely might
Combination knitting is the best way to go. Aside from saving yarn, it prevents ladders and tightens it up to make the stitches nice and equal. I'm going to try a pair of superwash yarn socks with SERIOUS Combination knitting for the ribbing and pattern so they are snugged right up. Hopefully this will prevent some of the post wash sag. Combination is truly the best!
Hello! Kutovakika has a video about tips- and in the tips she suggests going down a size on the Purl needle and regular for the knitting size - so a different needle on each side of the cable
What a timely episode. As I was starting the video I realized you were speaking directly to me. This is because (1) I just started a striped sweater, (2) my gauge swatch was done in the round about 1-2 inches, (3) my yarn was two different manufacturers (although both DK as the pattern suggests) and my gauge swatch, as small as it was, only consisted of the MC of the sweater and not the contrasting stripe and was 1 stitch per 4" off from the pattern suggestion (it will block out :)) Oops. I have been duly chastised and will now do a proper swatch using both yarns and making sure I get the proper gauge and not something kinda close. Thanks, Tayler. PS, don't apologize for mispronunciations. We all do it. Even English majors!
I noticed my tension when knitting in stockinette was off compared to knitting in the round. My purl rows were so much looser than my knit rows. I knit continental but I figured out that if I purl by knitting backwards, the same way you’d knit left handed if you are right handed, makes my purl stitches tighter and I get a nice even tension. When I look at the wrong side of the fabric, there are no lines in between rows, it’s nice, even stitches.
I'm finally able to come back to knitting after a bit of a hiatus. Your videos keep me company as I work on my projects and I learn a great deal from your content! Thank you!
I REALLY APPRECIATE you creating this video! Most people wouldn’t admit to their mistakes publicly, but this does emphasize the fact that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. I am a new knitter, and as someone who is about to cast on my first sweater, this video came at the perfect time. The highlight for me was to make sure I swatch both flat and in the round since my pattern will include both. I really enjoy your videos and get so much from them. Thank you!
I really identify with the "it will probably be okay," but more because I'm trying new things I've never done before! My husband has a ginormous head (26 in circumference) and my head isn't exactly tiny either, so I've been terrified to make either of us a hat! I'm finally making a hat for myself, and I swatched my yarn in the round, but there was still this fear with my pattern saying that it is 18 in. unstretched and "will fit a variety of head sizes." Not super helpful. I decided to add about 10% more stitches to my cast on, hoping that this won't make my hat super slouchy, but also help accommodate for my head 😂 This is where my "it will probably be okay" comes in! But I really appreciated you talking through the process and the reminder that if you've measured and considered the aspects at play, it's more likely to come out to your liking. This is all to say that while I absolutely lament with you over your sweater, you're providing many of us with food for thought. I love watching your channel ❤
Yup, I hear you! I think most knitters have an Oopsie like this. Set the yarn/project in a corner. Out of sight. Let it marinate. Now, make another ‘thing’. Take the Lessons you’ve just learned & put them to good use. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Time and separation will heal That. Stripe. Debacle. Pick other colors, make a little top. Make a pair of socks. Keep on knittin’!!! You’ll be fine!😊
You were so hard on yourself in this one! We all deserve grace when it comes to knitting - and words 😊 Alas I know all about rowing out. My best fix has been to knit combo style when working flat.
Your trials and tribulations enlighten me. I just did a 3" swatch and decided it was the perfect gage I needed. Maybe I should make it bigger 😅. Thanks.
I’m so glad you shared this, I dislike swatching so much that I rarely do it and then I get angry with myself when my projects don’t turn out the way I hoped they would. I have gotten better at doing it, but still tempted to not do it. Your honesty helped me to realize the importance of all the little details involved in having a good outcome on a project. Thank you
The way I knit would be so stressful to you 😂 Not sure i have ever made a gauge swatch! Thankfully my best friend is a very different size to me and so she has had some of my jumpers when they come out waaaay too big
I couldn't resist - I had to order some of the grey from Lovely Valley. Can't wait to see what you do with the bare yarn! Also, if it makes you feel any better, I had learned the word 'epitome' by reading it. Only I read it as EP-a-tome. It was YEARS before I married the the audio version to the written version. Imagine when that happened. Me: THAT'S how you say it??? *face palm*
@@WOOLNEEDLESHANDS So do I! It's engrained in my brain! I have the same issue with unique. YUN E Q. That's what happens when you learn words by reading. 😆
This is a very timely video…Thank you for pointing out what we all know but think it will be fine.. no matter how long we have been knitting 🫣😂 This very thing happened to me on a recent project. I made a baby all in one in a 3 knit 1 purl pattern. From the top to just before the crotch it was knitted flat and from there down to the crotch and the legs were in the round. The difference in my stitches was so noticeable to me. The bottom part was so much neater than the top. It is the first time I have realised my purl stitches are obviously looser than my knit stitches. In flat knit my work looks very neat and I have never questioned it - until now. I am going to experiment with using a smaller needle for my purl stitches and wrapping the other way and see how it affects my work. Always learning.. 😌
Your emotions while talking about this sweater project were quite something. I had to smile though. I tend to be very good at studying patterns and reading notes from other knitters before beginning something BUT I don't always swatch and I sometimes use a different yarn weight than what was called for in the pattern. Do I have to rip out or scrap pieces later? Heck yes. But I'm a process knitter so when that happens, I actually don't mind too much because I learn lots from the mistakes. AND make notes so I can remember them to help me make better decisions the next time. I thought this was a great topic. And good luck on your next go round 🤞🏾!
I've discovered I am a process knitter as well, and it doesn't bother me at all to frog and re-knit. I actually joke and say I'm getting more knitting for my money. One sweater, I reknit 3 times almost completely and loved every minute of it. It is now one of my favorites.
What Ive just done is even worse bacause I listened to your previous podcast and thought Im making a similar construction I should think about the difference in gauge and then forgot and ploughed on anyway and my purls are tighter so I now have a jumper with a looser bottom half. Note to self remember your words of wisdom!
Thank you so much for this episode! I was literally just about to cast on the stripe hype sweater with some single skeins of malabrigo rios I wanted to use up without even doing a gauge swatch 🤦🏻 You’ve just saved me from so much heartache. I’m so sorry and also so grateful for your mistakes and lessons learned lol
I never had a problem knitting flat with the method I learned from my mom. I call it Eastern European method, I think it was very popular in the USSR. The way to purl is the one you describe as an alternative in this video :) Yes, it is waaaaay easier than traditional continental method. But what you need to keep in mind - you will have reversed loops in a knitting round, meaning you need to knit through the back leg ;) It is fine for plain stockinette. The problems come when you need to do knit and purls in the same round, then I usually switch to continental knitting. I have to pull each purl stitch to make them even to knit stitches 😅 I still cannot properly handle classic continental purl.
I am a loose knitter plus my purls are even looser yet . ( I knit English …) Two things I do . Flat knitting : When knitting I make my left hand needle smaller than my right hand needle . That way when I purl back I am using the smaller needle to purl . Also When I purl I drag my needle across the other needle as I am pulling the stitch off . It seems to tighten up the stitch .
I do something called combination knitting, with western knit stitches and eastern style purls. I do have to knit through the back loop after a purl row that way, but it’s worth it to prevent rowing out.
