How to eat an elephant…I mean knit a sweater
Knitting a garment requires a relatively large commitment of time, money and energy. How do you begin? Beginning is often the hardest part, so let’s break down the steps and take a little mystery out of the situation.
Let’s go through these 4 steps together.
This tutorial is part 2 of a 6-part tutorial covering sweater knitting techniques for the Gramps cardigan. To view the other parts of the tutorial click on the links below.
- 1/6 An Introduction: to start at the beginning look here!
- 2/6 Beginning your Sweater: Yarn and needle selection, knitting a gauge swatch, Understanding knitting pattern schematics.
- 3/6 Top-Down Sweater Construction: Yoke: Pattern Reading, and Increasing & Decreasing stitches to form Yoke
- 4/6 Top-Down Sweater Construction: Body & Arms: Separating sweater at the Underarm, casting-on stitches using backward loop method, and knitting in the round
- 5/6 Shawl Collar and Button Band: Picking Up Stitches along an edge, Short-Row Shaping, Buttonholes, Binding off in Pattern
- 6/6 Finishing Touches: Working Patch Pockets – Picking up stitches in the middle of knitted fabric, seaming, elbow patches
Choose a pattern
You’re in luck: this part is already done! In this tutorial we’re using Gramps; a perfect sweater for your little and big alike. If reading a knitting pattern is new to you check out our tutorial on reading a knitting pattern here.
Determine the size you want to knit
The first thing you want to check is the schematic. The schematic for Gramps looks like this:
The schematic gives you several pieces of information. It shows the basic shape of the finished piece, and indicates the finished measurements for each of the sizes. The Gramps schematic indicates where to measure finished chest circumference, arm length, body length, upper arm, and yoke depth measurements.
It is best to choose the size you will knit based on these measurements, rather than paying too much attention to the age or size ranges given; as babies and grown ups come in all sizes! For a more in-depth look at choosing sweater sizes check out our tutorial on Choosing a sweater size.
The Gramps pattern gives further information in table format. These are finished measurements. That means if your gauge matches the pattern gauge your sweater will come out to these measurements. For a Gramps sweater you probably want a little bit of positive ease, that means you want your sweater to be a bit bigger than your actual measurements.
An example: I have a 48″ chest, so I would personally want to knit the XL or the XXL. If I knit the XL my sweater will be 1″ bigger than my widest point, and if I knit the XXL my sweater will be 4″ bigger than my widest point.
For this tutorial, I will be knitting the 1-2 year size; which will have a finished chest measurement of 24″, an upper arm of 8″, a sleeve length of 7″ and a hem to underarm length of 7″; assuming I knit to the gauge specified in the pattern (more on gauge below)
Choosing your yarn
Choosing yarn can be tricky for a newbie, where possible we recommend taking your pattern down to your LYS (local yarn shop) for a little help. When we worked at yarn shops most of our days were spent helping customers choose yarn, often looking for a suitable substitution for the yarn suggested in the pattern.
Once you have chosen the size you would like to knit, look at the yarn requirements section of the pattern:
Yarn: worsted weight yarn
Main Colour: 220 (240, 260, 320, 420, 480, 560, 650, 675, 750, 850, 900, 1100, 1200, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 2000, 2200) yards
Contrast Colour: 100 (110, 140, 180, 200, 200, 220, 250, 300, 350, 350, 375, 400, 425, 425, 450, 450, 475, 475, 475) yds
(for our pattern samples we used Madelinetosh Vintage in ‘twig’ and ‘grove’, ‘robin red breast’ and ‘whiskey barrel’, ‘well water’ and ‘whiskey barrel’ and ‘smoke’ and ‘charcoal’)
This tells us that we need to use a worsted weight yarn (more on what that is below), in 2 colours, and that for the size we have chosen we will require 320 yds of the main colour (I’m using ‘rainwater’), and 180 yards of the contrast colour (I’m using ‘twig’).
It also makes a note that the sample project as photographed in the book was knit in a yarn called Madelinetosh Vintage and the names of the various colours the samples were knit in. We can look up this yarn on ravelry, and learn some information about it:
Madelinetosh Vintage :
suggested gauge of 18.0 to 20.0 sts = 4 inches
suggested needle sizes US #6-7 (4.0-4.5mm), is 200 yards / 110 gram skein
100% machine washable merino wool, and is a plied yarn.
If you substitute another yarn for the yarn used in the sample, you will achieve a slightly different effect. This is not a bad thing! There are LOTS of yarns that will work for the Gramps sweater. The key is the find a yarn that has a nice fabric (not too stiff and not too loose) at the pattern gauge. If you want to achieve a similar effect to the design with a different yarn, choose a yarn that:
- is worsted weight that knits to the same gauge as the suggested yarn (18-20) Note: What is worsted weight yarn? Great question. Worsted weight is a yarn that knits to approximately 18-20 sts per 4 inches.
