Knitting without a pattern?
April 10, 2012 7:59 PM Subscribe
What is this style of knitting called and how can I make something in a similar style?
I really love the loose knit free form kind of knitting in this etsy shop. I am not looking to copy this seller's designs, but I'm wondering how I can knit in an open, free form style.
I've knitted sweaters, scarves and dresses before but always from a pattern. Does anyone know of any books or resources on how to create your own knitting creations without a pattern? (Maybe this is a rhetorical question.)
I've searched ravelry and googled but everything I'm finding is much too organized!
I really love the loose knit free form kind of knitting in this etsy shop. I am not looking to copy this seller's designs, but I'm wondering how I can knit in an open, free form style.
I've knitted sweaters, scarves and dresses before but always from a pattern. Does anyone know of any books or resources on how to create your own knitting creations without a pattern? (Maybe this is a rhetorical question.)
I've searched ravelry and googled but everything I'm finding is much too organized!
She's just using larger than recommended needles with smaller than recommended, textured yarn. You can do this from any pattern. Check your gauge for measurements, but you can adapt any pattern to this style. It is fast and easy.
posted by myselfasme at 8:09 PM on April 10, 2012
posted by myselfasme at 8:09 PM on April 10, 2012
Yep, big needles + small yarn. Say about size 13 or 17 on Worsted.
For the really open bit in the middle, that also may be a row of triple-wrap stitches -- where you knit 1, then yarn-over a couple times, then knit a stitch, yarn-over a couple times -- basically you yarn-over a couple times between all the knit stitches, and then when you purl back across the row you DROP all the yarn-overs and just knit (or purl) the actual stitches. In knitter-speak it'd look like this:
RIGHT SIDE: k1, *yo 3, k1, repeat to end, ending with k1.
WRONG SIDE: p1, *drop yo's off needle, p1, repeat to end.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:16 PM on April 10, 2012
For the really open bit in the middle, that also may be a row of triple-wrap stitches -- where you knit 1, then yarn-over a couple times, then knit a stitch, yarn-over a couple times -- basically you yarn-over a couple times between all the knit stitches, and then when you purl back across the row you DROP all the yarn-overs and just knit (or purl) the actual stitches. In knitter-speak it'd look like this:
RIGHT SIDE: k1, *yo 3, k1, repeat to end, ending with k1.
WRONG SIDE: p1, *drop yo's off needle, p1, repeat to end.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:16 PM on April 10, 2012
Yep, really big needles and a combination of garter stitch and stockinette. It also looks like she's using single, double, and maybe triple yarn overs and then dropping them on the next row to get the different sized loops. It's possible that she's using different-sized needles to get this effect, but I'd guess yarn overs. (On preview: as EmpressCallipygos said, only she said it better.)
Seconding the Elizabeth Zimmerman suggestion. She's all about figuring it out yourself, and her writing style works well with that philosophy.
posted by elizard at 8:20 PM on April 10, 2012
Seconding the Elizabeth Zimmerman suggestion. She's all about figuring it out yourself, and her writing style works well with that philosophy.
posted by elizard at 8:20 PM on April 10, 2012
Yes, small yarn and large needles give you lacier looking stitches. The really open part on that sweater is done using dropped stitches or wrapped stitches.
You might like the Stitch 'n' Bitch books or the DomiKNITrix book.
posted by TooFewShoes at 8:21 PM on April 10, 2012
You might like the Stitch 'n' Bitch books or the DomiKNITrix book.
posted by TooFewShoes at 8:21 PM on April 10, 2012
Agreeing with the above, especially fiercecupcake's recommendation for Elizabeth Zimmerman (she is a genius!)