I do chaos knitting, which is a phrase I only learnt last year, but basically I don’t use patterns and just wing every project. I see a picture of something I want and make it up as I go. It is quite freeing but it also means I am no stranger to frogging many many projects. I think frogging a project is part of the learning and knitting cycle, try to do it with happiness in your heart that at least it’s possible to frog when you make a mistake. I sew as well and man when I make a mistake with fabric I wish I could put the pieces back together the way I can when I mess up with yarn.
One thing I’ve found that helps with my “rowing out”- I change my yarn-tensioning method on the purl side. I give my yarn an extra wrap around my pinkie, and that extra friction is just enough to make my purl stitches tighter. Love the video! I had the same experience on my first contiguous knitting project… she’s got 11” of ease, and definitely a tv-night sweater now 😂
Ah, Taylor, I feel your pain! Watching your pod this morning has given me strength to frog a sweater that is 80% finished. I feel broken hearted! Where I went wrong was while my horizontal gauge was on, my vertical gauge was off. Then, when it was looking too big, I hoped! This is my hard-won lesson: HOPING is a BIG, FAT WARNING that things are not going the way they should be. STOP and re asses at the first sign, the first baby idea that things are not as they should. Today, I am super deflated, not happy to have learned this lesson. Tomorrow, I’ll feel better about it all. - Hey: maybe a whole other pattern that I will dutifully swatch both ways?!
I just went back and watched your past podcast where you spoke about the four sweater projects you were working on. You were SO excited about this one. The yarn, the concept, the neckline. Knowing how it's turning out, while watching, made my heart hurt a bit. But thank you so much for sharing! It makes me feel better knowing it happens to others, even those with experience and expertise! Sally
"Haste makes waste!" Oh yes, I've been there ... many, many times (face palm in shame). I've learned all my lessons the hard way that you illustrated here! It makes me feel better that even other experienced knitters have fallen into group with me!
Tayler, I think you did this because it takes days to knit, wash and dry a swatch. I’m beginning to do more than one swatch at a time for upcoming projects. 😂I’m a monogamous knitter, but impatient when I’m ready to start a new project. I get it! 🧶
Great thoughts here. I have this problem too. One thing about wrapping yarn under for the purl...it will result in a twisted stitch for the knit. This is not an issue if you knit in the back of the stitch. I have thought of doing this, but have hesitated because of issues I could face in different stitches. I ended up going with Norwegian purling. It is better, but I need to be conscious to purl tighter. The purling under and knitting in the back still intrigues me though.
I needed this episode today! Not saying this is your situation, however when I go through what feels like a few “life losses” aka I forgot to pay a bill, got a flat tire on my bike, let the house get messy; I look for a win. Because I know I’m good at knitting I try to find “wins” in knitting. But this tends to make mistakes in knitting feel a lot worse. Long story short, 😅 I’ve bought a lot of shawl patterns on Ravelry looking for my next “win”. It gets so frustrating when you know you are great at something but you make mistakes. Great video! Also thank you for being open and honest with your mistakes. A lot of times on RUclips it feels like every video is “I maDe TwEntY TwO sWeAtErs iN oNe DaY 🥴🥴🥴” Meanwhile I’m over here like “I bought 6 patterns in 2 hours” Lmao
Omg you really tapped into something here (and I’m so glad that this video resonated with you). You say that when other things feel like losses, you seek out your wins in your knitting (or those things that you’re good at). And I’m very much the same. This last week, though not full of actual losses, was sort of a mess in terms of schedules and just stressful and I really needed knitting to be there in a not stressful way, but it just was…all because of this sweater’s issues. I feel like you really got to the root of it here. So thank you. 😘
OMG Taylor! I'm so glad you put out this episode: I'm in the process of swatching for Aphra (by Isabell Kraemer) and was THIS close to taking a short cut and only do a swatch knit flat because I very likely have to go back and unravel the swatch to finish the sweater otherwise. Now you convinced me to do all the swatches: aka in pattern, in stockinette both flat and in the round. The funny thing about that: Now I don't even mind 😅 Oh I might also take a second look at sizing... so sending you all the hugs and hope this makes you feel slightly better 😘 Uta
Please don’t beat yourself up so much. Yes you made a mistake or two. But it’s done. Make a choice to say I’ve learned from this and decide to unravel the project and move on. You are a wonderful knitter!!❤❤❤ (Give yourself a hug!)
I can barely remember to change needles to do ribbing let alone from flat to round and from knit to purl. And I just realized the next project I am gauging for is the Stockholm vest which moves from flat to in the round and I am using different stash yarns. Should be fun !
I have learned so much from this video, thank you for sharing. I'm about to start a new project in a couple of days, I just did 4 rows (instead of 4 inches) and said yep good enough, I'm getting gauge. I will be re-doing my gauge swatch again tonight just to make sure. I'm going to be doing my first sweater in after that next project and I am going to follow all of your advice. While it may have been hard to admit what happened. You are helping me so thank you thank you thank you!
I've been there. I knitted the Chaika (similar construction) and the difference in the tension bothered me so much that I don't wear that jumper anymore. I know you already said no to this option in the previous video, but with interchangeable needles, using one smaller needle size when purling flat solves the tension problem for me. When I change from knitting flat to knitting in the round, I just keep knitting with the same needle size I used to knit flat and that's it. Even having a smaller left needle helps the stitches to slide better. I hope this helps.
I appreciate your honesty and a huge THANK YOU for all the heads up regarding the issues you've run into! I am planning to follow in your footsteps, at least yarn wise, to make this pattern. Its hard to beat the budget friendly price of both yarns. I did knit a gauge swatch flat, with the two yarns and striping as the pattern calls for. I'll be sure to knit another gauge swatch in the round before committing fully using the fisherman's wool and paton's classic worsted for this pattern.
Thank you so much for sharing your adventures! I'm starting my first sweater and had never even heard of swatching in the round. Your being willing to share your mistakes helped set me up for success!
You apologize - you shouldn't! I'm back to thank you most gratefully for sharing your cautionary tale. I too have wung it and then perfected my frogging skills. You remind me to swatch and block, swatch and block.
Oh my goodness I was here dying laughing and nodding my head to every single word because I filmed a podcast almost exactly the same 2 weeks ago. I did the exact thing you did. First time knitting a summer tank and also a totally new construction to me and no swatch 😂 I was so annoyed at myself as well but said the same thing, I took it as a lesson learned and then shared with my viewers the same lesson. I was like learn from my mistakes 😂 I was like gauge swatch and do the research. I even asked my viewers to please suggest some solutions. My armholes were so wide 😂 I totally agree with you it’s upsetting because we know better but definitely it’s great to just take it as a lesson and you will not make those mistakes again. I still haven’t fixed those armholes. I’ll get around to it eventually since we are already in fall. Also I have that sweater in my queue and can’t wait to make it. I just got the yarn for it but I’m currently working on the salty days sweater. It’s gorgeous. Go watch my episode and you’ll feel better. Haha you are not alone. It’s my last upload with the sailor swift top which is the tanki messed up 😂 happy knitting 🧶
This channel is new to me and I've been devouring episodes in the last few weeks. It alarms me that in just one weeks time our host feels that they must defend themselves, not once but twice! My hope for the viewers of this channel is that we all appreciate the love and energy for making that exudes from this channel and leave any unsolicited critiques or criticism out of this space. Remember it's our choice to be here or not. I hope that we can also include a choice to be positive and supportive.
