Someone I follow on Instagram said something along the following lines and it really stuck with me: "master knitters don't make less mistakes. They just get better and more confident at identifying and fixing said mistakes."
the most helpful thing for me when self drafting is taking notes !!! the amount of times i've spent hours trying to figure out what i did for sleeve 1 when i come back to do sleeve 2 many months later... jotting down basic stuff like stitch count or increase/decrease method or the pattern i used for starting stitch count reference is so so helpful
"The Google machine will spit it out for you" is some of the best advice in this whole video!!! Yes girl!!!! The amount of questions from people in knitting forums where Google would be more helpful than the responses hurts my soul!!!
An in-between step from patterns to self drafting can be pattern recipes, especially when you don't have the spoons to do everything yourself at once. I followed one that gave numbers for how many st to cast on, deal with those pesky short rows (which I find a breeze now), said "now try on and measure this and this for fit", and gave lots of suggestions for customisation (sleeves, length, shape). With that experience, self-drafting became more manageable for me.
the How to Measure segment is sooo helpful. maybe it should've been obvious to me but you talking about counting stitches per inch made the idea of knitting a sweater by doing something other than blindly following a pattern seem more doable
I definitely want to recreate commercial sweaters and online pictures I stumble upon. yessss It's very satisfying to say "I don't have to buy it, I can knit it myself" 😊 Right now I'm knitting a Drops pattern to recreate a fluffy hairy grey sweater I used to have from H&M I would like to try every sweater construction at least once to understand how they work😊 After that I'll buy knitting books for technical knowledge Once I'm no longer a beginner I see more self-drafting in my knitting life 😊 My wish is that the items I make are more high quality and more durable and more aesthetic than what I see on stores 🙏🏾 That's my dream
I just learned how to knit. I've done two scarves and decided to make some sweaters now. Easy. But I also decided to start with a sweater vest because they're cute and sleeves are obviously more difficult than no sleeves. Thanks for the hints. =D
i always feel like following patters is what most people do nowadays, so is so refreshing to see videos like this! since i started knitting two years ago i’ve always self draft. i just find following patters so boring!! is just how my mind works. lovely video
Watching this as I knit my first ever colorwork jumper - following a pattern for the raglan increases but doing my own color pattern, so this was very timely 😊
I've been knitting for almost a year now, exclusively from existing patterns though. Watching your video totally made things click in my brain and made me confident with the knowledge I already have on different construction methods, what I enjoy wearing, and what doesn't work for me. This just might be my little push towards creating something 100% tailored to myself, so thank you! And thanks for sharing your knits and ideas, they always make my Sundays more enjoyable 😊
I'm only like. a third of the video in, but my cat Nox and I are so invested in Pippin I've had to tab back a little bitcause I'll have missed a word or three. Every knitter needs a cat as chill and who looks upon their person with such love as Pippin.
It’s nice to see other self drafters. I have been knitting since I was a teenager (now 36) and only followed my first knitting pattern last year. They always seemed like a waste of money, especially to my poor younger self, some patterns cost more than a sweater 😂. I have enjoyed following patterns now though, sometimes I just want something mindless. I also sewed for a long time before knitting and always used a block to make patterns so when I started knitting I kept knitting sweaters until I found what I now call my “master pattern” and I just mess around with texture now. I hope to see more self drafters in the podcast world, I find it way more interesting that seeing people knit the same things and say the same things I read in the ravelry pages.
This was a really helpful video -- just breaking it all down in a single resource is great. I also want to suggest Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book! It is what it says on the tin: a guide to absolutely everything in knitting, including breaking down and comparing various constructions, stitches, and more. If you want to get into constructing (or even just understanding knitting), it is a highly useful resource.
I'm a crocherter but I like self drafting too. Pinterest always showing beautiful stiches by themselves that you want to use they on a garment, this video gives you ideas to resolve that issue
Had to learn the "wet block as you go" the hard way. Right now I'm working on the same Raglan top down sweater for the third time and I will wet block as I go multiple times. (Yes, still the same yarn - I frogged it 2 times because never ever could I waste any yarn. Especially not if I just failed at the construction. Although it sometimes has to lay around for a couple of months before I'm motivated to start over again)
You’re so right about the collars. I was knitting a sweater and the collar looked so tight I wasn’t sure my head would go through. After I was finished it is probably 1.5 times as wide as I want it. I think the weight of the body pulling it really opens it up but the first thing I said was damnnnn I knew I should’ve just did it last lol
The first thing I ever knit was also a self drafted cardigan and I have knit patterns exclusively since! I completely agree with what you were saying about getting better when you self-draft, I 100% feel like my knitting skills have declined since just knitting patterns. It is so easy to just turn the brain off and follow a pattern, which is nice, but has definitely not taught me as much about knitting or how to solve problems vs. creating my own pattern which is so intimate and requires a lot of thought! This inspired me to start drafting again!!
