I kind of have a love/hate relationship with skill levels on knitting patterns. I usually like to note in my reviews of knitting books if patterns have skill level ratings, because they give knitters a general idea of whether the book is for new knitters, advanced knitters or somewhere in between.
But my books and my patterns don’t usually include skill levels, in part because I feel like a poor judge of skill level, even with standards, and partly because I feel like knitters who know the basics should be able to decide if a pattern is right for them without labelling it as for beginners or for intermediates. I also kind of feel like calling a pattern easy or for beginners undermines its value, like it can’t possibly be worth knitting if it’s easy.
Still, there are certain skills that separate a new knitter from one with more experience, and there’s a great list of those over at Over the Rainbow Yarn. As you might expect, it mostly includes learning different kinds of increases and decreases (and knowing, for instance, which decreases slant which way), knowing how to work short rows, being able to read charts and your knitting and more.
In all there are 13 skills listed; it’s a great place to start if you want to brush up some skills or take your knitting to the next level.
Do you pay attention to skill level when you choose a knitting pattern? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
[Photo via Over the Rainbow Yarn.]
Thanks for the mention! It was just this issue that prompted me to write that post. We have so many people coming in to Over The Rainbow Yarn, asking the same questions about patterns and skill level. I tend to agree with you; a knitter can choose which patterns seem right to them. There are lots of folks, however, who doubt their skills and shy away from patterns labeled “Intermediate” when they really do have the skills necessary. Mostly, I think if you know the 13 skills I listed, you can probably handle anything in any pattern. And if you know all those skills, you can probably figure out anything you’re unfamiliar with because whatever it is will closely resemble something you know how to do. I also agree that labeling patterns doesn’t serve much purpose except to scare away people who have little confidence, and keep knitters from stretching and learning new thing as they encounter them. That’s how we grow, after all.
I am a self taught knitter for the most part. I learned my basics in a knitting class as a teen after my grandmother gave up on teaching me her ways. Since then I taught myself cables, intarsia and have made several gorgeous sweaters. I made one pair of socks and use pencil and paper to count rows like grandma did. I almost always do both sleeves at one time and Mark rowws so I remember to reverse shaping. I tend to not look at labelling because I can research anything I’m not familiar with.