See… this is why I absolutely love your podcast. You’re just so genuine and honest. I haven’t dipped my toes into the sweater knitting river yet and so this is super educational for me. I feel like I remember hearing that you’re going to have a different gauge knitting flat and then knitting in the round, but I’ll actually remember it now… I think. 😂 Oh, and props for the phrase, tale of woe. I love it. Also, you can’t know all the words. When you kept talking about contiguous with a J sounding G, I thought it was just a word I had never heard of. 😂😂 And technically, it could just kind of be an alternate pronunciation, right? 😅😊🤓
I recently learned my lesson about not hopping into projects with no thoughts given to it. I knit a sweater bottom up and when it finally got to the point i could try it in it had a ton of negative ease instead of positive like it was supposed to be. It was suffocatingly small and it was almost finished at that point. Im going to finish it up and give it to my mom but man did that kill my mojo
Tayler, you are darling! No worries, young lady! We all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. You are wonderful and amazing. Love your podcasts so much!
I'm a newish knitter. I've been following. Veronica (kika=nickname) for a while now, and i have heard her call out the guage variable in flat and in the round. She has also counseled her viewers on the fact that, even knit stitches and purl stitches can vary...as a remedy she suggests to use a different size needle on the purl rows to assist in more continuity of stitch guage. Kutova = 'knitting'...in Finnish. Kikakutova = Veronica knitting....roughly
Yes, I am a new knitter and I followed her beginner knit tank top tutorial on yt. It’s bottom up and starts with knitting in the round for the body and when you get to the top, she mentions how you’ll have to pay attention to your tension when you start to knit flat because it’ll probably be looser than what you knit in the round. My tank top luckily doesn’t have a noticeable transition from going round to flat because Veronika told me before starting the flat section and I knit my purls tighter
I just casted on this sweater (1/21/24) with stash Patons worsted (ocean blue) and LB Fishermans (brown), and essentially making your sweater. I love the future videos where this is now your favorite sweater!
Oh cool! You're going to love it. The yarn is so nice and warm. I wore this sweater almost constantly on our recent trip to the Utah mountains. So cozy! Have fun!
Oh yes. Have done all of the above-mentioned and will most likely do it again. Been knitting decades.. good for you to own it and let it go. More sweaters out there. Make this one in different colors. 😊
I have encountered similar issues with gauge involving flat knitting that evolves into round knitting, and boy did i get rowing. I now do combination knitting with purls wrapped clockwise, and it’s made ALL the difference. It even helped me to knit faster and with less strain. I also notice that my stitches look much better with the appropriate needle, as in wood vs metal. Metal for wools and wood for plant fibers.
STOP, I THOUGHT THAT WORD WAS PRONOUNCED WITH A SOFT G. Thank you for saving me the embarrassment of ever saying that word out loud the way that I thought it was actually pronounced
I totally agree about wrapping your purl stitches in the opposite direction. I started doing this years ago and it completely fixed all my rowing out issues. It’s called Combination Knitting. If you are a picker who carries yarn in the left hand, I highly recommend this method. 😊
I had to do the opposite. Wrapping my purl stitches under were making my purl rows twisted and tight. Haha. Different hands can do such different things.
@@arekcw Exactly right! That’s partly why it’s called combination knitting. You do have to correct the leading leg of the stitch on the following row. ☺️
I personally like to wear 14” of positive ease for an over sized sweater. It’s much more flattering for me than less ease. If in doubt, try some sweaters on in a store. Often, if the sleeve length looks good, the rest of the sweater does not look too big. Just my humble opinion.😊. Love your podcast !
Thank you so much Norah. This means a lot coming from you. And it’s funny you mention trying on different Sweater sizes…I was in our closet yesterday trying on all of my husband’s sweaters (that’s like 4 sweaters 🫠) to see how the oversized look feels and looks on me. Turns out, 12 inches really isn’t that much!! (I think I may be able to make this work…🤔🤔) Thank you for watching Norah. ❤️
Thank you for talking about this! I recently had this experience also. I was watching a podcast I love and wanted to cast on their new pattern. I went stash diving and found two yarns that I thought would work well together..... So I swatched with the MC only. Did I practice the stripe... nope Got gauge. Cast on (bottom up non the less 300+ sts). Finished inches of ribbing and added in the co trast stripe... I hate the contrast. They just don't play. One yarn is Worsted spun, the other woolen, so the texture is off. Plus the colors just look 🤔 weird together. So this reckless cast on is now on the floor of my office waiting for me to decide the next steps....
I appreciate your honesty about this. I definitely learned from it. I never considered different gauges from knitting in the round vs knitting flat. I’ve not done one of those type sweaters before,but I will know to think about that now. Thanks.
We have ALL been their Taylor. I actually thought you mentioned not wanting to purl backwards in your last video? I have used the combination method for awhile now when I too discovered I was "Rowing out". I like it so much that I find the movement actually quicker, and even when knitting in the round, I will purl backwards and then knit through the back loop on the next round. It actually made me enjoy purling. You just have to chalk it up to "I will never make that mistake again." Anita
Great points! I also had gauge problems when knitting that type of construction. I know now I need to gauge swatch flat and in the round and wash my gauge swatches. Also, I put a smaller needle on the side I am purling with.
Oh honey, I feel your pain! I watched your more recent video on what to do before knitting your first sweater before watching this one. I left a rather lengthy comment in that vid, giving some additional tips to people (like myself) who are about to knit their first sweater, and who are (naturally!) feeling anxious about it. After I wrote it, I had some misgivings like, "Maybe I'm taking this whole sweater thing too seriously...." and then I saw this vid and NOPE! Lol! I feel I'm taking it just seriously enough, but at the same time, lightly enough to try to relax and enjoy the process. When I first learned crochet many years ago, the first thing I crocheted was a cardigan-type sweater. Even with the help of a crochet teacher, there were tons of mistakes. It's way too long; the sleeves are too long and tight; the cuffs aren't stretchy enough, etc. I don't want to make the same mistakes with my first knit sweater, so I'm going into it cautiously and carefully and as you said, with intent. At the same time, don't beat yourself up for your mistakes. As you yourself said, it's simply a learning experience, so it's nothing to feel badly about whatsoever. You didn't do anything wrong; rather, you did exactly the RIGHT thing, which is to learn from your past so as to improve things in the future, and that's a beautiful thing. Love your vids!
Hello! Thank you for watching! This episode is a long one and I honestly am talking about just one project...however it's so much more than that. It's a whole cautionary tale loaded with good advice I should have heeded. 😎
Enjoy!
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My dear, I just want to hug you. ❤
If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t doing anything new! I’ve been knitting and crocheting and sewing since I was 9. Sometimes I frog entire blankets and robes and dusters simply because I don’t love the result. Sometimes I knit a 12x12 square just to see how close I can get by feel or eye. But ALWAYS I knit simply because my hands want to knit!
I appreciate your effort in dissecting what happened or your M&M as we say in the medical world. This is a wonderful deep dive in how to set up your best possible chance of success on a new project. I think though, maybe your heart and your hands just wanted to knit. 🤷🏻♀️ Give yourself permission to do something that doesn’t have a deadline, doesn’t have a specific outcome, isn’t about teaching, learning, or gifting.
