Knit Know-How

After my jaunt with woven tops I'm diving into knits to prep me for the cardigan and the swimsuit on my essentials list.

Unfortunately, I've been on the road for the past week, driving up and down California helping with a family member's major move. I have to laugh at what a sewing geek I've become, as not only did I pack Cal Patch's Design-It-Yourself Clothes and two sewing patterns to cut, but I loaded up my iPod with sewing podcasts for the drive.

I stumbled across Sew Forth Now and I found this particular episode, "All About Knits," incredibly helpful. I like to listen to podcasts or audiobooks as I sew as well, so I thought I'd recommend it to anyone interested. Find it here.

In this long interview, sewing teacher Sarah Veblen discusses:

• The difference between give and stretch and how different knits behave
• The best needles to use (her preference, in order: Stretch, Universal, than Ballpoint)
• How patterns for bias-cut wovens translate nicely to knits
• The possibility of translating patterns for wovens to knits using the finished size of your bust or hip (i.e., a skirt pattern whose finished size, as printed on the pattern, equals your hip size)
• And more!
  

If you have any other recommendations for knits, I'd love to hear them. I'm still battling with getting a t-shirt neckband to lay nicely (in my two attempts, it either stands up or is stretched out), but I think I'm getting closer :)

That's all for now: On the road again. I look forward to settling back at home and catching up on sewing and blogging. Happy sewing everyone!