I love the collection of people’s thoughts in this comment section. It’s amazing to me how some say following patterns is their chance to turn their brains off and some say they use self drafting to turn their brains off. I definitely want to challenge myself more with drafting, but I always used it for really simple designs when I just wanna improve something.
the how to measure section is everything ive ever needed to actually start self drafting. i am so so so chronically bad at math that i struggle to even conceptualize WHAT math i need to do, let alone actually do it. i'm so excited to move a couple steps up on the spectrum of self drafting!!!!!
I would also suggest trying several cast-ons and bind-offs to make sure you're picking the right one for your purpose. Also, I steal stitch counts from free ravelry patterns of the same construction and close enough gauge xD replacing the stitch pattern, etc, but the rough numbers often work. My go-tos are different versions of Flax.
I started with socks and graduated to gloves (not mittens) and my knitter frirnds (we have alocal comunity here) told me that sweatters are easier and if I can make gloves I can definitely make sweatters. That gave me the confidence to buy my first patterns and to an extent they were right. It is not MORE complicated, but the sheer amount of work made me question if I want to even begin to be freedraft at all 😅
@BreathingYarn to my particular brain: small = easy large=hard 😂 I know it isn't true but I will attempt a full on lace top because it is smaller but struggle to find strenth for a full blown stockinette sweater 🤷♀️ I also enjoy your videos SO MUCH ❤ it's like knitting with a friend
Thank you! I crochet and part of why this past year I have been loving making tops for myself is the freedom to adjust the pattern to my preferences. Also the do it l, try it decide if it needs modification, modify is helping me grow in my learning/trying new experiences. Coming out of my comfort zone everyday in all aspects of life, crocheting, cooking, work ( developing software), health, running etc. do, fail try again!
This video was very timely for me! I'm finishing the bottom hem of my first self-drafted sweater. I took inspiration from an expensive retailer, confident I could knit something similar myself at lower cost and using techniques I've accrued from patterns. I have ripped back the hem three times, and have frogged a sleeve, determined to get the final look I want. This video gives me so much more confidence to keep playing with self-drafting and to be more creative with all of my knits. Thank you!
🥹 thank you omg I have been knitting for so long and never felt I had the confidence to start. Honestly just hearing someone say it was so helpful thank you
I love this! Go for it for sure. And if you don't like doing the math other than figuring out your gauge, Ann Budd has a couple of great books on figures that all out. You find your gauge and your size in a chart and it tells you how many stitches to cast on, increases, sleeves, etc. I know there is a top down book with Raglan, Yoke, etc and I think she has a seamed one too. Super nice to not have to figure out all the numbers!
I have lots of ideas for jumpers but I want to get my skill level up before I knit them. Each pattern I knit teaches me something new. Got a whole list of colourwork techniques and body shaping to try. I think I'd get too demotivated going through the trial and error on my own design right now.
I want to knit a sweater with the scraps I have - all unlabeled. Never knew how to start. But even the tip not to start with the collar helped me not to be intimidated anymore! You're right! I dont have to break my brain doing math, I can go step by step
Feeling like I had to have the whole sweater mapped out before starting is definitely what held me back at first. I love improvising sweaters and not thinking about what’s next until it comes up.
This is how i got started with crochet 3 years ago! I watched videos on stitches and increases/decreases and winged everything else. The amount of failed projects I have are many 😅 but the ones I finished, I have LOVED! I think it also helps my rejection sensitivity because if something doesn’t go my way or it isn’t “correct”, I know how to peel back and fix it! Love your videos and the compassion you have for the craft 🎉
I just love your channel!! Every time there’s a new video I save it for a ✨special crafting hour✨:) I’ve made my way through your whole back catalog and sometimes rewatch old ones (the ‘remaking a blanket’ one is so so cozy) so I’m always excited for a new one I’ve had my first sweater sitting in a drawer for about two years now- I didn’t gauge and it ended up huge lol- I’ve been thinking about unraveling and redoing it bc of your videos, and this one just gave me all the tools to start planning that, tysm :) Hope you’re having a great day 💕
I'm currently doing my first ever sweater in crochet and decided to do it without pattern to really learn how things go together without relying on someone else telling me exactly what to do and honestly ripping back when something looks wonky has become therapeutic in a way but thank you for the block as you go tip because I've been scared of the sweater stretching too much at the end!
