I used to knit a lot of stuff when the kids were small. I would make sweaters and hats and so on, and then, when they were about ten or so, they completely stopped wearing anything I made. So it was really surprising when Kid 2 ran downstairs, wearing this sweater.
I originally made it to be an oversized hoodie, so when she put it on, it became a clingy, fitted sweater with shorter sleeves. It was once much loved – you can see the wear and tear – and despite me pointing out the holes, she wore it to school and then called me from the bus so I could officially confirm to all her friends that yes, I had made the sweater and no, we didn’t buy it. And then came the following Facebook post: “Everyone wants my mom to knit them a sweater. Get your own knitting mommies!”
After that, of course I decided to make more sweaters, so I picked up some bulky yarn at Michael’s. Back when I made the reindeer sweater, I was so used to making them, I didn’t bother with the pattern beyond the color changing chart. I don’t remember how to actually structure a sweater anymore, so I decided on a simple bulky yarn hoodie. I went to Ravelry, snagged a pattern, and tried to follow it.
This is what it looks like now.
I like it in theory, but two things. 1) It seems a bit heavy. Like when I knit it and the weight is on my right hand, it’s heavy. I’m not sure I have achieved the countered lines I wanted. 2) It has a hood, and the hood/neckline construction isn’t making sense to me.
This might be a super cold weather sweater. If I finish the damn thing.
Update: Russian knitting method. Ignore the long pre-explanations and just watch what he does.
I love ravelry
. I always like the idea of bulky projects, but then I never wear them bc it just doesn’t get that cold where I live. 
“Get your own knitting mommies.” Can you tell me where I can buy one?
You are very talented! That is an adorable reindeer sweater, and I love the light blue one you have started! Say, if you make a really big one (plus size, sad to say), I’ll buy it and send you a pic of me wearing it!!
What a great deal, huh? (I live in Michigan, and it was all frosty and frozen 23 degrees this morning.)
That’s awesome! Knitting is like magic to me. Look, I took this ball of yarn and turned it into this amazing thing that looks nothing like a ball of yarn! Magic, I tell you.
I tried to knit once. I made a lopsided potholder/washcloth thingy and decided maybe it wasn’t for me. My aunt knits (and owns a knitting shop), so I’m super excited when Christmas rolls around every year. She’s made me some really fantastic stuff.
Kid 2 cracks me up.
I sometimes have issues with lopsided, so I knit in the round most of the time.
I have to knit, because when I have post-game husband time, we watch TV and I have to do something with my hands.
I agree – that is the best time to knit. I am currently doing my own interpretation of one of Mason-Dixon afgan patterns.
I want to knit, I really do. But, I was in the toilet when God handed out the crafty gene. When I knit, I make things that look like lumps of tangled yarn. Everything you make looks fabulous! I wish you were my knitting Mommy!
I once knitted my boyfriend a big scarf of 2m x 27-31 cm. I looks a little strange to me, but he likes it, so what more can I ask for? Love your little reindeers
I imagine, they must have been awfully difficult.
Love that Kid 2 is proud to brag about her Knitting Mommy! Your new sweater looks great. Can’t tell from lifting my monitor if it is too heavy or not.
My mom knits sweaters for the grandkids, who all love showing off her sweaters. Even the teenage boys. She makes the boys a sweater with a hood and a “kangaroo pocket” in the front. Recently, my boys had asked her to knit her BLACK sweaters, which they called their “Ninja Sweaters.” They would sintch down the hood so their faces weren’t very visible and run around the house making ninja sounds. I tried to tell them that ninjas are silent and deadly, not loud and cluncky…but they never seemed to get it.
I ‘knit’, but only straight things, like scarves and washcloth, so I can’t help with your dilemma
Kid 2 is cool and has a great sense of her own fashion.
I’ve found worsted weight seems to work better for hoodies. Simply because bulky just gets SO heavy. Plus color play is a bit easier. I’m doing a fingering weight cardigan for my tiny person from this pacific knits eBook. Awesome designs and colors. However, that comes after my dad’s socks, my MiL’s chemo caps, and my uncle’s and husband’s “man hats”.
If you can’t tell it’s a knitting Christmas!
I have no knitting talent whatsoever, and am so impressed with you all. Love seeing and hearing what you all work on – it’s so nice to make something and see it completed. Enjoy!
