A Sense of Proportion: A Glorious Compendium of Methods for Knitting without Tapes and Rulers

A Sense of Proportion: A Glorious Compendium of Methods for Knitting without Tapes and Rulers

Franklin Habit

Saturday PM

A tape measure is wonderful thing. So is a knitting pattern. But have you dreamt of being freed from both, and working your way from cast on to finished garment neither one nor the other? You can. The history of knitting is full of time-tested and remarkably simple methods for using the proportions of the human body–and of the knitting itself–to determine stitch counts, shapings, and measurements to yield garments with a custom fit. Students will learn about useful relative proportions of the human body, as well as formulae and folk wisdom for hats, mittens, socks, and shawls. And yes, you’ll need a tape measure…but not for long.

Skill Level: Fluency in the basic techniques of knitting, including increasing, decreasing, and knitting in the round.

Material fee: $0

habit-proportion-pr-web-photo

Student Supplies:

PLEASE NOTE that knitting in this class is entirely optional. Students who might like to begin a hat should bring the needles and yarn listed. ALL students should bring the notions listed.

Yarns: Worsted-weight yarn (i.e., Hikoo Simpliworsted, Universal Yarns Deluxe Worsted, or similar), about 250-300 yards.

Needles: 1 16-inch circular needle in a size appropriate to give a firm (but not tight) gauge in the yarn selected. (Students who dislike working in the round on circulars may elect to use equivalent double-pointed needles.)

Notions: Flexible tape measure, stitch markers, scissors, notebook or blank paper, pencils (recommended over pens) and erasers for sketching and charting.

Homework: None