That’s so amazing! Good luck on your sweater. I also totally agree that there is something really therapeutic about ripping back sometimes. I’m always a little bit proud of myself.
My brother taught me to chain with a crochet hook at 8 years old and since then I figured it all out on my own by trial and error and just doing it. Even when I buy a pattern I almost immediately decide to deviate from it 😅.
Huge proponent of wet blocking as you go! Not all of us are built the same as written in the pattern and sometimes we just need a lil fit check before we frog half the knit!! I have super broad shoulders for my height and torso size and a big head so I have to make sure these bad boys can get through a raglan or circle yoke
I'm definitely one to tweak a pattern, crochet or knit. I think I worry about the proportions if I self drafted completely and I haven't found a gonto construction I love yet. But this video has me thinking a frankinstein top/sweater feom various patterns put together is in my future to get exactly what I want!
I just started a semi self drafted crochet top. I wasn't able to find a pattern that matched the vision I had, so I am taking techniques from 3 different patterns that I have previously made to create what I want. It is incredibly freeing to start this journey. This was a very helpful video at the perfect time.
Such a helpful video! Please keep making content. You’re wonderful and I could listen to you all day. Your ten tips video gave me so much courage to try more difficult things!
For knitting, I always self drafted by referencing a construction i liked. Always different yarns and measurements, i was very very bad at following paterns, but keep in mind I didn't turn to the internet for help, i don't know why it didn't occur to me that that was an option! 😅 maybe because i started knitting in the '90s? I used magazines, and straight single pointed needles! I prefer taking all measurements and thinking all the sweater through before starting, no eyeballing for me! I won't unravel! 😅 But for crochet i need to follow a pattern. I really don't want to think at all when crocheting, just tell me what to do! 😂
been looking forward to this vid since the first time you mentioned it, and it did not disapoint. It definatly made selfdrafting seem less intimidating (as someone who's currently working on their first sweater, though from a pattern) PS your hair looks good
You’ve inspired me to attempt to draft a sweater idea ive had in my head for a long time. U definitely made it seem less intimidating, so thank you for this info!!
in my experience, self-drafting is a lot easier with crochet than knitting. crochet is a bit more freeform than knitting, especially since i have been crocheting longer than i have been knitting. crocheting a chain of stitches gives me an idea of how long it will be while with knitting, the stitches are on the needle so a gauge swatch is necessary to know how many stitches are needed. i do make gauge swatches for crochet, but i don't like doing it LOL. also with crochet, i can crochet granny squares, doilys, or other things together to create a piece. knitting squares and sewing them together is possible, i just have not done that yet. crochet just makes more sense for my brain bc i have a more intimate understanding of it. if i had been knitting for ~9 years rather than crochet, the opposite might be true.
Have you tried a percentage sweater? You sorta do it already. There is also sweater rise, where the back of the sweater has some sort of short rows or the front is dropped at the neckline to stop that choked feeling in your neckline. I think for the most part you drop your front because your necklines dont look like they are pulling back. to choke you. The one you didnt know how to draw is that like the Color Block Jersey by Bruce Weinstein (paid pattern) or the Every Day Painterly from Premier ( free pattern)? Tho I am wondering if those two sweaters would be more considered saddle shoulders? So far this is the best tutorial on how to get started in self drafting a sweater I have seen because you navigated the areas that seem to be foggy when first starting.
It's crazy how prolific the raglan is online. I've been looking tintoretto self drafting a saddle or contiguous shoulder construction but there is next to no information available, youtube is just flooded with raglan which I'm bored of knitting. Might try the Amy Herzog book
The star of this video really is Pippin. Providing the inspiration we all need! 👏 Thank you so much for this video. I took a break on my self drafted pattern because I got overwhelmed. This video gave me the motivation to pick it up and finish it. I'm curious if you have any resources for figuring out the actual maths. Additionally, any guidance on how to place decreases to create a v neck. I know this is dependant on the yarn weight and gauge. But I'm struggling to figure out where to place decreases. Thank you so much!