You are a yarn dyer. Perhaps your hands just wanted to touch and feel a yarn not at the ultimate quality you demand of your own work. Your spirit wanted to remember touching the machine products of young knitters purchasing their very first wool. Do a thing only for the sake of doing it whether it’s knitting or dyeing or anything else.
Oh Tayler - don't be so hard on yourself. This is a time for positive thinking - I suggest you frog this one ASAP, throw the yarn back in your stash and put the whole thing behind you. Take what you learned and so generously shared and apply it to the next exciting new project. We have all been there and it's horrid - but this is all part of the knitting experience. Thanks for another passionate and informative podcast.
I wanted to jump into the comments to say that your video background/crafting room always gives me so much joy! The lovely vibe crafting supplies, candles, and mood lighting is such a wonderful pairing with the topic of knitting and always makes me feel calm and cosy while watching your videos :)
Thank you so much. 😊
100% why I clicked on her videos in the first place. Reminds me of old tumblr dreamy photos from 2011 🥰
As long as it doesn’t forever ruin the yarn, I consider every project practice and a swatch until it’s a success.
same
It's part of the process of figuring out what works and what won't, since every new project is different
Hell I didn’t even notice, focused on the pattern and tidbits you had for it. I would have claimed to be mixing English and Spanish/French/Navajo… none the wiser.
My downfall to projects is finding yarn I want to use for a garment like a hat or sweater, then I can’t find a pattern I like with the yarn I selected. I have a whole bin of sweater amounts of yarn and can’t find a pattern that I want to use it with.
Please, if you get a chance, watch “It’s a Sarah” podcast! She LOVES to knit and does these kinds of things a lot. She doesn’t care because she just frogs and does it again because she loves to knit. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you made a mistake, who doesn’t? The knitting is beautiful, the colors are lovely but your sizing is off. Here’s a hug 🤗 to peace.
I agree but look for “It is a Sarah” but she says It’s a Sarah. Lovely podcast!
Ugh- I had the whole body of my recent disaster knit. In my case it was damn row gauge that bit me - it is never important…… until it is. I also wish the designer would have said something about the importance of making sure you hit row gauge too! From now on, I will think critically about the construction of a garment and determine if row gauge matters. Interestingly enough, the sweater I was knitting was a similar construction to yours. I ripped it out, put the yarn in time out and knit something totally different with different yarn. It happens to the best of us! 😳
Yes!!! It's all knitting... and it's a shame when things don't work out. But as long as we learn smth from our mistakes, it's all good (right? 😊).
Yes!!! It’s a Sarah is so so fun. ❤
Agree!! Sarah and I share a "messy brain" and " heart jumping" inspirations❤
She will inspire you to deal with the dragons 😊
Thank you for sharing being human being. No one is perfect. We develop mastery from making mistakes and applying what we learn. Thank you for letting us learn from your experience. I makes soooo many mistakes all the time…
Ha! I watched this while ripping back an entire finished sweater that didn’t turn out right for similar reasons. Sometimes we just don’t put in the upfront effort to make things turn out, sometimes it’s simply luck that they do! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I love this. Not that you’re ripping out of course. But the timely nature of the video. Having a hype man in the background while you’re frogging is always uplifting. 😉❤️
Tayler, I so appreciate that you are willing to show that you're human. You were excited to do a thing, and sometimes that excitement gets the better of us. We've all done it... we'll probably do it again, and it'll be okay in the end. We'll also make different mistakes. We're human, stuff happens. The important thing is that you made a video owning up to making mistakes, which makes you a good model for others who can be very hard on themselves and think they have to do everything perfectly the first go at it. That's worth all the tea in the world as far as I'm concerned. Keep up the good work. :)
Oh my I feel bad that you feel so bad! Don't be so hard on yourself! You should see everyone else's fumbles!! But I did learn a lot from yours today, so thanks for sharing!
That's so cool, using local wool. I'll have to check out that shop update. 😊😊😊
So glad you will be sourcing US wool…and from Nevada is even better!
This is actually a very helpful video Taylor. I am making a baby sweater. I am using Berroco Vintage in DK, however they are two different colors. They are not the same weight. After comparing the two yarns, they have two different guage recommendations. I did knit a generous guage swatch with both yarns. I decided on a compromise needle size to get gauge. I also am using two needle sizes: a larger needle for the knit side and a smaller size for my purl side to accommodate the difference in my tension. It is because of all of our conversations, (yes, I consider my time with you a two-way conversation) that I had the insight and patience to consider the tension bugs we encounter. We have all learned so much from this sweater experiment of yours. It didn't fulfil the dream you first envisioned, but it's not a fail. That's why we enjoy your podcast. You dive in head first just like we all do, and we love you for it.❤😊 Thank you.
You are WONDERFUL!!! I loved what you had intended to create so much that I was preparing to do the same sweater using two entirely different worsted yarns. I am not great about swatching and have a tendency to jump right in and then try to fix it. You’re “ upfront” approach to presenting a podcast continues to provide worthwhile suggestions and guidance in enjoying the journey of knitting. BRAVO
Oh, am I in this zone this year. For the last several years all of my projects have turned out fine and to a standard I can live with. For whatever reason (I ran out of luck?) my projects this year have been hit-or-miss. Maybe because I've been feeling more confident because of all of those successes and therefore am taking more risks? And those risks are NOT working out. BUT I am learning so much. So, thank you for this encouragement! I will consider this year my "masters year" and am looking forward to getting an advanced degree LOLLLL
Oh Taylor, thank you for sharing and don't give up!
In my past, I also noticed texture differences between knitting flat and knitting in the round. My solution is to choose one (or half a) needle size smaller for the row I have to purl and staying with the "normal" needle size for the row i have to knit. The result is very close to the texture when knitting in the round. If you use interchangable needles it is even easier to manage. Sorry, I am not a native speaker and I hope you get what I mean ;-)
This was so relatable! I wasn't laughing AT you, I was laughing WITH you. 😉But seriously, it was a great cautionary tale with loads of good advice. It's all about the growth mindset - we learn more from our mistakes than our successes. So take it as a good learning experience and knit on!! Good to know even experienced knitters struggle sometimes and I'm not alone!
You’ve got a huge swatch now 😂❤ happens to many many of us.. and often not only once 😅
I think this happens to all of us. Becoming so excited that we throw away everything that stands in the way of casting on this new wonderful project. I frogged different projects for the same reason and normally I swatch now very carefully, but yeah, sometimes I'm faster with casting on than with preparations.
I learned from Irina at Fiberchats that knitting for hours, then realizing you've made mistakes, with a subsequent frog is NEVER wasted time. You just get double the entertainment value out of the yarn.
We all have those projects that stall our enthusiasm. I was so eager when I started my first pair of colourwork mittens. Gorgeous yarn and a cute polar bear pattern. Did a gauge swatch, perfect! Started the right mitten, but couldn't get it over my wrist so frogged and used my next size up in needles. Pattern wasn't as crisp but still good. Finished mitten then started on left one. No issues. Well, i have yet to wear them 2 years later. There is no gusset for the thumbs so it fits perfectly if my thumbs were frozen to my palm. The polar bears are sitting quietly in my ex-salad bowl turned yarn bowl with the remaining yarn waiting for me to start over. I have to redo my gauge swatch on the first needles to get the best stitch definition, add stitches on either side of my hand to ensure a good fit, and figure out how to add in a thumb gusset. It may sit there thru another winter.
