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Giveaway: Customize Your Knitting

June 27, 2016 by Sarah White

Customize Your Knitting by Margaret Hubert review

Lori is the winner!

If you want to learn how to take control of knitting patterns and make projects that better suit your body type, you should check out Margaret Hubert’s Customize Your Knitting.

The book covers the basics of how to flatter your body type in garment shaping, how to measure your body and determine what size to make and how to alter patterns to make them suit your shape and size better.

It also includes four sweater patterns shown with different alterations for different body types (though full patterns for those alternations aren’t given, it just walks you through what to do) and lots of advice for finishing your projects well so they will look their best.

This week I’m giving away a copy of this book. If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, July 3. I’d love to know how comfortable you feel altering knitting patterns for size or style. Even though I write knitting patterns, I still would rather use a pattern I don’t have to alter much to make it fit me if I’m not designing from scratch.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. maureen says

    June 27, 2016 at 9:23 am

    I have a hard time making the adjustment myself for a different size.

  2. knittingdancer says

    June 27, 2016 at 10:41 am

    I usually change something in most of the patterns I knit. I haven’t made many garments. This book should help me. Thank you.

  3. C says

    June 27, 2016 at 10:58 am

    I am ready to knit garments. As a sewer, I know adjustments to patterns are always necessary.

  4. Mary Helene says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:02 am

    I do adjust most patterns that I work with.

  5. Debbie Munt says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:10 am

    As a new knitter, I really need help with adjusting pattern and learning new stitches.

  6. Peggy R says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:28 am

    I would love to be able to alter a pattern to make items a bit more form-fitting, since I’m very petite. The only thing I’ve done in the past has been tweaking the waistbands and wristbands of patterns, as well as necklines, because I didn’t like what the designer chose, and wanted my sweater a little more form-fitting. I also took a sweater that I loved, and played around with the pattern before, since there was an inset in the front, so I added my own. That was fun, but I’d love to customize further. I’d even like to try making up my own patterns, since I’ve done some rough sketches of sweaters I’d love to make.

  7. Susan Spiers says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:54 am

    I have altered patterns to fit me better, or added lengths where needed-some turned out great-others not so much!

  8. Denise Penn says

    June 27, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    Used to look at a pattern and go ‘shucks, not my size’, then met a group of women who have taught me the JOYS of swatching and adjusting almost any pattern to fit me. Still a lot to learn but am getting there!

  9. Lori Maki says

    June 27, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    I still haven’t knitted a sweater for me and am a bit leary to try!

  10. Martha says

    June 27, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    I have changed the length or sleeve length, but that is about all

  11. jo says

    June 27, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    I’ve minimally altered some garments, but would love to learn how w/ confidence

  12. Sarah says

    June 27, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    I’d over to learn how to customize a knitting pattern. I love knitting and most of my projects come out too big.

  13. joyce hancock says

    June 27, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    I am not real comfortable adjusting a pattern as I’ve not done it much. Especially with a sweater. That is a lot of work to go through if your finished product doesn’t fit right.

  14. Helen King says

    June 27, 2016 at 2:10 pm

    I have to say I have never tried to alter a pattern. I would not be confident trying to do that without guidance. This book would be amazing for the information it has!

  15. craftyone says

    June 27, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    Anything will help. I want to begin knitting a sweater.

  16. Kitten With A Whiplash says

    June 27, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    I quite often admire something about a pattern, but won’t make it because of not wanting to work out the math to change the size, or making lots of adaptations to alter the type of sleeve or neckline. More likely I will just absorb the gestalt of the features I do like, perhaps a stitch or colorwork pattern, and try to work something similar into a pattern of my own. KittenWhiplash

  17. Karen Wilson says

    June 27, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    I haven’t done much with altering patterns to fit me. I’ve changed the length of some garments but that’s about it!

  18. Jeanne says

    June 27, 2016 at 5:47 pm

    The reason I purchase so many books and patterns is because I don’t want to design & calculate… That being said, I almost always fiddle a little with patterns; lengthening sleeves, changing necklines, etc.
    I do love all kinds of books and would love to win this one too!

  19. Kim Reid says

    June 27, 2016 at 6:25 pm

    I have made small changes to patterns and would love to learn how to customize even more!

  20. Lee says

    June 27, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    I do not feel comfortable changing patterns so i stick to them. This would be very helpful! thank you!