Ouuu, great question! I don’t have a solid immediate answer, but I’m considering doing a follow up video to get more into the math but I gotta do a bit more research to verify I’m not giving awful advice. 😂 If it were me, I’d do some trial and error. I’d do a quick google search, read through my pattern books, or find a free pattern for a “v-neck”. I’d see what decrease rate they do in each pattern. If several patterns said to decrease 2 stitches every 4 rounds, I’d start with that. If it ended up too deep, I’d adjust and try again with decreasing 2 stitches every 3 rounds.
mkal community challenge for all of us: make an item inspired by Encanto! Because it would be so cool to see how folks interpret a single broad inspiration
What has stopped me is the math haha I'm terrible at math. Like I instantly get brain fog when I try to do math. Just blank up there 😂 maybe it's a stress response idk but it's stopped me from trying to figure out gauge and measurements but you made it seem so simple. Idk what I was scared of 😂😂😅
That is so understandable! I honestly believe some people just shut down when math comes up due to having literally only negative experiences with it in the past.
Commenting while watching so I might've skipped over this but what program do you use to draw the sweaters in? Illustrator? Trying to improve my self drafting game by visualing because it is SO frustrating to have something in my head but not know for sure
I use Procreate with my iPad Pro (but I wouldn’t bother without an iPad Pro, it would be a little frustrating). In PC and other devices, I’ve used illustrator. I mostly use my journal and hand sketch though. I only use procreate for my videos.
ive seen some crochet pattern artists who write on their patterns not to modify their patterns so i've been apprehensive about modifying or referencing patterns, but do most pattern makers find modifying or referencing ok?
You are absolutely allowed to modify their patterns for your own personal use. ☺️ They just mean not to slightly modify the written pattern and pass it off as your own pattern.
Thank you for this video. I really want to self draft a sweater so I can get the measurements I want, and this has boosted my confidence in giving it a go. ❤🧶
![เปิด อาณาจักร หมื่นล้าน "สาระตั้ม" l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3XE0nPF4YkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Someone I follow on Instagram said something along the following lines and it really stuck with me: "master knitters don't make less mistakes. They just get better and more confident at identifying and fixing said mistakes."
That is so perfect!
the most helpful thing for me when self drafting is taking notes !!! the amount of times i've spent hours trying to figure out what i did for sleeve 1 when i come back to do sleeve 2 many months later... jotting down basic stuff like stitch count or increase/decrease method or the pattern i used for starting stitch count reference is so so helpful
Absolutely!
"The Google machine will spit it out for you" is some of the best advice in this whole video!!! Yes girl!!!! The amount of questions from people in knitting forums where Google would be more helpful than the responses hurts my soul!!!
Yes, thank you. There’s a phenomenon called “learned helplessness” and it’s fascinating.
An in-between step from patterns to self drafting can be pattern recipes, especially when you don't have the spoons to do everything yourself at once. I followed one that gave numbers for how many st to cast on, deal with those pesky short rows (which I find a breeze now), said "now try on and measure this and this for fit", and gave lots of suggestions for customisation (sleeves, length, shape). With that experience, self-drafting became more manageable for me.
Very true!
the How to Measure segment is sooo helpful. maybe it should've been obvious to me but you talking about counting stitches per inch made the idea of knitting a sweater by doing something other than blindly following a pattern seem more doable
That was what made it click for me
Steam block or wet block your gauge swatch! Makes such a difference in the sweater math and stitches per inch 😊
Absolutely!
I definitely want to recreate commercial sweaters and online pictures I stumble upon.
yessss
It's very satisfying to say "I don't have to buy it, I can knit it myself" 😊
Right now I'm knitting a Drops pattern to recreate a fluffy hairy grey sweater I used to have from H&M
I would like to try every sweater construction at least once to understand how they work😊 After that I'll buy knitting books for technical knowledge
Once I'm no longer a beginner I see more self-drafting in my knitting life 😊
My wish is that the items I make are more high quality and more durable and more aesthetic than what I see on stores 🙏🏾
That's my dream
My phone is full of pictures of commercial sweaters 😆 that sweater sounds awesome!
This video made me realize that ive been self-drafting socks for ages, but ive found the concept of self-drafting so intimidating!
