Knitting math mistake--knit four stitches per inch, NOT FIVE!
How many times have your knitting math mistakes ruined a sweater that you otherwise knit very well? Have you EVER gotten a sweater to fit the way you dreamed while you cast on, knit each stitch, bound off, blocked, and seamed? Couldn’t you just scream? Do you need a brain transplant to make knit fit every time?
Try EPS instead of a CAT scan.
Perhaps you already know about EPS, Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Percentage System. Hailed as the mother of all knitters, EZ invented a way to create your own sweaters without a pattern. How? By comparing the difference in size between the chest, sleeves, neckline width, armholes, waist and wrist.
If you knit very well but suck at knitting math, you can use her easy system. All you need to knit a sweater that fits great is your gauge swatch and a handy calculator.
Not so fast, you say? Your calculator lies to you?
If the word PERCENTAGE resides in your personal dungeon alongside FRACTIONS and MATH, maybe you don’t see this system as easy. What if you fumble over figures, get a different answer every time, don’t even understand what the number you got means?
What you need is a math monkey.
A math monkey is someone who’ll double-check your figures for you. Where do you find such a person?
Do you know another knitter?
Most knitters are warm, friendly, inventive people just like you with a heart of gold and a soft spot for a fellow knitter in trouble. Someone you know could be a knitting math whiz. You can tell by all the great-fitting hand-knitted sweaters, hats, gloves and such he or she wears.
Don’t know any knitters in person besides yourself?
I feel your pain. I had an aunt who knitted (and taught me how to purl), but she died long ago. Now it’s just me.
Lucky for you, you don’t need another knitter.
That teenager next door who baby sits for you sometimes might get straight A’s in calculus or geometry. She can double-check your figures. You might even get her interested in taking up knitting. She can ensure you make your knit fit every time.
Best,
Karen
P.S.
Please don’t beat yourself up over poor math skills. EVERYONE makes knitting math mistakes. Either that or they’re just not trying. Hee! Let me crunch your numbers so your next sweater (hat, mittens, whatever!) fits great. Make your knit fit every time. Just shoot me an email at kwehrleATgmailDOTcom.
