Purl and Seam

Fabric : Fibre : Family

CustomFit Harbour Island Cardigan

May 15, 2015

My love affair with Amy Herzog’s CustomFit continues. Although today was a tad too warm for photographing cardigans, I really wanted to grab some snaps so I could share this with you.

Harbour_Island_1

The pattern is Amy Herzog’s Harbour Island knit in Patons Diploma Gold DK in the Navy colour-way.

I absolutely love this cardigan.  I cannot tell you how much.  It’s the perfect cardi for throwing on with a pair of jeans to do the school run when it’s too cold for just a t-shirt and too warm for a jacket.

And once again it fits perfectly at the bust and shoulders so even when unbuttoned it doesn’t slip off.

Harbour_Island_5Fastened you can see how brilliantly it fits.  To be fair the sleeves could be a little tighter but that’s because I opted for the relaxed fit option and a snugger sleeve is a personal preference.  I don’t notice it when I’m wearing it…I only notice how comfy I am!

Harbour_Island_2 Harbour_Island_3

Harbour_Island_4

I like the 2×2 rib and the Vandyke Check Pattern Stitch on the cuffs and hem.  Both are really easy to do.  Both of them were frogged back time and again because I didn’t pay attention!

Why is it that the easiest stitch patterns are the ones that give me the most grief?

Needless to say this has been worn time and again since I finished it a couple of weeks ago (again with the wonderful seaming assistance of my friend Liz.  I swear she employs pixies to help her.  Her seams are a thing of beauty.)

I would absolutely recommend this pattern, and of course, CustomFit.  I was thinking of casting another of these on in a different colour, but then, when digging out the links for this post I saw Drumlin, which is just about The Perfect Cardigan as far as I’m concerned.

drumlin-finals-web-1

I can see me knitting this in 4-ply/fingering in All. The. Colours.  So I’d better get cracking with the socks and cardigan for the Mr/cardigan for Button that are already in the queue and then I can get this on the needles for myself!

LABELS ~ Knitting

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CustomFit by Amy Herzog – a review

August 13, 2014

The plasterers are plastering.

The kids are thankfully at a playscheme every day and grandparents for tea each evening (thank you grandparents…yet again I couldn’t do this without you!).

I am slowly losing the will with the mess, but have my eye on the prize and am going shopping for a new fireplace and possibly doors at the weekend.

All that aside, I finally have Aislinn blocking…I’m hoping she’ll be dry for the weekend, but it’s awfully soggy here at the moment, so it’s taking time. Whilst we wait for that I thought it might be a good idea to share my thoughts about the whole CustomFit experience.

customfit

 

I know that many folks have pondered whether the system works or not, and, in fact, HOW the whole thing works.  So here we go…I’ll try to explain.

What is CustomFit?

For those of you that haven’t come across CustomFit yet, Amy describes it as:

“CustomFit is a web application that will produce bottom-up sweater patterns tailored to your body’s measurements. That means: You put in your body measurements (just once) and knit a swatch (at least once). When you’re ready to create a sweater, decide what kind of fit you want (close, average, or relaxed), and either choose one of our “CustomFit Classics” or create an entirely new design. Select the body and swatch the design is for, and easy as that, you have a pattern!”

Sounds really straightforward, no? There has, however, been much confusion over some of the terminology. So, to clarify, here’s what you need to do:

How do I create my CustomFit version of one of Amy’s designs?

1) Decide which pattern you want to knit.  I’m assuming at this point it’s going to be one of Amy’s patterns.  If not, I’ll come back to that a wee bit later.

2) Log on to the CustomFit website and put in all the measurements listed.  Yes this takes a bit of time, but it’s most definitely worth it. And you only have to do it once!

3)  Next, you need to do the swatching.  I know, I know…but I’m totally converted to swatching after watching Amy’s Craftsy course.  I make bigger swatches and do different needle sizes to ensure that not only is the fabric coming up to the required tension (gauge), but also I like the fabric it’s creating.  Because if I don’t, now is the time to do something about it, not 3 months down the line when I’ve completed the garment.  Ask me how I know!

