My first jumper I made for my son was a bottom up which was fine. He was maybe 3/4 so didn’t deviate from the given measurements too much. But the challenge was knowing if I had knitted it long enough. When I knitted my first adult size jumper, I knew I wanted to try top down. Because logic would dictate, that you would just keep going. So if you needed it to be longer in the body, you just do five more rounds or 10 rounds or four more inches more etc.
Now I’ve made quite a few kids size top down jumpers (oh I love you Flax Jumper!) in a wide range of colours. And to be honest, I don’t think I will ever go back from a top down jumper. In the event, I find a pattern that I really love but it’s bottom up, I will probably send it to my friend/guru of all things knitting and see if there is any way we can work out how to do it top down instead 😂😂😂
I’ve done stripy - think Mick from Time Team. It was epic. Then I did a blue/green only one for my son (finished that a few weeks ago). Then many baby sized ones. You’d think baby ones would be quick but the arms feel faffy sometimes 😂😂
Can anyone suggest a dk/chunky top down sweater pattern with a higher neckline than Flax or the one that Louise is wearing in the photo please? Not a turtle neck but one that fits more tightly around the collarbone. Thanks to anyone who can. I'm new to top downs and don't want to wing it first time.
Camilla Vad has the Field Sweater which can be worked with a higher neckline. A friend of mine made it and added a little extra to the neckline - it is ribbed so you don’t need to worry about not getting it over your head https://camillavad.com/collections/sweaters/products/field-sweater
I chose top down as my favorite option, but to be fair, I've never knit one bottom up! I do like that top down allows me to try on the sweater and I'm a bit nervous about the idea of a bottom up knit!
Reading this, I realized that I've never actually knitted a bottom-up sweater, only top-down so far. Though, I am just now casting on my first bottom-up sweater (it's the Partner Pullover from Lydia Morrow), so we'll see how I feel once this one's done!
I'm a bottom up fan, and I even enjoy a sort of hybrid: flat, back and forth, that joins up at a yoke at the underarms. This allows me to carry around smaller pieces to school pick up or the doctor's office, turn them without weight or a huge lump on my lap, and also when knitting flat, I like to "knit back backwards" or mirror knitting (these are EZ's terms), which is when I knit stitches from right needle to left and left to right without turning the work or purling. I know I'm quirky so I often write my patterns bottom up or flat and seamed so others do not have to try to replicate my weird hybrid pleasures.
My 3 biggest fears: Sharks, plane crashes + knitting a sweater. I’ve never done it so I don’t have a favorite way. Although, seamless is my preference. When I see things in a pattern like waste yarn, m1r, m1l, I’m instantly overwhelmed. I want to knit in the round like a sock 🙂
That’s what I love about the Flax. It’s soo easy to do. It’s all in the round, there are increases but it’s kfb rather than m1l/r. Then when you get to the sleeves you just put them on waste yarn and then come back later. I know, I know waste yarn… but it’s just to hold those stitches until you come back to them. If you use interchangeable needles you can leave the cable in there and just put stoppers on the ends instead if you want. Lots of sock technique just in different ways lol.
It’s a free pattern and they have it in 3 different weights so it’s flexible to use what you might have in your stash 🙂 I have 2 on the go at the moment so if you have questions just shout 😁
I’ve really only ever knitted flat pieces and sewn them together - partly because that’s how my mother did it and she taught me when I was a child. And my ideal neckline is a scoop, and I have no idea how you’d do that top down. Or bottom up, really! Steeking is utterly terrifying…
I’ve missed out on all those gorgeous fair isle yokes as a result, which is sad. Suggestions??
I love Alice Starmore’s work and am considering doing one of her online courses- has anyone tried them?
I crochet more than knit and tend to prefer making squares and rectangles and then seaming them together and shaping them into sweaters. But that's because the process for me is so much more important than the product. When I want a better tangible result, top-down works best - trying it on as I go.
I love top down - I’ll knit til I have either an inch or I finish the ball of yarn I’m on on the body then do the sleeves, and normally finish them then use up the rest of the yarn on the body
I have been known to do a hybrid sweater if the pattern is written bottom-up and I want to knit top-down. I cast on the total stitches for the base of the yoke, knit to the neckhole and cast off, then pick up stitches and knit the arms and body downwards. Best of both worlds.
I've knitted top down and bottom up many times over the years but my favourite go-to now is sleeveless (Brooklyn Tweed's Alberta is an exellent template) - not too bulky under a coat or jacket, worn with an indoor jacket = access to plenty of pockets! (Have also knitted pockets in jumpers, but they do tend to bag and stretch unbeomingly with use).
I prefer top down for sweaters. I love Kate Davies' Owl sweater (I recently finished one), so simple, and the Lehto sweater from Ana Johanna's Strands of Joy - a bit more complicated!
My first jumper I made for my son was a bottom up which was fine. He was maybe 3/4 so didn’t deviate from the given measurements too much. But the challenge was knowing if I had knitted it long enough. When I knitted my first adult size jumper, I knew I wanted to try top down. Because logic would dictate, that you would just keep going. So if you needed it to be longer in the body, you just do five more rounds or 10 rounds or four more inches more etc.