How cool is your kid??
I can knit, but I can’t follow a pattern. I’ve knitted bits of jumpers before, but never followed through. It’s another one of those things I go through *sighs*
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Sadly, I was also in the bathroom when the craft gene was passed out. Way back in the early 70s, while in college, I knitted a 6 ft scarf for my then boyfriend. It took me a while to get the hang of it, so the first foot of it was very uneven, and there was no way I was starting over. I started it for a December birthday present, and he got it the following year. My roommate told me that it looked like one end had been chewed by rats. That was my first and last attempt at knitting, so I am in awe of your skill. Actually, your multiple creative skills when we add in writing and cooking.
Funny how things come into style when you least expect it. That is the style and fit of sweaters now. Glad it’s loved, and others want them too.
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Waaaahhh, I wanna knit too!!
The sweater is awesome and your kids crack me up. I just sent this link, of a knit unicorn hat on raverly, to my MIL. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/unicorn-hat-2
I wanted to whine about not being able to knit because this is so cute and I know my 16yr old daughter would love it!
I love to crochet, but I’ve yet to find someone who can knit to sit down and teach me. I tried book/video once and found knitting was opposite of crochet. I crochet too tight (have to go up 2 hook sizes from most recommended). I knit much too loose. And I couldn’t figure out how to pick back up dropped stitches. I swear, I couldn’t knit more than two-three rows before dropping the dang stitch! I won’t try to learn on my own again, or I could hurt something with those needles.
Melanie, what about Russian style knitting? It’s just like crochet. Ok so he is too complicated with angles and what not, but just watch what he does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CC297KWCK4
I was taught to knit in grad school by a guy who learned from a Scandinavian student. I have never been able to learn different techniques because the books were geared to American knitters (and my brain is wired differently.)
I am perplexed about why this is Russian. It’s just knitting, I think – at least it’s exactly how I was taught to knit in SLC by a nice LDS granny. What other way is there? If you don’t do it like that, it’s got to be a tremendous hassle.
There are many styles of knitting. I throw; it’s not a hassle but its not efficient. I’ve been planning on teaching myself Continental, but I may try this.
I couldn’t let this go, so I trundled off to the LYS and asked the ladies and they said, oh, Russian knitting is basically very efficient Continental. And then they tried to show me how to knit American and English and I scampered off and bought some yarn. I call this a win all around.
Thank you Ilona! That was actually a pretty detailed video. I just left the sound off and watched a little bit. I’m a hands on learner. Now I wanna try again. I think I’m going to talk hubby into a cheap pair of needles (got some yarn to play with). Bookmarked the video.
Ilona,
Thanks for the video. I knit squares and stuff…not beautiful projects like you do. I guess I use what is called the German style of knitting. The only difference I can see between what I do and the video is that he wraps the needle counter-clockwise and I wrap the needle clockwise.
Anne V,
My friend uses the American style knitting and what she showed me did look tremendously difficult. Basically, your left hand holds the left knitting needle. You use your right hand for everything else, even wrapping the yarn around the left needle. I made no sense to me why she would do something so time consuming. However, her projects are just as gorgeous as Ilona’s projects. Now I need a knitting mommy!
This is amazing!! I knit and crochet, but I’ve never liked knitting as much because it takes me longer. this seems so much faster. Thank you!
Melanie, I was a crocheter first too. I found that if held the yarn like I was going to crochet, my brain thought OK CROCHET! But then I found English style knitting (throwing yarn in left hand) and it all clicked. Checking out knittinghelp.com for videos but look at the English style ones, not the Continental ones and see if that helps you any.
Another thing I did was use two afghan crochet hooks the same size to knit at first, because I needed that hook… as I kept going, I found I didn’t need it and turned the needles around so I wasn’t using the hook anymore, and then I switched to actual knitting needles once it felt like the hooks kept getting in the way and never looked back.
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I have always wanted to learn to knit – it’s a lot harder to do than it looks ….lol….I need to sign up for professional lessons and there is no way I could ever knit without a pattern
Is the yarn synthetic? I’ve found that can weigh more than a nice bulky alpaca/merino. Of course, synthetic isn’t as likely to pill or shrink in the wash…
Wow…I’m impressed. That looks great and it’s so sweet that your kid wanted to wear it. Love the blue of the new sweater you knitting. I’ve been thinking about learning to knit. Not sure if I need to take a class or if I can learn it on my own with guide books/videos. I’d like to make a throw (something simple first).
