[murphy12]

Curious to know if most knitters will strictly follow the pattern, or do you start something and change it along the way to give it a personal touch?

 

[ashworthml]

I follow the patterns to a certain extent but quite often if it's a boring pattern I will put my own pattern on it but still use the same amount of stitches and obviously change lengths where necessary.Depends on the pattern as well....if it's an aran pattern I follow it to a 'T' so I don't go wrong!

 

[Dreamweaver]

Rules is rules..... I follow the pattern.... My design diecisions come in the yarn and colors.... not messing with the pattern, other than correcting errors or adding length....

 

[GDW]

sometimes I change the pattern, sometimes inadvertently too!

 

[Patty Sutter]

I will usually try it the way it was written, the FIRST time; just like recipes. and then tweek it to suit myself. Of course sometimes you like one element on this one and something else on the next.



Oh heck, I guess I just said "I do it my way".:-D :-D

 

[nanma esther]

my way

 

[kiwiannie]

I love adapting patterns along the way,i have a lot of fun doing that. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[Jessica-Jean]

I have challenged myself to follow a pattern stitch-for-stitch, and failed every time. That's not failed to make the pattern as written; it's failed to be happy with the result. Either I do precisely what the pattern said and hate the result, or I tweak it here and there and am satisfied with the result.

This leads to binges.
One winter it was ear-flap hats from a free pattern on a store shelf; by the time I'd done a dozen hats, I had it down pat and tweaked to suit me. I make 29 of that pattern.
Another year it was a very simple crocheted hat - 78 of them.
The next year it was The London Beanie; 46 of them.
No one even remotely related to me will ever need another winter hat!

So, yes, I make the pattern my own!

 

[black kitty]

I do what I want to unless I know it really won't work. I want to say I follow the pattern but the project I was just working on is me using an afghan pattern to make a shawl and I played with the needles and stitches until I got the look I wanted and the size I wanted.

 

[HandyFamily]

I rarely even look at a pattern, usually design my own from the beginning, but on the rare occasion I have started with some pattern as a "base" I had always change it - more or less, usually more.

 

[Chrissy]

I start off as per pattern, but usually I find there is something I don't like or get a better idea!
I think a pattern is a guideline, its up to us where our inspiration leads.
Just finishing up the ' li'l baby Tux' for my grandson, tweeked the sleeves and the front because I wasn't happy with the original instructions.

 

[CaroleD53]

Rules is rules..... I follow the pattern.... My design diecisions come in the yarn and colors.... not messing with the pattern, other than correcting errors or adding length....

I am with you. I feel there has been a lot of work put in to make sure it works and the pattern designer knows better than me!

 

[needlelark]

I admire knitters who can make whole patterns. It's hard work!..so I begin by following the pattern. If I find it doesn't work for me then experimentation starts. Has anyone else found that some vintage printed patterns have been badly edited? Thanx to every pattern knitter who works the prototypes for modern designers these days!! :thumbup:

 

[Kathleendoris]

My mother, who taught me most of what I have ever known about knitting, was always very insistent that patterns must be followed to the last letter. She took the same approach when cooking: recipes had to be followed precisely. It took me a long while to break free from this early training, but over the years, I have become much more freestyle in my approach, both to knitting and cooking. I tend to use patterns as starting points, rather than as the final word on how something should be done. Maybe the first time I use a pattern, I will stick to it fairly closely, but then I will treat it as a guideline only, simplifying or adding extra pattern as seems appropriate and modifying things like sleeve length to get a good fit.

 

[CaroleD53]

I am much the same with recipes. I will substitute but, on the whole, I follow them. I always feel they are tried and tested so should work.

 

[baglady1104]

sometimes I change the pattern, sometimes inadvertently too!

I do that a lot. :lol:

 

[Jean Keith]

If the pattern is fairly easy, yes. For hats and scarves I never use a pattern, and also most sweaters I use sweater pattern stitch allowances and then do my own thing......and, of course, never write anything down so I can breeze through another one. Seems I have quite a lot of stupid in me.

 

[efq]

Thank you Jessica-Jean for that link. I am at the moment knitting owl hats - took the one I hade made for my daughter to show a colleague and ended up with 5 orders! This will make a nice change and I have never used circular needles so this will be a good starter project for me. xx

 

[Myrle]

I have challenged myself to follow a pattern stitch-for-stitch, and failed every time. That's not failed to make the pattern as written; it's failed to be happy with the result. Either I do precisely what the pattern said and hate the result, or I tweak it here and there and am satisfied with the result.

This leads to binges.
another winter hat!

So, yes, I make the pattern my own!

I have a similar approach to patterns as Jessica Jean - except that I usually make the first one exactly the same as the pattern or very close, buty after that I tweak it here and there to experiment with different ideas and am happy with the results/ It does lead to binges but it does mean that no two are the same and everyone ends up being original.

 

[grandmatimestwo]

I will usually try it the way it was written, the FIRST time; just like recipes. and then tweek it to suit myself. Of course sometimes you like one element on this one and something else on the next.

Oh heck, I guess I just said "I do it my way".:-D :-D

Me too!