I wish I could help you out with your sweater dilemmas but I'm a newbie to sweaters. As for pronouncing words correctly, I speak with a Canadian prairies accent and get words wrong all the time ... according to my fellow Canadians on both coasts and everywhere in between. Lol.
Thank you, Tayler, for this really useful and helpful podcast. I had not heard of the term 'rowing out' either but did know my purl rows were looser than my knit rows. I change down a size for purl rows and try to knit a little tighter to compensate for this; I do usually go through the purl rows tightening them up on the reverse of the fabric with a tapestry needle when finished. I will try out the under wrap you mentioned to see if that works - thank you.
Your 'wasted time' is not wasted - you have learnt loads and passed that valuable knowledge on to us so we wont waste time in future. I certainly have learned so much (including a new word - "contiguously") as well as a new technique, a new term and that rowing out is a common issue and not my being a rubbish purl-er. I knit, mainly, accessories so gauge isn't an issue for me but, will definitely store those nuggets away in the future. Thanks for a lovely, informative, fun and easy to understand podcast channel that informs but never talks down - you have got the tone just right.
I hadn't either until I saw the comments from the last video. Then Andrea Mowry talked about it on her podcast the next day answering a viewers question! Funny how that works and great to learn something new!
Taylor, thank you so much for being brave enough to share your stumbles and struggles with us. I ran into many of the same issues on sweaters I have made and being a fairly new knitter without a community to go to with questions I thought I had made a mistake. I still wear and love the sweaters, mistakes and all. Also, we all mess up words it's no big deal...I forgot the word spoon a few months ago and called it a food shovel. It's all good, and we all still love you. Thanks for being here.
Excellent video. Very informative. Some patterns I call " Assumption Patterns" because the designer ASSUMES I know what I am doing. I wish designers would give those extra details. I learned how to knit technically from patterns later in life. Those before me, who taught me how to knit learned intuitively. They didn't have pattern books and Ravelry. Just like my Grandma who learned how to cook without a recipe books. It makes a big difference.
You are healing the beginner knitter in me who just did projects willy nilly with no regard to fiber, weight, gauge, or blocking and REGULARLY made things wayy too big.
My inner kid thanks you ❤️
Hi! Marica from Uppsala, Sweden! Thanks for charing so
generously the good and the bad!! So, uplifting and educational! I,m listening to you almost every episode! Your the best!! ❤🎉🥳
Love that you are willing to "ramble on" about your learning errors.
Just something I learned years ago when knitting stockinette flat, use a smaller size needle for your purl rows.
I only use circs now and will put smaller needle on my "purl" side.
Then when switching to in the round needles are the same.
Always look forward to your podcasts and rambles.
I love the chaotic frustration in this video 😂 the struggle is real!
It really is! This was quite a journey. Keep watching the following episodes and you’ll see that things “evolve”. ☺️
Oh, we've all been here! 🙂 Haven't read through all the comments but, in case no one else has mentioned it, if you decide to wrap your purls the other way (which is a great idea), you'll need to knit through the back loop on the knits of the following row...
Months after you sent this out I have found you...I am a very new knitter and have only really done socks and fingerless mittens. However I am obsessed with the Lulu slipover and have bought the pattern, found the yarn and was about to goooo. Thanks for this info, I will slow down and remember everything that you have said and try to only cut once!
This was such a genuinely helpful video. I've crocheted for years but am a much more recent knitter. I remember all of the things I did wrong crocheting my first sweater that I wish I would have realized before I started. You don't know what you don't know sometimes. So, this video gave me lots of good information for what to pay attention to for knitting sweaters. I'm sorry you were so frustrated but I'm grateful I could learn vicariously through you.
Thanks! I like this pattern and want to knit it - sharing your experience is so helpful.
Hi Tayler- I always wait for your podcasts as I find you to be so real and as a very new knitter to garments I am always afraid to approach them and think that all you knitters are amazing. When I would get frustrated with myself, my aunt would always say, you are human and boy did that help. Growth comes from making mistakes. I was a Kindergarten teacher and as a teacher you know, the learning is in the process. So do not be hard on yourself. Through this video, I am learning so much and feeling braver to move on it to socks and sweaters. I am telling myself that all you experts did not get there overnight. So thanks to you, I plan to start swatching, read patterns even if I do not understand much of it and if I do not love what is happening, rip it out and try again because I will get there. Thank you for everything you do. You are my Sunday, Wednesday treat to myself.
Loved this episode! This is exactly why I am so thankful for podcasts. I am still a fairly new knitter, but a few months ago, I started listening to podcasts, while still not knowing much about the craft or being able to follow due to the minimal knowledge of the vocabulary. But I kept listening and learning from others experiences and mistakes. This has saved me so much frustration (and money) and I’m happy to say I haven’t made too many of the usual “new knitter” mistakes. Gotta give love the comment section too and the collective experience of the community. It now takes me days to pick projects and yarn…it’s such a process, and I love every part of it.
I really like this episode. Seeing people struggle, fail, making mistakes is such a breath of fresh air in our "filter perfect social media appearance" that it immidiately makes you so much more relatable and friendly and human. I love that you are turning this frustrating experience as a cautionary tale and also way of connecting with the community. I will choose this over any other podcast that non stop has project after project all done perfectly fast and fit amazingly well...
Thank you so much Slastenushka. This means a lot to me and I enjoy sharing these sorts of things for these very reasons. We all need to be reminded that to err is human and it's ok to be human. Thank you for watching!
Hey!! At 29:42 you mention wrapping your yarn in the opposite direction for your purl stitches. Please look up "combination knitting" to look into this further! When I was first learning, I used to do my purls in the "wrong" direction going under instead of over top, and it ended up twisting my stitches. I went years not realizing until I started doing cabling and was wondering why my cables looked effed. Calling this out because for stockinette it may not end up mattering, but if you employ this technique for other things it absolutely might
Combination knitting is the best way to go. Aside from saving yarn, it prevents ladders and tightens it up to make the stitches nice and equal. I'm going to try a pair of superwash yarn socks with SERIOUS Combination knitting for the ribbing and pattern so they are snugged right up. Hopefully this will prevent some of the post wash sag. Combination is truly the best!
Hello! Kutovakika has a video about tips- and in the tips she suggests going down a size on the Purl needle and regular for the knitting size - so a different needle on each side of the cable
What a timely episode. As I was starting the video I realized you were speaking directly to me. This is because (1) I just started a striped sweater, (2) my gauge swatch was done in the round about 1-2 inches, (3) my yarn was two different manufacturers (although both DK as the pattern suggests) and my gauge swatch, as small as it was, only consisted of the MC of the sweater and not the contrasting stripe and was 1 stitch per 4" off from the pattern suggestion (it will block out :)) Oops. I have been duly chastised and will now do a proper swatch using both yarns and making sure I get the proper gauge and not something kinda close. Thanks, Tayler. PS, don't apologize for mispronunciations. We all do it. Even English majors!
I noticed my tension when knitting in stockinette was off compared to knitting in the round. My purl rows were so much looser than my knit rows. I knit continental but I figured out that if I purl by knitting backwards, the same way you’d knit left handed if you are right handed, makes my purl stitches tighter and I get a nice even tension. When I look at the wrong side of the fabric, there are no lines in between rows, it’s nice, even stitches.