- has the same or similar fibre content as the suggested yarn (100% Superwash Merino)
- has the same or similar yardage / weight as the suggested yarn (200 yards per 110 grams)
- has a similar structure as the suggested yarn (ie. is it plied or single-ply)
You will refer to the ball band to of the yarn you are considering to determine all of this information. For more information on yarn and substitutions you can check out our yarn tutorial here.
Still not sure? Head down to your LYS, pattern in hand, and they will know just what to do!
Knit a gauge swatch
To determine which needles you will need for the project, and test if the yarn you have chosen is suitable, it is necessary to knit a gauge swatch. When knitting garments, achieving the gauge specified in the pattern is CRUCIAL if you want to end up with a garment of the dimensions specified by the schematic and pattern notes. You may spend weeks knitting the sweater; it is worthwhile to invest the time to knit a swatch (or 3) to ensure that the finished product is the right size, and that you like the density & texture of the fabric.
An example: If my sweater calls for a cast on of 200 stitches and I have 5 stitches per inch my sweater will be 40 inches. If I have 4.5 stitches per inch my sweater will be 44.5 inches. This might be fine…or it might be too big. Don’t take a chance, do a swatch!
Unless you know that you are a tight or loose knitter, begin by swatching with the suggested needle size. In the Gramps pattern, 4.5mm needles are suggested for the body of the cardigan; and these are the needles you will use to prepare your swatch. Since the Gramps body is knit back and forth, I recommend a flat swatch. Looking for more information on swatching? Check out our gauge and swatching tutorial here.
Gauge: 20 sts & 28 rows / 4” in stockinette stitch (using larger needles)
Needles: US #7 / 4.5mm and US #6 / 4.0 mm (or as required to meet gauge);
I like to knit my swatches as follows: Cast on at least as many stitches as called for in 4-6″ (in this case 20-30). I cast on 24 for good measure. Knit 6 rows to create a garter border. Work for about 4 inches with a garter border of 2-4 stitches on either edge (k on RS and WS), and stockinette stitch (k on RS, purl on WS) in the middle. Then work a few more rows in garter stitch then bind off. This creates a relatively flat little swatch that is big enough to measure. It took me about 25 minutes to knit.
It is important to always treat your swatch the same way you will be treating your garment. If you intend to block your sweater (and we REALLY recommend that you do) you should block your swatch. To block your swatch you’ll fill a little bowl with warmish water and submerge your swatch. Let is sit for 10 minutes or so, then take it out and squeeze as much water out of it as you can (you can roll it in a towel and give it a stomp too). Then lay your swatch flat to dry.
This feels like a lot for a swatch, what’s the deal? Some yarns change significantly with blocking. The fibres bloom and you can end up with a fabric or gauge that is pretty different than your unblocked swatch.
I measure the gauge on my swatches using my ruler and needle gauger which is one of the best tools in my kit. You can also just use a ruler. In this case, there are 10 stitches in 2″, which works out to 20 sts / 4″ – exactly the gauge I was aiming for. If you achieve less stitches in 4″, (ie. 18), you need to make another swatch with a smaller needle. If you achieve more stitches in 4″ (ie. 22), you need to make another swatch using larger needles.
What’s next?
So now you have your pattern, yarn, and needles and a little swatch to pin to your bulletin board, inspiring you to continue on with your sweater. It’s amazing how many details we covered, and all we knit was a swatch! In the next post we’ll be looking at top-down sweater construction, and knitting our yoke!
3/6 Top-Down Sweater Construction: Yoke: Pattern Reading, and Increasing & Decreasing stitches to form Yoke
Share the knit knowledge
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June 9, 2020 @ 8:29 am
Hi. I making this sweater right now and I was a little confused…. The inc at the beginning are all only on one side except for every 4th row when one stitch is added. I would’ve thought that the adds would be equal on both sides….. Also, is it supposed to take a radical 90 degree turn after doing 16 or so rows? I hope I am not screwing this one up because it looks so easy to do, but I always second guess myself at the beginning of a pattern…..
June 9, 2020 @ 12:02 pm
Hi – The increases will come on either side of the 4 raglan markers. You are going to knit to 1 stitch before the marker, then the instruction is m1, k2, m1. This looks like: m1, k1, slip marker, k1, m1
March 22, 2017 @ 7:59 pm
Could you confirm your yarn choice, please? I saw somewhere that you use Madelinetosh Vintage and it looks lovely. I just found a Canadian source for that specific yarn but it’s $32.00 a hank and you would need more than 3 hanks to make even a small child’s sweater. Unless I’m missing something, but close to $100 just for materials seems too much. Do people pay that much? Or could you suggest another alternative?
March 23, 2017 @ 6:46 pm
Hi Joyce – we did use Madelinetosh Vintage, which is a hand dyed yarn, which can be on the pricey side. There are, of course, many many other options, that’s the beauty of hand made! You are just looking for a Worsted weight yarn. We recommend a natural fiber, something that will block. Cascade 220 is a great option.