I just learned how to knit. I've done two scarves and decided to make some sweaters now. Easy. But I also decided to start with a sweater vest because they're cute and sleeves are obviously more difficult than no sleeves. Thanks for the hints. =D
Good luck! You’re so right that a sweater vest is a great place to start for garments
i always feel like following patters is what most people do nowadays, so is so refreshing to see videos like this! since i started knitting two years ago i’ve always self draft. i just find following patters so boring!! is just how my mind works. lovely video
Watching this as I knit my first ever colorwork jumper - following a pattern for the raglan increases but doing my own color pattern, so this was very timely 😊
That’s sooo awesome!! 👏🏻
I've been knitting for almost a year now, exclusively from existing patterns though. Watching your video totally made things click in my brain and made me confident with the knowledge I already have on different construction methods, what I enjoy wearing, and what doesn't work for me. This just might be my little push towards creating something 100% tailored to myself, so thank you! And thanks for sharing your knits and ideas, they always make my Sundays more enjoyable 😊
Thank you 😊
I'm only like. a third of the video in, but my cat Nox and I are so invested in Pippin I've had to tab back a little bitcause I'll have missed a word or three. Every knitter needs a cat as chill and who looks upon their person with such love as Pippin.
Now clearly has good taste in cat friends 🥰 I got lucky with Pippin
It’s nice to see other self drafters. I have been knitting since I was a teenager (now 36) and only followed my first knitting pattern last year. They always seemed like a waste of money, especially to my poor younger self, some patterns cost more than a sweater 😂. I have enjoyed following patterns now though, sometimes I just want something mindless. I also sewed for a long time before knitting and always used a block to make patterns so when I started knitting I kept knitting sweaters until I found what I now call my “master pattern” and I just mess around with texture now.
I hope to see more self drafters in the podcast world, I find it way more interesting that seeing people knit the same things and say the same things I read in the ravelry pages.
That’s awesome. There’s something to be said bout having your sweater preferences down to a pat and basing future sweaters off of that.
This was a really helpful video -- just breaking it all down in a single resource is great. I also want to suggest Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book! It is what it says on the tin: a guide to absolutely everything in knitting, including breaking down and comparing various constructions, stitches, and more. If you want to get into constructing (or even just understanding knitting), it is a highly useful resource.
I'm a crocherter but I like self drafting too. Pinterest always showing beautiful stiches by themselves that you want to use they on a garment, this video gives you ideas to resolve that issue
Pinterest is such an underutilized resource.
Had to learn the "wet block as you go" the hard way.
Right now I'm working on the same Raglan top down sweater for the third time and I will wet block as I go multiple times.
(Yes, still the same yarn - I frogged it 2 times because never ever could I waste any yarn. Especially not if I just failed at the construction. Although it sometimes has to lay around for a couple of months before I'm motivated to start over again)
Good luck! You’re a legend for frogging twice. 🙌🏻
You’re so right about the collars. I was knitting a sweater and the collar looked so tight I wasn’t sure my head would go through. After I was finished it is probably 1.5 times as wide as I want it. I think the weight of the body pulling it really opens it up but the first thing I said was damnnnn I knew I should’ve just did it last lol
The first thing I ever knit was also a self drafted cardigan and I have knit patterns exclusively since! I completely agree with what you were saying about getting better when you self-draft, I 100% feel like my knitting skills have declined since just knitting patterns. It is so easy to just turn the brain off and follow a pattern, which is nice, but has definitely not taught me as much about knitting or how to solve problems vs. creating my own pattern which is so intimate and requires a lot of thought! This inspired me to start drafting again!!
I love the collection of people’s thoughts in this comment section. It’s amazing to me how some say following patterns is their chance to turn their brains off and some say they use self drafting to turn their brains off. I definitely want to challenge myself more with drafting, but I always used it for really simple designs when I just wanna improve something.
the how to measure section is everything ive ever needed to actually start self drafting. i am so so so chronically bad at math that i struggle to even conceptualize WHAT math i need to do, let alone actually do it. i'm so excited to move a couple steps up on the spectrum of self drafting!!!!!
I feel like the math is the most common “sticky point” for most people and it’s hard when nobody ever really explains it
One day I will get to this level of knitting. Thank you for breaking down the process. I think it would be cool to see your process.
I think that needs to be a video. Actually working through drafting a sweater from start to finish.