  21. Margay says

    June 27, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    I’ve never tried, but I’m always looking to learn new things.

  22. Karey says

    June 27, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    Sometimes I feel safe altering patterns. It just depends on how complicated the pattern is. But I would love to get better at it!

  23. Jane says

    June 27, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    I have just begun trying to make adjustments to patterns so the finished garment fits me. I would love more guidance.

  24. Sarah says

    June 27, 2016 at 10:23 pm

    adjusting a pattern is still scary to me….

  25. Delisa says

    June 27, 2016 at 10:38 pm

    I’m very uncomfortable with altering patterns, but would love to learn. It would be nice to have sweaters that fit. lol.

  26. MelodyJ says

    June 28, 2016 at 3:41 am

    I’m not sure how to alter patterns.

  27. Nancy D says

    June 28, 2016 at 3:43 am

    I will make something longer since I’m tall. I would love to learn more on adjustments.

  28. Linda Rumsey says

    June 28, 2016 at 3:47 am

    I tweak patterns a bit, but am always nervous of the outcome. This book sounds great!

  29. Judith (from Israel) says

    June 28, 2016 at 7:52 am

    I never wear snug knits so there’s no need for me to alter knitting patterns.

  30. Tiffany says

    June 28, 2016 at 10:10 am

    What a cool book!

  31. Amanda Hutchens says

    June 28, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    My body size and type is always different from the pattern sizes so I usually have to change patterns here and there. This book would be extremely helpful.

  32. Connie K. says

    June 28, 2016 at 5:16 pm

    I would say I’m moderately comfortable altering patterns, but only because there are so many resources available to help me. Books like this one, and the wonderful communities like Ravelry have really opened up my knitting horizons.

  33. michelle03878 says

    June 28, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    I’d love to try out so e of the tips in this book. I’m always looking for ways to improve

  34. Iryna Boehland says

    June 29, 2016 at 2:05 am

    This sounds like a wonderful book. I knit and crochet and do alter patterns if I HAVE to. But like you said – prefer and feel more comfortable knitting without alterations.

  35. Katelyn M says

    June 29, 2016 at 7:12 am

    Thanks for the chance so win. I make simple alterations, like changing the length of something. I don’t know how to alter much more. Would love to see this book.

  36. Denyalle says

    June 29, 2016 at 10:58 pm

    I have yet to make a garment that I can wear, so I’m not fully comfortable altering patterns but I tend to try new things recklessly.

  37. Kim says

    June 30, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    I am always worried about spending so much time on something and then it not fitting.

  38. Mary says

    June 30, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    I am just a beginner knitter but I think this book would really help me as I improve

  39. Carmen N says

    July 3, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    I can make adjustments to patterns but I feel very uncomfortable with sizing on garments

  40. Lori Maki says

    July 11, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    Oh how exciting. Thank you very much. This book will be put to good use!

Have you read?

Knit a Stunning Shawl That Wears Like a Collar

I’m honestly not totally sure what to say about the Sun King shawl pattern from Ursa Major Knits other than isn’t this cool? You should probably make one. 

This modular design is worked in two parts, the “waxing” and “waning” sections. Both pieces are asymmetrical and use the same yarns in different ways to mix up the colors and make it even more interesting. 

You can choose to use two contrasting solid yarns, a solid and a gradient or two complimentary gradients for your yarns. And you can use any weight of yarn and whatever gauge you like to make shawls of different sizes. There are also a bunch of different size options (seven, in fact) that take the project from a little collar like design to something more like a scarf to a large shawl that wraps around the neck to keep you warm. 

The sample projects use fingering/lace weight yarn, but you can use whatever you have on hand to make your own beautiful version of this shawl. Using lace weight, you’ll need twice as much of one color as the other.

There are lots of yarn suggestions on the pattern page on Ravelry, and I love the color choices the designer made so much I’d definitely be tempted to use the same colors they did (there are a couple of different versions on the pattern page if you want to see how it looks in different sizes and different colors). 

I love the little diamond shapes a the edges of the pieces, which add a little more drama to the project, as if it needed more. 

I’m still not sure this boils down to anything beyond this project looks really cool and you should probably knit it, but that’s pretty much how I pick all the projects I share, so I guess that’s fine. You can check it out for yourself and grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry. 

[Photo: Ursa Major Knits]

A Shawl to Wear While You’re Reading and Knitting

A Striped Shawl to Celebrate Progress [Knitting]

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