Sweater musings

Admittedly I am a sock fanatic but late last year I had several sweaters on the needles and refused to finish them. So the week before the New Year I started seriously looking at these sweaters, mumbling to myself all the while about my procrastination. Then it hit me. I didn't want to finish the sweaters because they just wouldn't fit me right. They were sized for a large, but looked unbecoming, like putting on a sack. Now I might be bigger, but my disability is enough of a self-esteem dasher. I don't need my clothes to do the same.

Okay, so back to the drawing board. From scratch. I like knitting from the top down. I like to knit in the round because I have trouble with my hands when it comes to seaming. I need to have set in sleeves to make my football shoulders less obvious. Drop sleeves make me look huge, and raglans emphasize my large shoulders. I like fit and I like to have some waist shaping. I know there isn't much there, but hey, I might as well use it while I have it. Ribbing accentuates my fluffiness, so plain or lace is good. Hmmm, does such a pattern exist? I know I could use Barbara Walker's From the Top Down, but I like more detail.

Along comes Ravelry. What a wonderful place to find yarns and patterns. While perusing the top down selection I came across The Tailored Sweater Method. Interesting. But I had spent so much money on what I thought were promising patterns, did I really want to fork out 18 Euro for this.  So I thought and thought, then took the dive. And haven't looked back.

I am only working on the sample sweater right now but I am in love. I have learned to do short rows (finally) and really neat tricks for making a set in sleeve top down sweater that will actually fit. The pattern meets all the criteria I was looking for and is very promising. There will definitely be more to come on this method.