Very cool! My Mum knits and i crochet. It actually works out pretty well because we are always trading the creations we have made. I tried to teach her how to crochet and she tried to teach me to knit and we both failed!
I had a sweater just like that as a kid. Also had a red one that had Little Miss Sunshine on it! My Mum keeps telling my husband and me that we need have kids so she can make sweaters for grandchildren!! 
“Get your own knitting mommies.” This is such a great thing! proud mommy moment as my friends and I call them! My Grandma taught me to crochet when I was 6, but I’ve never been able to get the hang of knitting. I tried to teach my daughter, but she is a lefty and I’m not and we failed. ah well.
in denmark we do it the “russian” way too
i find it much easier than the english way of knitting 
Great video! Made it look so easy. But…how do you Purl the Russian Way?
I think it’s so cool your kids are proud of you at that age! That’s amazing.
I love the color of the sweater.
On the knitting. I learned as a kid and I’m pretty sure it was that style. Not sure where my very Scottish descended mother learned Russian knitting? As I look back now, I’m sort of surprised she knew how.
I have found that there are throwers ( yarn held in right hand) and scoopers( yarn held in left hand) I like to scoop so I guess I knit russian or continental. my hands get less tired. its just a personal preference.
the blue is gorgeous. your kids are cool too.
Hah, I feel awesome that I can contribute to this post. I was taught to knit “English style” and got so used to it that I can’t really pick up Continental/Russian knitting even thought it looks much more efficient. So I am one of the throwers but its quite easy and good for tight knits (which is what I like).
I’m only a scarf maker so far but I like my projects. Next up is a gryffindor scarf and a jayne bobble hat.
Typo: though instead of thought in second line. Sigh.
I LOVE being crafty, sadly I find knitting gives me no mental stimulation, I don’t know if its the fact that the gratification is so delayed when compared to sewing or that I taught myself how to knit from youtube videos and am doing it the totally wrong way. At night when I have no control over the remote I’m either in my craft room sewing or reading a book on the couch. I might give this method a try. Does anyone have a method that doesn’t cause bruising on their fingers? I don’t know if it was because I was doing the stitches too tight and had to force the needle with the tip of my finger or if its just my puny fingers.
There is no wrong way if you’re getting consistent results that you like.
If you’re getting bruised fingers, you are knitting too tight, and you should try not to push the tip of the needle.
There is also the lever method, which is what Stephanie Pearl-McPhee uses. I think there’s some video of her showing it floating around on YouTube.
Thanks laura I’ll give this a try and I started a new project last night where i cast on loosely and tried to keep it that way no bruises yet
Thanks for posting this video. I’ve never before seen a video of anyone that knits the way I do! “Left handed and backwards” is how I usually describe it. “Oh, it’s the Russian method…” sounds much better.
I’m a thrower and every time I try to switch to Continental (“picking”) I get frustrated and just switch back.
I love the new sweater. If it feels too heavy, maybe lightening up the gauge a bit would help. It’ll give a flowing drape, too, and won’t hold quite as much heat in, which may move it from super-cold weather sweater to simply cold weather sweater.
What pattern is it? Ravelry rocks. I have a hard time remembering how I managed to find patterns I liked before Ravelry came along.
Knitting is such a truly joyful activity. As is spinning and dyeing. That reindeer sweater is really cute! You’ve inspired me to make one for my husband. (Hahaha! Husbands must wear things we knit.) Socks are always popular gifts, too. Nobody ever rejects a pair of hand knit angora socks.
Love the way the hoodie is looking! As someone else pointed out, synthetic fibers and natural fibers such as cotton can be a little heavier than wool or alpaca. It also can depend on the way the yarn is spun. Yarns with lots of twist are more dense than yarns than have less twist and more air added as they are spun. As for the struggling with the hood, you may want to check poeple’s project notes on Ravelry and see if someone else struggled in the same way and how they did it. Love Rav!
I just finished a shawl…used bulky but soft yarn… how do i hide the places where it connect to a new sken of yarn
Lots of teen girls seem to be sweater obsessed. A lot better than drugs.