Ribbit ribbit ribbit! Not wasted time. Look what all you’ve learned and been able to share with us!
I sorry for the amount of times I laughed during this episode. All good points before starting a project. I would frog it and knit some pumpkins.
I'm finally able to come back to knitting after a bit of a hiatus. Your videos keep me company as I work on my projects and I learn a great deal from your content! Thank you!
This is so generous Gabriela. Thank you. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos. Happy knitting! ❤️❤️❤️
As a person who doesn't live in the US I've learnt a new phrase this morning, Contiguous United States. I had to go googling.
I REALLY APPRECIATE you creating this video! Most people wouldn’t admit to their mistakes publicly, but this does emphasize the fact that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. I am a new knitter, and as someone who is about to cast on my first sweater, this video came at the perfect time. The highlight for me was to make sure I swatch both flat and in the round since my pattern will include both. I really enjoy your videos and get so much from them. Thank you!
I really identify with the "it will probably be okay," but more because I'm trying new things I've never done before! My husband has a ginormous head (26 in circumference) and my head isn't exactly tiny either, so I've been terrified to make either of us a hat! I'm finally making a hat for myself, and I swatched my yarn in the round, but there was still this fear with my pattern saying that it is 18 in. unstretched and "will fit a variety of head sizes." Not super helpful. I decided to add about 10% more stitches to my cast on, hoping that this won't make my hat super slouchy, but also help accommodate for my head 😂 This is where my "it will probably be okay" comes in! But I really appreciated you talking through the process and the reminder that if you've measured and considered the aspects at play, it's more likely to come out to your liking. This is all to say that while I absolutely lament with you over your sweater, you're providing many of us with food for thought. I love watching your channel ❤
Yup, I hear you! I think most knitters have an Oopsie like this.
Set the yarn/project in a corner. Out of sight. Let it marinate.
Now, make another ‘thing’. Take the Lessons you’ve just learned & put them to good use. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Time and separation will heal That. Stripe. Debacle.
Pick other colors, make a little top. Make a pair of socks. Keep on knittin’!!! You’ll be fine!😊
You were so hard on yourself in this one! We all deserve grace when it comes to knitting - and words 😊 Alas I know all about rowing out. My best fix has been to knit combo style when working flat.
Your trials and tribulations enlighten me. I just did a 3" swatch and decided it was the perfect gage I needed. Maybe I should make it bigger 😅.
Thanks.
I’m so glad you shared this, I dislike swatching so much that I rarely do it and then I get angry with myself when my projects don’t turn out the way I hoped they would. I have gotten better at doing it, but still tempted to not do it. Your honesty helped me to realize the importance of all the little details involved in having a good outcome on a project. Thank you
The way I knit would be so stressful to you 😂
Not sure i have ever made a gauge swatch! Thankfully my best friend is a very different size to me and so she has had some of my jumpers when they come out waaaay too big
I couldn't resist - I had to order some of the grey from Lovely Valley. Can't wait to see what you do with the bare yarn! Also, if it makes you feel any better, I had learned the word 'epitome' by reading it. Only I read it as EP-a-tome. It was YEARS before I married the the audio version to the written version. Imagine when that happened. Me: THAT'S how you say it??? *face palm*
Omg Kelly! I had the same experience with epitome. Like even now, if/when I write it, I say it phonetically. 😂😂
@@WOOLNEEDLESHANDS So do I! It's engrained in my brain! I have the same issue with unique. YUN E Q. That's what happens when you learn words by reading. 😆
That was my experience with "potpourri."
@@tonifinley4872 Yes! 🤣
This is a very timely video…Thank you for pointing out what we all know but think it will be fine.. no matter how long we have been knitting 🫣😂
This very thing happened to me on a recent project. I made a baby all in one in a 3 knit 1 purl pattern. From the top to just before the crotch it was knitted flat and from there down to the crotch and the legs were in the round. The difference in my stitches was so noticeable to me. The bottom part was so much neater than the top. It is the first time I have realised my purl stitches are obviously looser than my knit stitches.
In flat knit my work looks very neat and I have never questioned it - until now. I am going to experiment with using a smaller needle for my purl stitches and wrapping the other way and see how it affects my work. Always learning.. 😌
Your emotions while talking about this sweater project were quite something. I had to smile though. I tend to be very good at studying patterns and reading notes from other knitters before beginning something BUT I don't always swatch and I sometimes use a different yarn weight than what was called for in the pattern. Do I have to rip out or scrap pieces later? Heck yes. But I'm a process knitter so when that happens, I actually don't mind too much because I learn lots from the mistakes. AND make notes so I can remember them to help me make better decisions the next time.
I thought this was a great topic. And good luck on your next go round 🤞🏾!
I've discovered I am a process knitter as well, and it doesn't bother me at all to frog and re-knit. I actually joke and say I'm getting more knitting for my money. One sweater, I reknit 3 times almost completely and loved every minute of it. It is now one of my favorites.
As beginner it is nice to see that I'm not the only one that makes mistakes. I appreciate your honesty, and helping others learn from your mistakes.❤❤
What Ive just done is even worse bacause I listened to your previous podcast and thought Im making a similar construction I should think about the difference in gauge and then forgot and ploughed on anyway and my purls are tighter so I now have a jumper with a looser bottom half. Note to self remember your words of wisdom!
Oh Taylor, I do love you ❤ Thank you for sharing. Hugs from Sweden xx
❤️❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘😘
Thank you so much for this episode! I was literally just about to cast on the stripe hype sweater with some single skeins of malabrigo rios I wanted to use up without even doing a gauge swatch 🤦🏻 You’ve just saved me from so much heartache. I’m so sorry and also so grateful for your mistakes and lessons learned lol
I never had a problem knitting flat with the method I learned from my mom. I call it Eastern European method, I think it was very popular in the USSR. The way to purl is the one you describe as an alternative in this video :) Yes, it is waaaaay easier than traditional continental method. But what you need to keep in mind - you will have reversed loops in a knitting round, meaning you need to knit through the back leg ;) It is fine for plain stockinette. The problems come when you need to do knit and purls in the same round, then I usually switch to continental knitting. I have to pull each purl stitch to make them even to knit stitches 😅 I still cannot properly handle classic continental purl.
I am a loose knitter plus my purls are even looser yet . ( I knit English …)
Two things I do .
Flat knitting :
When knitting I make my left hand needle smaller than my right hand needle .
That way when I purl back I am using the smaller needle to purl .
Also
When I purl I drag my needle across the other needle as I am pulling the stitch off . It seems to tighten up the stitch .
I do something called combination knitting, with western knit stitches and eastern style purls. I do have to knit through the back loop after a purl row that way, but it’s worth it to prevent rowing out.
I do chaos knitting, which is a phrase I only learnt last year, but basically I don’t use patterns and just wing every project. I see a picture of something I want and make it up as I go. It is quite freeing but it also means I am no stranger to frogging many many projects. I think frogging a project is part of the learning and knitting cycle, try to do it with happiness in your heart that at least it’s possible to frog when you make a mistake. I sew as well and man when I make a mistake with fabric I wish I could put the pieces back together the way I can when I mess up with yarn.
