Scared of sweaters

[Kaydee]

I would love to be able to knit a sweater, but really the though of it just scares me. Everytime I look at a sweater pattern it seems really confusing to me. I think the most imtimidating part for me is knitting all these seperate pieces and putting them together...do you sew them?

How did you all learn sweaters? What was your first pattern? I was thinking about starting with a baby sweater for my neice since that seems a little less intimidating. Any easy/cute pattern suggestions?

[Quiltlady]

Yes, you are right to begin with an easy one. Find one without fancy stitches. Thats how I began. Personally I LOVE stitching the pieces together on any of my knitting projects. I sew so I guess thats why it doesn't scare me at all.

Give it a try!!

[HollyP]

My first sweater ever was knit for a teddy bear. I think it was good practice. My first sweater for a person was the Hourglass sweater in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I loved that it was knit in the round. I hate seaming, well I really don't hate it but I am really not very good at it .

A baby sweater would be great practice. I knit the quickie baby sweater last week for a baby shower and it turned out really well.

[knitncook]

Look for a sweater that uses chunky wool. It will knit up very quickly and then you won't feel so intimidated. Or knit a baby sweater or a child's sweater that isn't so large as an adult sweater, but you will still learn the basics of putting them together.

Don't let the instructions intimidate you. Just do each row or each set of stitches as you get to them. Don't think about the end. Then when you have all the parts knit you can delve into the sewing them together. Take them to your LYS and tell them you refuse to have a UFO hanging around but you don't have a clue as to where to start. They'll love helping you!

Or you could be like me and knit for 30+ years and not yet knit a full sized adult sweater. Not that I'm afraid of them, but face it, that's a lot of knitting for something that is worn for such a short period of time where I live! Now if I ever get back to Oregon, THEN I will definitely start knitting sweaters. I've made the kids some when they were babies and toddlers, but never for myself.

[geekgolightly]

I didn't like the idea of seaming, so I started with a sweater done in the round bottom up. It's in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. placknet neck sweater for kids. I'm very glad I did it. If you want to knit something for yourself, there is an even easier pattern for women in that same book "the hourglass sweater" and if you want to knit something for your husband, the "curse your boyfriend" sweater is very straightforward, bottom up, knitted in the round. (you can leave out the curse, of course!)

And remember, you only have to figure out one row of instructions at a time.

[LilHuskiesFootBallMom]

i grabbed my pattern book, scanned in the pages of the pattern and printed it out, circled in BRIGHT PINK the numbers for the size i was making, grabbed my needles and yarn and jumped in both feet first and took it one row at a time.

[LauraD]

Keep us updated! I am in the same boat with the fear of sweaters!

[Stiney]

Don't be afraid! It's just sticks and some string. The worst thing that could happen is you finish it and it doesn't fit or is ugly...in which case, you can just rip it out and fix it!

[Jan in CA]

I highly recommend a pattern from Knitting Pure and Simple. My first one was #9724 and it was so easy! Top down and no seams! They even have a "knitting your first top down" sweater tutorial!
http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/knitalong.html

[geekgolightly]

pdf file for the child's placket neck sweater