I would also suggest trying several cast-ons and bind-offs to make sure you're picking the right one for your purpose.
Also, I steal stitch counts from free ravelry patterns of the same construction and close enough gauge xD replacing the stitch pattern, etc, but the rough numbers often work. My go-tos are different versions of Flax.
I started with socks and graduated to gloves (not mittens) and my knitter frirnds (we have alocal comunity here) told me that sweatters are easier and if I can make gloves I can definitely make sweatters. That gave me the confidence to buy my first patterns and to an extent they were right. It is not MORE complicated, but the sheer amount of work made me question if I want to even begin to be freedraft at all 😅
Whoa! I’ve never made gloves and I am highly impressed you made those before tackling a sweater 👏🏻 🧤
@BreathingYarn to my particular brain: small = easy large=hard 😂 I know it isn't true but I will attempt a full on lace top because it is smaller but struggle to find strenth for a full blown stockinette sweater 🤷♀️ I also enjoy your videos SO MUCH ❤ it's like knitting with a friend
Thank you! I crochet and part of why this past year I have been loving making tops for myself is the freedom to adjust the pattern to my preferences. Also the do it l, try it decide if it needs modification, modify is helping me grow in my learning/trying new experiences. Coming out of my comfort zone everyday in all aspects of life, crocheting, cooking, work ( developing software), health, running etc. do, fail try again!
That’s so awesome!
This video was very timely for me! I'm finishing the bottom hem of my first self-drafted sweater. I took inspiration from an expensive retailer, confident I could knit something similar myself at lower cost and using techniques I've accrued from patterns. I have ripped back the hem three times, and have frogged a sleeve, determined to get the final look I want. This video gives me so much more confidence to keep playing with self-drafting and to be more creative with all of my knits. Thank you!
You got this! That is so awesome 👏
🥹 thank you omg I have been knitting for so long and never felt I had the confidence to start. Honestly just hearing someone say it was so helpful thank you
You can do it! There so many times when I’ve just needed someone to say something out loud and then it all just clicks
I love this! Go for it for sure. And if you don't like doing the math other than figuring out your gauge, Ann Budd has a couple of great books on figures that all out. You find your gauge and your size in a chart and it tells you how many stitches to cast on, increases, sleeves, etc. I know there is a top down book with Raglan, Yoke, etc and I think she has a seamed one too. Super nice to not have to figure out all the numbers!
I have lots of ideas for jumpers but I want to get my skill level up before I knit them. Each pattern I knit teaches me something new. Got a whole list of colourwork techniques and body shaping to try. I think I'd get too demotivated going through the trial and error on my own design right now.
I want to knit a sweater with the scraps I have - all unlabeled. Never knew how to start. But even the tip not to start with the collar helped me not to be intimidated anymore! You're right! I dont have to break my brain doing math, I can go step by step
Feeling like I had to have the whole sweater mapped out before starting is definitely what held me back at first. I love improvising sweaters and not thinking about what’s next until it comes up.
This is how i got started with crochet 3 years ago! I watched videos on stitches and increases/decreases and winged everything else. The amount of failed projects I have are many 😅 but the ones I finished, I have LOVED! I think it also helps my rejection sensitivity because if something doesn’t go my way or it isn’t “correct”, I know how to peel back and fix it! Love your videos and the compassion you have for the craft 🎉
Yesss, that’s such an awesome approach
I just love your channel!! Every time there’s a new video I save it for a ✨special crafting hour✨:) I’ve made my way through your whole back catalog and sometimes rewatch old ones (the ‘remaking a blanket’ one is so so cozy) so I’m always excited for a new one
I’ve had my first sweater sitting in a drawer for about two years now- I didn’t gauge and it ended up huge lol- I’ve been thinking about unraveling and redoing it bc of your videos, and this one just gave me all the tools to start planning that, tysm :)
Hope you’re having a great day 💕
If this isn’t just the sweetest comment 🥰🧶☺️ good luck with your sweater!!!
this cat is learning all about knitting
I'm currently doing my first ever sweater in crochet and decided to do it without pattern to really learn how things go together without relying on someone else telling me exactly what to do and honestly ripping back when something looks wonky has become therapeutic in a way but thank you for the block as you go tip because I've been scared of the sweater stretching too much at the end!
That’s so amazing! Good luck on your sweater. I also totally agree that there is something really therapeutic about ripping back sometimes. I’m always a little bit proud of myself.