One thing I’ve found that helps with my “rowing out”- I change my yarn-tensioning method on the purl side. I give my yarn an extra wrap around my pinkie, and that extra friction is just enough to make my purl stitches tighter.
Love the video! I had the same experience on my first contiguous knitting project… she’s got 11” of ease, and definitely a tv-night sweater now 😂
Ah, Taylor, I feel your pain! Watching your pod this morning has given me strength to frog a sweater that is 80% finished. I feel broken hearted! Where I went wrong was while my horizontal gauge was on, my vertical gauge was off. Then, when it was looking too big, I hoped!
This is my hard-won lesson: HOPING is a BIG, FAT WARNING that things are not going the way they should be. STOP and re asses at the first sign, the first baby idea that things are not as they should.
Today, I am super deflated, not happy to have learned this lesson. Tomorrow, I’ll feel better about it all.
- Hey: maybe a whole other pattern that I will dutifully swatch both ways?!
I feel you completely. And just know, you’re not alone. ❤️
Every mistake is a learning opportunity. I get A LOT of learning opportunities myself 😆 And practice makes progress!
Don't apologize for others unkind remarks. You're quite lovely!❤❤❤ I just found you so lucky!
I just went back and watched your past podcast where you spoke about the four sweater projects you were working on. You were SO excited about this one. The yarn, the concept, the neckline. Knowing how it's turning out, while watching, made my heart hurt a bit. But thank you so much for sharing! It makes me feel better knowing it happens to others, even those with experience and expertise!
Sally
"Haste makes waste!" Oh yes, I've been there ... many, many times (face palm in shame). I've learned all my lessons the hard way that you illustrated here! It makes me feel better that even other experienced knitters have fallen into group with me!
Tayler, I think you did this because it takes days to knit, wash and dry a swatch. I’m beginning to do more than one swatch at a time for upcoming projects. 😂I’m a monogamous knitter, but impatient when I’m ready to start a new project. I get it! 🧶
Been there..done that! Love your podcasts😊
Great thoughts here. I have this problem too. One thing about wrapping yarn under for the purl...it will result in a twisted stitch for the knit. This is not an issue if you knit in the back of the stitch. I have thought of doing this, but have hesitated because of issues I could face in different stitches. I ended up going with Norwegian purling. It is better, but I need to be conscious to purl tighter. The purling under and knitting in the back still intrigues me though.
I needed this episode today! Not saying this is your situation, however when I go through what feels like a few “life losses” aka I forgot to pay a bill, got a flat tire on my bike, let the house get messy; I look for a win. Because I know I’m good at knitting I try to find “wins” in knitting.
But this tends to make mistakes in knitting feel a lot worse. Long story short, 😅 I’ve bought a lot of shawl patterns on Ravelry looking for my next “win”. It gets so frustrating when you know you are great at something but you make mistakes.
Great video! Also thank you for being open and honest with your mistakes. A lot of times on RUclips it feels like every video is “I maDe TwEntY TwO sWeAtErs iN oNe DaY 🥴🥴🥴”
Meanwhile I’m over here like “I bought 6 patterns in 2 hours” Lmao
Omg you really tapped into something here (and I’m so glad that this video resonated with you). You say that when other things feel like losses, you seek out your wins in your knitting (or those things that you’re good at). And I’m very much the same. This last week, though not full of actual losses, was sort of a mess in terms of schedules and just stressful and I really needed knitting to be there in a not stressful way, but it just was…all because of this sweater’s issues. I feel like you really got to the root of it here. So thank you. 😘
Great podcast 🧶😏😁
OMG Taylor! I'm so glad you put out this episode: I'm in the process of swatching for Aphra (by Isabell Kraemer) and was THIS close to taking a short cut and only do a swatch knit flat because I very likely have to go back and unravel the swatch to finish the sweater otherwise. Now you convinced me to do all the swatches: aka in pattern, in stockinette both flat and in the round. The funny thing about that: Now I don't even mind 😅
Oh I might also take a second look at sizing... so sending you all the hugs and hope this makes you feel slightly better 😘
Uta
Please don’t beat yourself up so much. Yes you made a mistake or two. But it’s done. Make a choice to say I’ve learned from this and decide to unravel the project and move on. You are a wonderful knitter!!❤❤❤ (Give yourself a hug!)
I can barely remember to change needles to do ribbing let alone from flat to round and from knit to purl. And I just realized the next project I am gauging for is the Stockholm vest which moves from flat to in the round and I am using different stash yarns. Should be fun !
😂
Hey listen, it’ll most likely be totally fine. And should it not be fine, just come back here and listen to me moan and groan about my own issues. 😅😉
I have learned so much from this video, thank you for sharing. I'm about to start a new project in a couple of days, I just did 4 rows (instead of 4 inches) and said yep good enough, I'm getting gauge. I will be re-doing my gauge swatch again tonight just to make sure. I'm going to be doing my first sweater in after that next project and I am going to follow all of your advice. While it may have been hard to admit what happened. You are helping me so thank you thank you thank you!
I've been there. I knitted the Chaika (similar construction) and the difference in the tension bothered me so much that I don't wear that jumper anymore. I know you already said no to this option in the previous video, but with interchangeable needles, using one smaller needle size when purling flat solves the tension problem for me. When I change from knitting flat to knitting in the round, I just keep knitting with the same needle size I used to knit flat and that's it. Even having a smaller left needle helps the stitches to slide better. I hope this helps.
I appreciate your honesty and a huge THANK YOU for all the heads up regarding the issues you've run into! I am planning to follow in your footsteps, at least yarn wise, to make this pattern. Its hard to beat the budget friendly price of both yarns. I did knit a gauge swatch flat, with the two yarns and striping as the pattern calls for. I'll be sure to knit another gauge swatch in the round before committing fully using the fisherman's wool and paton's classic worsted for this pattern.
Thank you so much for sharing your adventures! I'm starting my first sweater and had never even heard of swatching in the round. Your being willing to share your mistakes helped set me up for success!
You apologize - you shouldn't! I'm back to thank you most gratefully for sharing your cautionary tale. I too have wung it and then perfected my frogging skills. You remind me to swatch and block, swatch and block.
I am SO glad you were able to take something away from this. Thank you for watching! ❤️❤️
Oh my goodness I was here dying laughing and nodding my head to every single word because I filmed a podcast almost exactly the same 2 weeks ago. I did the exact thing you did. First time knitting a summer tank and also a totally new construction to me and no swatch 😂 I was so annoyed at myself as well but said the same thing, I took it as a lesson learned and then shared with my viewers the same lesson. I was like learn from my mistakes 😂 I was like gauge swatch and do the research. I even asked my viewers to please suggest some solutions. My armholes were so wide 😂 I totally agree with you it’s upsetting because we know better but definitely it’s great to just take it as a lesson and you will not make those mistakes again. I still haven’t fixed those armholes. I’ll get around to it eventually since we are already in fall. Also I have that sweater in my queue and can’t wait to make it. I just got the yarn for it but I’m currently working on the salty days sweater. It’s gorgeous. Go watch my episode and you’ll feel better. Haha you are not alone. It’s my last upload with the sailor swift top which is the tanki messed up 😂 happy knitting 🧶
This channel is new to me and I've been devouring episodes in the last few weeks. It alarms me that in just one weeks time our host feels that they must defend themselves, not once but twice! My hope for the viewers of this channel is that we all appreciate the love and energy for making that exudes from this channel and leave any unsolicited critiques or criticism out of this space. Remember it's our choice to be here or not. I hope that we can also include a choice to be positive and supportive.
