I taught myself to knit from a book in 2002. My very first project was a sweater. I realize it was ambitious to learn to knit by starting with a sweater, but I really wanted to knit myself an alpaca sweater. I’m stubborn and I won’t let the actual difficulty deter me from my goal. This continues to lead me into problems, but in this case, my stubborn-ness ensured that I was committed to learning to knit that sweater. I was also lucky that nobody told me I should start with something else. So, I have my alpaca sweater, knit on size 11 needles. It is bulky and mis-shaped, but I love it and I still wear it. It’s super warm and even if it’s ugly, I love it.
Despite my love for my sweater, I realized I could do better. Since I’d learned everything from a book (2002 is pre-Ravelry and YouTube), I decided to take a finishing class at my LYS (local yarn store). Petra worked at The Yarn Company when it was owned by The Yarn Girls. She was an amazing teacher and was always ready to help with a smile and practical wisdom. (Petra, if you happen to see this or if you happen to know Petra, I’d love to get in touch!) Petra taught me how to seam garments so that the sides matched perfectly and how to fudge a little when necessary to get excellent results. Probably, the most important thing she taught me was to pull out the seams if I wasn't happy with it. It took a long time, but a beautiful result makes it all worthwhile.
Despite my love for my sweater, I realized I could do better. Since I’d learned everything from a book (2002 is pre-Ravelry and YouTube), I decided to take a finishing class at my LYS (local yarn store). Petra worked at The Yarn Company when it was owned by The Yarn Girls. She was an amazing teacher and was always ready to help with a smile and practical wisdom. (Petra, if you happen to see this or if you happen to know Petra, I’d love to get in touch!) Petra taught me how to seam garments so that the sides matched perfectly and how to fudge a little when necessary to get excellent results. Probably, the most important thing she taught me was to pull out the seams if I wasn't happy with it. It took a long time, but a beautiful result makes it all worthwhile.
The finishing class with Petra was worth every penny. If you’re going to take the time to knit up a garment, then you should take the time to learn to finish it properly. A beautifully finished garment will make you happy when you wear it. Take the time to do it right, even if it means undoing some of your seaming work and restarting. It is time well-spent and you’ll enjoy your handmade item even more. Check out my flawless work below! Thank you, Petra!
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