My brother taught me to chain with a crochet hook at 8 years old and since then I figured it all out on my own by trial and error and just doing it. Even when I buy a pattern I almost immediately decide to deviate from it 😅.
Huge proponent of wet blocking as you go! Not all of us are built the same as written in the pattern and sometimes we just need a lil fit check before we frog half the knit!!
I have super broad shoulders for my height and torso size and a big head so I have to make sure these bad boys can get through a raglan or circle yoke
Exactly!
I'm definitely one to tweak a pattern, crochet or knit. I think I worry about the proportions if I self drafted completely and I haven't found a gonto construction I love yet. But this video has me thinking a frankinstein top/sweater feom various patterns put together is in my future to get exactly what I want!
I just started a semi self drafted crochet top. I wasn't able to find a pattern that matched the vision I had, so I am taking techniques from 3 different patterns that I have previously made to create what I want. It is incredibly freeing to start this journey. This was a very helpful video at the perfect time.
That’s epic. I hope you have a great time and make something you love!
Such a helpful video! Please keep making content. You’re wonderful and I could listen to you all day. Your ten tips video gave me so much courage to try more difficult things!
Isabella, I'm so happy you're here 🥰 found your channel half a year ago and been watching since!
That’s awesome! Thank you 😊
Yes! Love all this. So am I going to be excited or scared that our brains work alike lol 💙
Ugh I just love the way you speak about crafting! Youre so smart and intentional.
Omg stoooop, my ego does not need help getting bigger 😊🥰 thank you
Also 9:20 thank you for all the explanations
Trying to focus on what you're saying but all I can focus on is the kitty getting comfy and looking so relaxed
That’s because Pippin is amazing! She’s here to distract with her cuteness.
For knitting, I always self drafted by referencing a construction i liked. Always different yarns and measurements, i was very very bad at following paterns, but keep in mind I didn't turn to the internet for help, i don't know why it didn't occur to me that that was an option! 😅 maybe because i started knitting in the '90s? I used magazines, and straight single pointed needles!
I prefer taking all measurements and thinking all the sweater through before starting, no eyeballing for me! I won't unravel! 😅
But for crochet i need to follow a pattern. I really don't want to think at all when crocheting, just tell me what to do! 😂
This was so helpful! And I really appreciate your drawings. 🧶💜
been looking forward to this vid since the first time you mentioned it, and it did not disapoint. It definatly made selfdrafting seem less intimidating (as someone who's currently working on their first sweater, though from a pattern)
PS your hair looks good
Good luck on your first pattern!! I hope you enjoy it (process and project)
So excited for this!! I’m one of the people crippled by self doubt lol
This is such a great video! Thank you!
I love your videos so much! They're so educational and really help me think about how I'm going to design for my Halloween sweater! Thank you!
Good luck with you Halloween sweater 🎃
this is such a good video, thank you!
You’ve inspired me to attempt to draft a sweater idea ive had in my head for a long time. U definitely made it seem less intimidating, so thank you for this info!!
Good luck, I hope you enjoy the process!
I have the same Japanese stitch book. I'm so having trouble deciding which to try, so many are beautiful.
Pippin at 13:20 soo cute
She’s just a puffball with endless love to give 🥰
in my experience, self-drafting is a lot easier with crochet than knitting. crochet is a bit more freeform than knitting, especially since i have been crocheting longer than i have been knitting. crocheting a chain of stitches gives me an idea of how long it will be while with knitting, the stitches are on the needle so a gauge swatch is necessary to know how many stitches are needed. i do make gauge swatches for crochet, but i don't like doing it LOL. also with crochet, i can crochet granny squares, doilys, or other things together to create a piece. knitting squares and sewing them together is possible, i just have not done that yet. crochet just makes more sense for my brain bc i have a more intimate understanding of it. if i had been knitting for ~9 years rather than crochet, the opposite might be true.
I 100% agree. I definitely crochets more Freeform nature makes it much easier to self draft.
Have you tried a percentage sweater? You sorta do it already. There is also sweater rise, where the back of the sweater has some sort of short rows or the front is dropped at the neckline to stop that choked feeling in your neckline. I think for the most part you drop your front because your necklines dont look like they are pulling back. to choke you. The one you didnt know how to draw is that like the Color Block Jersey by Bruce Weinstein (paid pattern) or the Every Day Painterly from Premier ( free pattern)? Tho I am wondering if those two sweaters would be more considered saddle shoulders? So far this is the best tutorial on how to get started in self drafting a sweater I have seen because you navigated the areas that seem to be foggy when first starting.
