Have you ever gotten lost in all the words of a sweater pattern? Is it sometimes hard to tell if that decrease or bind-off is supposed to be where you are putting it? Sweater mapping is your most powerful tool to not only understand and visualize your pattern, but to make alterations. I’ve been teaching sweater mapping for over a dozen years as part of my sweater classes. Taking inspiration from Japanese sweater patterns, I will teach you how to throw out all those words and convert an entire pattern into a drawing with numbers and symbols. Once we learn the basics of sweater mapping for both seamed and seamless knits, we’ll dig into how you can use your map for easy alteration. Finally, if time allows, you will start mapping out a pattern the you have brought. You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint! Build a better fitting sweater with the power of your own sweater blueprint.

Watch this video to learn what to expect from a Patty Lyons class.

Skill Prerequisite: Should have experience with sweater knitting, basic understanding of the math of gauge. If you have a copy of Patty Lyons’ Knitting Bag of Tricks, review chapter two

Optional: Bring a sweater pattern you'd like to map. Enlarge the schematic of the pattern.

Graph paper, pens, pencil, ruler, calculator.