How to Draw Your Own Schematics

There are a lot of great free knitting patterns out there, but one failing that some of these patterns have (and I’ll admit, all of mine over at About have this problem) is that they are often lacking in schematics, those little drawings that show you the shape and measurements of the different sizes of the garments.

I don’t really use the schematics that much so I don’t miss them, but Kat over at Just Crafty Enough wanted one for a sweater pattern she recently started knitting. So she went through the instructions, figured out all the measurements and where things changed and made a simple schematic of the size she was planning to knit.

Because the shapes used in knitting are usually pretty simple, you don’t need drawing skills to make your own schematics; you just need a little patience and the ability to read and understand what the knitting pattern is telling you is happening. Great tips!

[Photo via Just Crafty Enough.]

It’s a common complaint among women and femme dressing folk that our clothes do not include enough (and enough useful) pockets. And even if your clothes do have good pockets, there’s always a chance that you’d rather have another pocket to put some essentials in rather than having to carry a whole bag.

But because we are knitters, we can take this problem into our own needles and knit ourselves some auxiliary pockets.

Beatrice Mase did just that, with a kind of fancy toolbelt pocket accessory that they call VELVET Pockets.

The stitch pattern has a plush, sort of velvet effect, thus the name, but it’s worked with regular fingering/sock weight yarn. (The sample uses wool, but you could experiment with other fibers, too.) It calls for 776 yards of 710 meters, which you might just have in your sock yarn stash.

The pattern includes several pockets of different sizes, with the main body of the pocket worked flat in one piece and the exterior pockets sewn on at the end. You also have the option of adding screw rivets and a coordinating clasp that make it look even more toolbelt chic.

The design is worked with a loop of knit fabric at the top so it can slide onto a belt. The pattern includes explanatory diagrams, photo and video tutorials and is adjustable to fit different sizes of belts.

It’s almost enough to make me want to start wearing belts again, even though I haven’t for years. Because who wouldn’t want a few extra little pockets to hold things when you don’t have enough to really justify carrying a bag around?

The pattern is available in English and French on Ravelry and you can also buy a kit complete with the yarn, rivets and clasp (the pattern is not included in the kit) direct on Etsy.

[Photo: Beatrice Mase]

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