4) By now you’re ready to start building your customised knitting instructions for the design of your choice, so click on the design button on the home page.  Some of Amy’s patterns are already ready to go…you just need to follow the instructions on the page.  You’ll only need to add a few details and your customised pattern will be ready to print.

5) For the other patterns in the range you’ll need to buy the CustomFit recipe, which will give you all the information you need to complete the design process and produce your customised pattern.

Whichever way you go the process is really straightforward once you actually start popping numbers into the system.  I think the problem has been that this is a completely new way of purchasing knitting patterns, and as such has potentially confusing new terminology.

What if I want to use another designer’s design?

Good question!

My understanding is that Amy is hoping to encourage other designers to produce CustomFit recipes in the future.  Until then I would suppose that you can use the “Classic Silhouettes” or “Build Your Own From Scratch” functions to create a set of knitting instructions that would give you the basic shaping onto which you could superimpose the pattern from your chosen designer.

For example…

I’ve got my eye on Kate Davies’ Catkin sweater:

catkinthreequarter_medium2

I could make a CustomFit pattern using the Scoop Neck Pullover template

scoop-pulli

and then use Kate’s Pattern for the rib lengths and cable design.

Does that make sense?

Isn’t it an awfully bloody expensive way to buy a knitting pattern?

Another really good question…to which my answer is “yes” and “no”.

Yes…

Amy’s standard knitting patterns are $7.00 each.  A CustomFit pattern + CustomFit Recipe is $12.50.

That’s a 75% increase in the cost of the pattern, which is a pretty hefty number if you’re just looking at numbers.

However….

  1. You don’t have to do any knitting math.
  2. If you’re anything like me you’re going to spend quite a bit of your life knitting this garment…you want it to fit at the end of it.
  3. You don’t have to do the math…I’d sell my wallpaper scraping mother to avoid having to do knitting math!
  4. Even at $12.50 it’s comparable to an Indie sewing pattern, and you’d still have to do the fitting on the sewing pattern!
  5. Did I mention the math…or lack of it?

For me, that extra $5.50 (which, FYI, is roughly equivalent to one large Frappuccino Light) is money very, very well spent that saves me much head scratching and cussing, and let’s me get to the fun bit, the knitting, as quickly as possible.

Obviously, the key question is…

Did it work and does it fit?

Yes (bar two minor hiccups) and yes!

Minor hiccup number one was setting the lace pattern on the front.  It took full consultation of my knitterly friends over coffee and cake to resolve it, so I’m putting that one down to instructions that could have done with a little more clarity.  That said, it wasn’t an insurmountable problem, just potato/potahto!

Hiccup number two was entirely down to me.  I merrily input my measurements into the programme, cast on and knit away on the back of the cardigan, only to realise that I’d actually put two much length into the mix and the finished garment wouldn’t look how I wanted it to look in the end.

So I ripped it back a bit and made a quick adjustment (that even my math phobic brain could deal with because the CustomFit pattern not only gives you the length of the bit your currently knitting (eg back length…knit until work measures X”) but also the number of rows (eg back length….knit X rows).  I can most assuredly count rows and jot them down on a piece of paper!

The key thing is that pre-blocking, I tried the Aislinn cardigan on and she fits like a dream.

Assuming I’ve not buggered that up with the blocking, you’ll be able to see the finished thing very soon and judge for yourself?

Would you use CustomFit again?

Absolutely!  I’m of too Yarndale in September and am planning to purchase yarn for a couple of Amy’s designs, yet to be decided, to keep me in stitches over the winter months.

Things to bear in mind

At the moment CustomFit only does women’s patterns and designs that are knit flat and seamed.  It’s my understanding that at some point an option to create men’s patterns will be introduced, and also designs knitted in the round…but I don’t have any more information on that at the moment.  It’s just a case of “watch this space”, I think.

Cue another “thank you”…this time to Liz who whipped my knitted pieces away and in the blink of an eye had them seamed up into a cardigan with the most beautiful and invisible mattress stitch.

Unexpected upside!