IMO if you look at patterns on Ravelry that use the dropped stitch technique, that will give you a good starter's guide to how people achieve that particular look. This DROPS pullover might be a good place to start, as it looks very similar to the one you linked and would probably only need a more woolen, rustic type yarn (maybe Noro Retro?)/some minor modifications to go from summer to more contemporary looking.
posted by saturnine at 8:25 PM on April 10, 2012
IMO if you look at patterns on Ravelry that use the dropped stitch technique, that will give you a good starter's guide to how people achieve that particular look. This DROPS pullover might be a good place to start, as it looks very similar to the one you linked and would probably only need a more woolen, rustic type yarn (maybe Noro Retro?)/some minor modifications to go from summer to more contemporary looking.
posted by saturnine at 8:25 PM on April 10, 2012
The best way to go about this is to learn simple, customizable patterns that allow you to calculate based on your gauge and desired fit, sometimes called "recipes" or "formulas." Seamless raglan pullovers (like in this formula) are probably the easiest sweaters to do. If you're interested in making socks, I use this toe-up sock formula. (And on preview, yep, people love Elizabeth Zimmerman for a reason.) If you're doing anything more dependent on fit than a scarf or poncho, you probably will need to do a little bit of math at some point.
Loose-gauge knitting is easily done by knitting with needles several sizes larger than the yarn label suggests; e.g. lace or fingering weight on size 8 needles, or worsted on 15s. The extra-loose rows in those Etsy sweaters look like condo knitting - every so often, you knit a row with a needle that's several sizes larger. You can achieve the same effect by including multiple yarn overs and dropping them all on the next row. The seafoam stitch uses this, and you can find more patterns by searching for "drop stitch" in Ravelry.
You may also really like the idea behind the Sea Tangles sweater - it's stockinette, with random cables thrown throughout to give it a tangled look.
If you're up for learning crochet, it lends itself fabulously well to freeform work, since you can go in any direction you want. I have a messy open scarf that is little more than a crocheted chain attached to itself at random points.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:32 PM on April 10, 2012
Loose-gauge knitting is easily done by knitting with needles several sizes larger than the yarn label suggests; e.g. lace or fingering weight on size 8 needles, or worsted on 15s. The extra-loose rows in those Etsy sweaters look like condo knitting - every so often, you knit a row with a needle that's several sizes larger. You can achieve the same effect by including multiple yarn overs and dropping them all on the next row. The seafoam stitch uses this, and you can find more patterns by searching for "drop stitch" in Ravelry.
You may also really like the idea behind the Sea Tangles sweater - it's stockinette, with random cables thrown throughout to give it a tangled look.
If you're up for learning crochet, it lends itself fabulously well to freeform work, since you can go in any direction you want. I have a messy open scarf that is little more than a crocheted chain attached to itself at random points.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:32 PM on April 10, 2012
Like elizard said, on the first row you wrap the stitches around the needles a couple times between each stitch, then on the second row you drop those extra wraps off, which gives you a super-elongated stitch. It's also really fun.
(This is all according to Spouse Feets, who is a knitting designer.)
posted by feets at 8:35 PM on April 10, 2012
(This is all according to Spouse Feets, who is a knitting designer.)
posted by feets at 8:35 PM on April 10, 2012
All of the above, plus it looks like that particular sweater is done on a ribbon yarn. Specifically a mesh ribbon yarn might get you that super drapey look. Rowan Cotton tape is one I've used and liked.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 8:51 AM on April 11, 2012
posted by pixiecrinkle at 8:51 AM on April 11, 2012
Barbara Walker's Knitting From the Top has many "recipe"-type patterns that will be easily adapted to that kind of free-form knitting. Since all of the garments are knitted from the top, you don't need to worry too much about gauge, and you can try your sweaters on as you knit them!
posted by Lycaste at 4:16 PM on April 11, 2012
posted by Lycaste at 4:16 PM on April 11, 2012
Response by poster: Thank you so much! Not marking any as best because you were all helpful in different ways. Thanks for the book recommendations and all your helpful advice - looking forward to starting!
posted by Pademelon at 12:38 PM on April 14, 2012
posted by Pademelon at 12:38 PM on April 14, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Find a sweater recipe, is what you need -- like Elizabeth Zimmerman's books -- and do a little experimenting and you should be able to get somewhere with those things: big giant needles, I mean, I have some an inch in diameter, and purposely dropped stitches. The airier things in that shop look like laceweight mohair on giant needles.
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:08 PM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]