Sweater Techniques Series – Gramps Baby Cardigan – 6 / 6 : Finishing Touches | Tin Can Knits
November 15, 2016 @ 2:13 pm
[…] 1/6 An Introduction: to start at the beginning look here! […]
Sweater Techniques Series – Gramps Baby Cardigan – 5 / 6 : Shawl Collar and Button Band | Tin Can Knits
November 15, 2016 @ 2:12 pm
[…] 1/6 An Introduction: to start at the beginning look here! […]
Sweater Techniques Series – Gramps Baby Cardigan – 4 / 6 : Top-Down Sweater Construction – Body and Arms | Tin Can Knits
November 15, 2016 @ 2:11 pm
[…] 1/6 An Introduction: to start at the beginning look here! […]
September 14, 2016 @ 10:29 am
Is there any reason why I couldn’t use a provisional cast on with the current version of the pattern?
September 14, 2016 @ 4:57 pm
Hi – you can use a provisional cast on, but I find for the larger child sizes and grown up sizes it needs the structure of a regular cast on and a pick up.
September 14, 2016 @ 10:22 am
Hi I think there may be a typo?
“In this case, there are 10 stitches in the 2″ window, which works out to 20 sts / 4″ – exactly the gauge I was aiming for. If you achieve less stitches in 4″, (ie. 18), you need to make another swatch with a smaller needle. If you achieve more stitches in 2″ (ie.22), you need to make another swatch using larger needles.”
Wouldn’t you need larger needles if you have too few stitches and smaller needles if you have too many? Or am I backwards?
September 14, 2016 @ 4:58 pm
I know, it breaks my brain too, but it is correct.
September 5, 2016 @ 4:50 pm
way can you tell has hau many stitches to make for every sizes instead if has to mesure it easy to tell has hau many stitcher to cast on thank you rita
September 6, 2016 @ 12:02 pm
Hi Rita – all of the cast on numbers and details are in the Gramps pattern, available for purchase here.
March 3, 2016 @ 11:17 am
When measuring the stitches to check the gauge, does the number of stitches automatically take care of the vertical measurement stitches as well?
March 4, 2016 @ 10:51 am
Not always, but in the Gramps sweater most of the measurements are ‘knit to’ lengths so it isn’t as critical as the stitch gauge
February 8, 2016 @ 10:29 pm
Hi,
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial.its really amazing…………………..
i am beginner and ur tutorial helps me a lots its so clear and easy to follow………………
Avoiding the Sweater Curse: Knits that Fit the Entire Family | Tin Can Knits
November 17, 2015 @ 11:02 am
[…] Now I really don’t care if you knit a gauge swatch… because I don’t care if your sweater fits. But you should! Many knitters have met desperate and depressing ends due to the TERRIBLE decision to skip the swatch. I hope it won’t happen to you… < click for more info on how to knit and measure a gauge swatch here > […]
November 4, 2015 @ 6:17 pm
Thank you for a great pattern and tutorial, they are so helpful for a relatively new knitter (like me)! I recently completed a Gramps for my son (size 2-4) and made a matching one for my hubby. Now my father in law has requested one – how can I refuse? I’m having trouble choosing a size for him however, since his chest measurement was 45″. It seems like the L would be too small, but the XL would be too big. Is it possible to adjust to get something in between?
November 5, 2015 @ 9:32 am
I would go with the smaller size and add an extra row or 2 of raglan increases. Each extra row adds 4 (or 6) sts to the body, giving you about an extra inch. You may want to only add them to the body, or, if you need a larger upper arm as well, you can add them to the arms too.
November 7, 2015 @ 6:27 pm
Thank you! That makes sense. I’ll have to think through the math and decide how much to add. Love your designs, especially the child to adult sizing!
Sweater Techniques Series – Gramps Baby Cardigan – 3 / 6 : Top-Down Sweater Construction | Tin Can Knits
August 18, 2015 @ 2:53 pm
[…] 1/6 An Introduction: to start at the beginning look here […]
» Free Tutorial: How To Knit Top Down Baby CardiganBelajar Seni Mengait
September 23, 2014 @ 2:12 am
[…] Beginning your Sweater: Yarn and needle selection, knitting a gauge swatch, Understanding knitting pattern schematics. [Post HERE] […]
My first sweater and why I want schematics | nearlythere
July 1, 2014 @ 11:31 pm
[…] of the Tin Can Knits patterns have schematics. Here’s an example of their gramps cardigan.They have: 9 months of […]
Free Tutorial: How To Knit Top Down Baby Cardigan » Da'Knit
November 28, 2013 @ 3:55 pm
[…] Beginning your Sweater: Yarn and needle selection, knitting a gauge swatch, Understanding knitting pattern schematics. [Post HERE] […]
December 29, 2012 @ 7:37 am
This is a fabulous tutorial series! The only suggestion I can make to this post is to wash and block the swatch, because some yarn changes gauge and we don’t want there to be any surprises. :-) Can’t wait to read the next posts!
December 30, 2012 @ 12:28 am
An excellent point! Blocking makes everything better, even swatches! (and more accurate too)