Astonishingly, and unexpectedly, the success of this pattern has made me even more keen to get to grips with fitting knits (which dovetails nicely with the work I’m currently doing on upping my sewing fitting skills).  Whilst my next couple of knits will definitely be Amy’s designs, I’ve ordered a pile of books from the library to check out which I want to spend my cash on…all on the topic of fitting and altering knits.

Fitting is my new obsession, and I’m not remotely sorry! 😉

I do hope this all makes some sort of sense to you, and that it’s made the CustomFit offering a little more accessible, because I do think it’s a really great option to have available to us knitters. Please do leave a comment with any questions you might have.  I’m by no means an expert in this but I’ll do my best to answer.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I haven’t received any recompense or reward from Amy Herzog or her team in return for this review. In fact I actually bought the CustomFit recipe, CustomFit pattern, AND the standard pattern, thus paying completely over the odds, mainly because I’m an idiot!.  All opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own.

Images used throughout are shamelessly borrowed from Kate Davies Designs and CustomFit with much gratitude.

LABELS ~ Knitting

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More cuties in cream – Made by Ma!

April 29, 2013

It’s bitterly cold still in our neck of the woods.  Button has been very brave venturning out in shorts for photos.  Thankfully Ma has been busy with her needles as they had grown out of pretty much all their knits.

First up is a little jacket that Button has had before.  She absolutely loves it, and this time Ma made it with long sleeves, so it’s even cosier.

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Pattern : Sirdar 2358

Yarn : 80/20 poly/wool from Abakhan at £6.17 for a 400g ball

Much as I’d love them to be clothed in Madelinentosh all the time…these two are R.O.U.G.H. on their clothes.  This yarn can just be thrown into the wash and comes out as good as new.

IMG_7845_edited-1IMG_7849_edited-1The Boy was not to be left out…

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Pattern : Sirdar Jolly Beachcomber  No 2334

Yarn : As above.  Thankfully as well as being resistant to small people, this yarn is also soft.  Boy is a whiner about wearing a sweater.  Unless it’s super soft it’s a no go.

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IMG_7873_edited-2Thanks, Ma.  These are just lovely.

LABELS ~ Knitting

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Baa Ram (n)Ewe colour knitting skills

April 15, 2013

It seems that I’m not actually producing a great deal at the moment, and I’m really OK with that.  I have stuff on the go and hope to have something to share with you next week…if I can just get my act together to sew the darned hem!

But I am also working on developing (n)ewe skills…and that, my dears, takes time.

Sadly, the jokes are still very, very old indeed!

This week, Lara Croft and myself treated ourselves to a colour-work knitting workshop at Baa Ram Ewe in Headingley, Leeds, to celebrate making it through the Easter school break without murdering the little horrors.

image from baaramewe.co.uk

image from baaramewe.co.uk

We set off bright and early on Saturday morning with rare sunshine on the hills as we crossed over into Yorkshire.  Thankfully our visas were up to date ;-).

Baa Ram Ewe is a delightful yarn shop stocked to the ceiling with beautiful yarns such as Jamieson and Smith, Rowan and Debbie Bliss.

image from baaramewe.co.uk

image from baaramewe.co.uk

But their speciality is Yorkshire Yarns and their own Titus yarns had me twitching to make a purchase.

image from baaramewe.co.uk

image from baaramewe.co.uk

Thankfully we were whisked off to a nearby coffee bar to start the day.

image from salvos.co.uk

image from salvos.co.uk

Coffee in hand, Sara, our Rowan tutor for the day, lead us gently into the world of colour knitting.

Sara's samples

Sara’s samples

At this point I’ll admit to be more than a little nervous.  Lara Croft is a very calm and accomplished knitter.

Me…I don’t do calm.

But I’m going to let you into the three big secrets I learned during this course:

  1. Take it slow…what’s the rush.  Enjoy the process (and you know I’m not a process kinda gal, so this is B.I.G.).
  2. Pay attention…this is knitting to lose yourself in.  
  3. Don’t be scared…what’s the worst that can happen…it’s only sticks and string at the end of the day!