Now I’ve made quite a few kids size top down jumpers (oh I love you Flax Jumper!) in a wide range of colours. And to be honest, I don’t think I will ever go back from a top down jumper. In the event, I find a pattern that I really love but it’s bottom up, I will probably send it to my friend/guru of all things knitting and see if there is any way we can work out how to do it top down instead 😂😂😂
Oh, the Flax pattern is just so good isn't it - and the variations as well.
I always recommend it to newer knitters who want to start with sweaters.
I’ve done stripy - think Mick from Time Team. It was epic. Then I did a blue/green only one for my son (finished that a few weeks ago). Then many baby sized ones. You’d think baby ones would be quick but the arms feel faffy sometimes 😂😂
Can anyone suggest a dk/chunky top down sweater pattern with a higher neckline than Flax or the one that Louise is wearing in the photo please? Not a turtle neck but one that fits more tightly around the collarbone. Thanks to anyone who can. I'm new to top downs and don't want to wing it first time.
Camilla Vad has the Field Sweater which can be worked with a higher neckline. A friend of mine made it and added a little extra to the neckline - it is ribbed so you don’t need to worry about not getting it over your head https://camillavad.com/collections/sweaters/products/field-sweater
Thanks Louise. I'll check that one out.
I'm working on No Need to Panic - step by step through the whole pattern. Top down. So far so good.
I chose top down as my favorite option, but to be fair, I've never knit one bottom up! I do like that top down allows me to try on the sweater and I'm a bit nervous about the idea of a bottom up knit!
I do like the bit where you can do the sleeves separately with a bottom up sweater. Not least because you can treat them as a kind of mini swatch 🤣
Top down every time. The only bottom up one I made got frogged because it didn’t fit properly and took forever to make.
Reading this, I realized that I've never actually knitted a bottom-up sweater, only top-down so far. Though, I am just now casting on my first bottom-up sweater (it's the Partner Pullover from Lydia Morrow), so we'll see how I feel once this one's done!
I'm a bottom up fan, and I even enjoy a sort of hybrid: flat, back and forth, that joins up at a yoke at the underarms. This allows me to carry around smaller pieces to school pick up or the doctor's office, turn them without weight or a huge lump on my lap, and also when knitting flat, I like to "knit back backwards" or mirror knitting (these are EZ's terms), which is when I knit stitches from right needle to left and left to right without turning the work or purling. I know I'm quirky so I often write my patterns bottom up or flat and seamed so others do not have to try to replicate my weird hybrid pleasures.
My 3 biggest fears: Sharks, plane crashes + knitting a sweater. I’ve never done it so I don’t have a favorite way. Although, seamless is my preference. When I see things in a pattern like waste yarn, m1r, m1l, I’m instantly overwhelmed. I want to knit in the round like a sock 🙂
That’s what I love about the Flax. It’s soo easy to do. It’s all in the round, there are increases but it’s kfb rather than m1l/r. Then when you get to the sleeves you just put them on waste yarn and then come back later. I know, I know waste yarn… but it’s just to hold those stitches until you come back to them. If you use interchangeable needles you can leave the cable in there and just put stoppers on the ends instead if you want. Lots of sock technique just in different ways lol.
Now, I’m intrigued. I love to knit in the round and I do knit with interchangeable needles so I could absolutely use the cable. 🤔
It’s a free pattern and they have it in 3 different weights so it’s flexible to use what you might have in your stash 🙂 I have 2 on the go at the moment so if you have questions just shout 😁
Thank you! I’m going to check it out now.
Try it!! You can do it!
I’m in the minority but I love bottom up. I love the save the best for last. If I do the yoke first I lose interest and move onto the next one…. 😄
I'm doing a bottom up one right now and I'm not enjoying it
I’ve really only ever knitted flat pieces and sewn them together - partly because that’s how my mother did it and she taught me when I was a child. And my ideal neckline is a scoop, and I have no idea how you’d do that top down. Or bottom up, really! Steeking is utterly terrifying…
I’ve missed out on all those gorgeous fair isle yokes as a result, which is sad. Suggestions??
I love Alice Starmore’s work and am considering doing one of her online courses- has anyone tried them?
I crochet more than knit and tend to prefer making squares and rectangles and then seaming them together and shaping them into sweaters. But that's because the process for me is so much more important than the product. When I want a better tangible result, top-down works best - trying it on as I go.
I love top down - I’ll knit til I have either an inch or I finish the ball of yarn I’m on on the body then do the sleeves, and normally finish them then use up the rest of the yarn on the body
I have been known to do a hybrid sweater if the pattern is written bottom-up and I want to knit top-down. I cast on the total stitches for the base of the yoke, knit to the neckhole and cast off, then pick up stitches and knit the arms and body downwards. Best of both worlds.
I've knitted top down and bottom up many times over the years but my favourite go-to now is sleeveless (Brooklyn Tweed's Alberta is an exellent template) - not too bulky under a coat or jacket, worn with an indoor jacket = access to plenty of pockets! (Have also knitted pockets in jumpers, but they do tend to bag and stretch unbeomingly with use).
I prefer top down for sweaters. I love Kate Davies' Owl sweater (I recently finished one), so simple, and the Lehto sweater from Ana Johanna's Strands of Joy - a bit more complicated!