consider the sweater a super thorough gauge swatch 😆
See… this is why I absolutely love your podcast. You’re just so genuine and honest. I haven’t dipped my toes into the sweater knitting river yet and so this is super educational for me. I feel like I remember hearing that you’re going to have a different gauge knitting flat and then knitting in the round, but I’ll actually remember it now… I think. 😂
Oh, and props for the phrase, tale of woe. I love it. Also, you can’t know all the words. When you kept talking about contiguous with a J sounding G, I thought it was just a word I had never heard of. 😂😂 And technically, it could just kind of be an alternate pronunciation, right? 😅😊🤓
26:32 you can fix those changes afterwards by puling gently on the tighter purls with a tapestry needle or other blunt object
I recently learned my lesson about not hopping into projects with no thoughts given to it. I knit a sweater bottom up and when it finally got to the point i could try it in it had a ton of negative ease instead of positive like it was supposed to be. It was suffocatingly small and it was almost finished at that point. Im going to finish it up and give it to my mom but man did that kill my mojo
Ugh, Lilly I feel this pain. And it's a mojo killer for sure. At least your mom got something nice out of it.
You Are Human! Thanks for sharing! Great lesson
Tayler, you are darling! No worries, young lady! We all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. You are wonderful and amazing. Love your podcasts so much!
Thank you so much Susie. It's so nice to have you here. ❤️
I'm a newish knitter. I've been following. Veronica (kika=nickname) for a while now, and i have heard her call out the guage variable in flat and in the round. She has also counseled her viewers on the fact that, even knit stitches and purl stitches can vary...as a remedy she suggests to use a different size needle on the purl rows to assist in more continuity of stitch guage.
Kutova = 'knitting'...in Finnish.
Kikakutova = Veronica knitting....roughly
Yes, I am a new knitter and I followed her beginner knit tank top tutorial on yt. It’s bottom up and starts with knitting in the round for the body and when you get to the top, she mentions how you’ll have to pay attention to your tension when you start to knit flat because it’ll probably be looser than what you knit in the round. My tank top luckily doesn’t have a noticeable transition from going round to flat because Veronika told me before starting the flat section and I knit my purls tighter
I just casted on this sweater (1/21/24) with stash Patons worsted (ocean blue) and LB Fishermans (brown), and essentially making your sweater. I love the future videos where this is now your favorite sweater!
Oh cool! You're going to love it. The yarn is so nice and warm. I wore this sweater almost constantly on our recent trip to the Utah mountains. So cozy! Have fun!
Oh yes. Have done all of the above-mentioned and will most likely do it again. Been knitting decades.. good for you to own it and let it go. More sweaters out there. Make this one in different colors. 😊
I have encountered similar issues with gauge involving flat knitting that evolves into round knitting, and boy did i get rowing. I now do combination knitting with purls wrapped clockwise, and it’s made ALL the difference. It even helped me to knit faster and with less strain. I also notice that my stitches look much better with the appropriate needle, as in wood vs metal. Metal for wools and wood for plant fibers.
STOP, I THOUGHT THAT WORD WAS PRONOUNCED WITH A SOFT G. Thank you for saving me the embarrassment of ever saying that word out loud the way that I thought it was actually pronounced
I totally agree about wrapping your purl stitches in the opposite direction. I started doing this years ago and it completely fixed all my rowing out issues. It’s called Combination Knitting. If you are a picker who carries yarn in the left hand, I highly recommend this method. 😊
I had to do the opposite. Wrapping my purl stitches under were making my purl rows twisted and tight. Haha. Different hands can do such different things.
Purling this way would make the stitches twisted, I think. Perhaps it should be combined with knitting through the back loop to untwist them?
@@arekcw Exactly right! That’s partly why it’s called combination knitting. You do have to correct the leading leg of the stitch on the following row. ☺️
I personally like to wear 14” of positive ease for an over sized sweater. It’s much more flattering for me than less ease. If in doubt, try some sweaters on in a store. Often, if the sleeve length looks good, the rest of the sweater does not look too big. Just my humble opinion.😊. Love your podcast !
Thank you so much Norah. This means a lot coming from you. And it’s funny you mention trying on different Sweater sizes…I was in our closet yesterday trying on all of my husband’s sweaters (that’s like 4 sweaters 🫠) to see how the oversized look feels and looks on me. Turns out, 12 inches really isn’t that much!! (I think I may be able to make this work…🤔🤔)
Thank you for watching Norah. ❤️
Great episode!
Thank you so much. ❤
Thank you for talking about this! I recently had this experience also.
I was watching a podcast I love and wanted to cast on their new pattern. I went stash diving and found two yarns that I thought would work well together.....
So I swatched with the MC only. Did I practice the stripe... nope
Got gauge. Cast on (bottom up non the less 300+ sts). Finished inches of ribbing and added in the co trast stripe...
I hate the contrast. They just don't play. One yarn is Worsted spun, the other woolen, so the texture is off. Plus the colors just look 🤔 weird together.
So this reckless cast on is now on the floor of my office waiting for me to decide the next steps....
Ahh Kristen this is so frustrating, but I totally feel you. Thank you for sharing this! ❤️
An invaluable session! Thank you.
I appreciate your honesty about this. I definitely learned from it. I never considered different gauges from knitting in the round vs knitting flat. I’ve not done one of those type sweaters before,but I will know to think about that now. Thanks.
We have ALL been their Taylor. I actually thought you mentioned not wanting to purl backwards in your last video? I have used the combination method for awhile now when I too discovered I was "Rowing out". I like it so much that I find the movement actually quicker, and even when knitting in the round, I will purl backwards and then knit through the back loop on the next round. It actually made me enjoy purling. You just have to chalk it up to "I will never make that mistake again." Anita
Great points! I also had gauge problems when knitting that type of construction. I know now I need to gauge swatch flat and in the round and wash my gauge swatches. Also, I put a smaller needle on the side I am purling with.
Oh honey, I feel your pain! I watched your more recent video on what to do before knitting your first sweater before watching this one. I left a rather lengthy comment in that vid, giving some additional tips to people (like myself) who are about to knit their first sweater, and who are (naturally!) feeling anxious about it. After I wrote it, I had some misgivings like, "Maybe I'm taking this whole sweater thing too seriously...." and then I saw this vid and NOPE! Lol! I feel I'm taking it just seriously enough, but at the same time, lightly enough to try to relax and enjoy the process.
When I first learned crochet many years ago, the first thing I crocheted was a cardigan-type sweater. Even with the help of a crochet teacher, there were tons of mistakes. It's way too long; the sleeves are too long and tight; the cuffs aren't stretchy enough, etc. I don't want to make the same mistakes with my first knit sweater, so I'm going into it cautiously and carefully and as you said, with intent. At the same time, don't beat yourself up for your mistakes. As you yourself said, it's simply a learning experience, so it's nothing to feel badly about whatsoever. You didn't do anything wrong; rather, you did exactly the RIGHT thing, which is to learn from your past so as to improve things in the future, and that's a beautiful thing. Love your vids!
Thanks for sharing!! I still think that is a lovely color combination!