There it is…the secret key to colour-work knitting.  It turns out even us mere mortals can do it!

IMG_0629

BTW, I’m not being flippant.  I realised that it boils down to knitting and purling and picking up and putting down two colours of yarn.

It’s really not that hard as long as you aren’t afraid to just get stuck in and give it a go, work slowly and pay attention to the chart and your work.

This isn’t knitting for in front of the TV…unless you’re far more skilled at this than I am.  At which point I’ll tip my hat to you for being fabulous.

I left the day with the feeling that the lovely mittens pattern and yarn currently languishing in the loft can finally see the light of day and my needles.

I can do this!

And so, I think, can Ewe…

Disclaimer…no animals were harmed in the cracking of these jokes!

PS…I really would like to go back to Baa Ram Ewe and buy some of their lovely yarn.

PPS…The coffee at Salvos is delicious…as are their sandwiches

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LABELS ~ Knitting

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Ella – FO 12/2012

April 9, 2012

The pattern is Ella from Kim Hargreaves.

I knitted it in Wollmeise laceweight.

I’ve got to get better at saving ball bands ‘cos I have not other idea than that!

All I know is that this is the perfect sweater for lounging around the house in.

Cosy but not bulky.

Great with leggings and flats.

A fabulous colour.

This sweater makes me happy.

 I may just make this sweater again…with just a normal cast on edge…and enough yarn for full length sleeves.

I had just enough yarn…but I’m also now in love with knitting laceweight.

LABELS ~ Knitting

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What I’m working on now

February 28, 2010

With apologies for the fuzzy pictures…all were taken in artificial light and I don’t (yet) have an SLR camera.

First up is the blind for the hallway.

I really rather enjoy making Roman blinds.  These are an easy size to manage and even with the interlining and the trim, this is coming together rather quickly.  Hurrah. Especially as I have another one to make in the same fabric and trim for the window at the top of the stairs.

Next is the Lucy cardigan.Just a teeny bit more of the yoke and the band to do here.  It’s flying off the needles now I’m on the yoke.  And about time too as this has taken far to long.  My fault, not the pattern.  A bad attack of ennui that has now been shaken off.

And last but by no means least:The yarn is a lace-weight from Teeswater Wools in Clitheroe with two strands knit together.  It’s spun from rare breed sheep and is absolutely glorious. Whilst the photo above shows the cable pattern, Comfy Cables, free on Ravelry, it doesn’t show the colour.  This is more like it:Just lovely.  And a super easy pattern.

LABELS ~ Family Life, Knitting

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Hats off to Button

October 28, 2009

DSCF3136_0179I LOVE this little hat.  It’s made in very cheap acrylic yarn (Silcaress from Cygnet) as that’s all the local shop had in stock and I needed to get this on her head, and quick.

The pattern is the cover design from the Sirdar Little Sweet Peas book, with just one repeat of the lace,  and is a dream to make in no time at all:

bk_332_col

LABELS ~ Knitting

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WooHoo!

March 24, 2009

I can’t believe that the sitting room curtains are finally finished.  I’m rather pleased, not only because they look quite spiffing…

0362but also because the weather here is back on form and it’s howling a gale and bucketing down with rain.  Plus ca change.

Now, I can see the errors, and I know that they need dressing, but still, they do finish the room and are well worth the effort and bloodied fingers. I’m going to set the pleats tomorrow and am playing hunt the tie-back, but to all intents and purposes they are finished.

Also finished is Mr Stitches Maille vest from knitonthenet.

031This is a super easy pattern, but did give me pause at the shoulders, which are shaped with short rows and then the seam is created with a three needle cast off.  Well, there’s another skill learned.  I do love it when these things creep up on you and you have to get to grips with something quick.

LABELS ~ Knitting, Sewing

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Welcome

Image of a woman in her fifties taken from the shoulders up. She has grey shoulder length hair, brown eyes and a soft smile.

Hi there,
I'm Evie and I knit, stitch, spin and sew.
With varying degrees of success!
But always with my family around me in our little town in the North of England.
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