5:03 the cat silhouette in front of the sweater... you need to draft an intarsia sweater based on that look 😂
Yessss
It's crazy how prolific the raglan is online. I've been looking tintoretto self drafting a saddle or contiguous shoulder construction but there is next to no information available, youtube is just flooded with raglan which I'm bored of knitting. Might try the Amy Herzog book
I’ve heard amazing things about Amy Herzog’s book!
Dude, how your sleeve moved from right arm to left. 🤯 (o of - went back and looked. It didn’t move …(adjusts meds)…love your channel.
I paid extra for magic tattoos
This was so helpful!
❤❤❤
The star of this video really is Pippin. Providing the inspiration we all need! 👏 Thank you so much for this video. I took a break on my self drafted pattern because I got overwhelmed. This video gave me the motivation to pick it up and finish it. I'm curious if you have any resources for figuring out the actual maths. Additionally, any guidance on how to place decreases to create a v neck. I know this is dependant on the yarn weight and gauge. But I'm struggling to figure out where to place decreases. Thank you so much!
Ouuu, great question! I don’t have a solid immediate answer, but I’m considering doing a follow up video to get more into the math but I gotta do a bit more research to verify I’m not giving awful advice. 😂 If it were me, I’d do some trial and error. I’d do a quick google search, read through my pattern books, or find a free pattern for a “v-neck”. I’d see what decrease rate they do in each pattern. If several patterns said to decrease 2 stitches every 4 rounds, I’d start with that. If it ended up too deep, I’d adjust and try again with decreasing 2 stitches every 3 rounds.
Great video! Have you done much shaping for a more form fitted look? Is it as simple as increase and decrease to fit?
I have and I think so with a little practice. I feel like I should make a video going through actually drafting a sweater and showing that side of it
mkal community challenge for all of us: make an item inspired by Encanto! Because it would be so cool to see how folks interpret a single broad inspiration
You're the only person other than my aunt that I've heard use "peel back" for unraveling ❤
I didn’t even realize I say that 😂 come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard someone say “peel back”
had to catch up on episodes! But I loved every minute!…have you given any thought to Irish crochet?
Oh absolutely! It’ll probably be a while until I dive into Irish crochet, but it’s on my list and absolutely stunning!
is your hair color different in this vid? i can't tell if you've done something different but it looks so good on you!!
I honestly don’t know. I impulse cut and color my hair randomly all the time. My hair looks totally different now (2 weeks later) 😂 I cut off about 5”
What has stopped me is the math haha I'm terrible at math. Like I instantly get brain fog when I try to do math. Just blank up there 😂 maybe it's a stress response idk but it's stopped me from trying to figure out gauge and measurements but you made it seem so simple. Idk what I was scared of 😂😂😅
That is so understandable! I honestly believe some people just shut down when math comes up due to having literally only negative experiences with it in the past.
@@BreathingYarn yeah I for sure shut down haha but once I get it, I get it which is good
Commenting while watching so I might've skipped over this but what program do you use to draw the sweaters in? Illustrator? Trying to improve my self drafting game by visualing because it is SO frustrating to have something in my head but not know for sure
I use Procreate with my iPad Pro (but I wouldn’t bother without an iPad Pro, it would be a little frustrating). In PC and other devices, I’ve used illustrator. I mostly use my journal and hand sketch though. I only use procreate for my videos.
ive seen some crochet pattern artists who write on their patterns not to modify their patterns so i've been apprehensive about modifying or referencing patterns, but do most pattern makers find modifying or referencing ok?
You are absolutely allowed to modify their patterns for your own personal use. ☺️ They just mean not to slightly modify the written pattern and pass it off as your own pattern.
@@BreathingYarn that makes sense! thanks a lot
At some points on the video your tattoos are on your left arm and on others they are on your right arm. I thought I was going crazy.
I have magic tattoos. They cost a lot more 😂
Thank you for this video. I really want to self draft a sweater so I can get the measurements I want, and this has boosted my confidence in giving it a go. ❤🧶
The hardest/fun part for me has been testing out different sweater constructions so I can find my favorites.