Knitting clothes - possible?

[losenotloose]

I've really got into knitting recently and am attempting to knit two jumpers but I'm not confident it's possible to make your own hand knitted clothes that look good. I think this is because I've never seen it done irl. The only stuff I've seen is pastel coloured baby clothes, and I'm never that impressed with them.

So, is it possible to knit your own modern clothes?!

It is, you just need practice.

Of course! Get yourself on Instagram if you’re not already - absolutely hundreds and thousands of people doing just that and sharing pics etc. You just need to follow hashtags like hand knitting, knitting, etc etc. Tons of inspiration. Wool warehouse have a lovely account.

Ooh, this is encouraging already! I really enjoy it but don't want to feel like I'm wasting my time

If you're enjoying it then it's not a waste of time! With practice it's very possible there are some really easy patterns and i second wool warehouse!

I come from a long line of knitters and have had dozens of jumpers knitted for me, but they are all very much of the traditional style and 'we don't use patterns..'. Unfortunately I can't knit at all (don't worry, I've tried, oh how I've tried) and would dearly love to try some of the incredible patterns available for modern style jumpers/tops/cardigans/throws etc.

What I have discovered I can do is crochet (which none of my relatives can do!) and again there are so many modern ways to create clothes I'm trying to upskill fast so I can set to with a more simple pattern first.

Both my GMs were great knitters, nothing was beyond them. Like a lot of things it does take some dedication and practice. My knitting is mediocre by comparison. It is a very relaxing hobby.
Good quality wool makes all the difference, but is expensive nowadays.
Perhaps practice the stitches and tensions on small pieces first.

Try Ravelry. There's some absolutely beautiful designs out there

I don’t knit but do crochet and have made lots of wearables for myself, family and friends. I find crochet much easier and more forgiving than knitting

That's very true @Costacoffeeplease, I'm actually working on a crochet cardigan at the moment and I definitely agree it's more forgiving

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I’ve recently started knitting again. I used to knit very basic things, then took the plunge with learning to decipher patterns. The two pictures are of jumpers I’ve made for my son (blue green stripes) and my friend’s son (the petrol green). I know they’re not fancy, but they don’t look like bags either. A happy medium I feel! :)

I’m currently making a patchwork cardigan like the one that Harry Styles made famous for the daughter of a different friend. After that I’ll be making myself a tunic dress with a big snuggly roll neck collar. I also have a pair of socks in progress, but that’s my weekend swearing project.

Depending on your skill level and how much you want to spend, there’s a lot out there that’s fabulous. Revelry and Knitty are good sources of patterns and ideas. I personally avoid Pinterest like the plague. I also love a good rummage in the craft room of my local Dove House Hospice shop - they have hundreds of patterns to sift through and they’re very inexpensive.

Good luck!

Yes, of course! I’m a knitter, but mostly knit smaller things, like animals, flowers, hats etc.
I have knitted some lovely jumpers though, and still have an amazing huge Aran that my granny knitted for me when I was a teen! She taught me to knit, actually.
DD crochets various amazing and groovy garments.

Start with some quite straightforward patterns to build up your skills and pattern-following experience, and then you can progress. It’s very rewarding to see your work grow. I also enjoy knitting in the evening in front of the telly, because I don’t feel I’m wasting my life watching crap if I’m making something, too!

That’s true, @Costacoffeeplease . It’s much easier to make the shape you want with crochet, and your work grows more quickly.

I used to knit s

I used to knit a lot. My favourite item ever was a fair isle sweater, but I've also done cable.

Go for it, but practice, practice, practice, and learn a critical eye for your own work.

I don't knit but I write, and do other crafting. You have to learn to REALLY look at and evaluate your own stuff in order to get good.

As @FussyPud said - many end up looking like bags (not hers!), but most people won't tell you that.

@FussyPud they're lovely, I'd be proud if I made those.

I've got a couple of kits from We Are Knitters. They're expensive but there was a sale on. Hopefully they'll be good!

I used to knit loads of my own jumpers when late teens/early 20s. I suppose them looking a little "rustic" was part of the charm then. The hard bit to get right and where I always give up now is the rib necklines. But definitely go for it. Sign up to Sirdar as they have some simple patterns and bundle up the yarn for them. Good yarn isn't cheap though so practice with acrylic.

Pinterest is great for ideas, and some of them link to ravelry for the patterns

Look up Wool & The Gang patterns, the kits are expensive but they have loads of modern patterns and have done collaborations with people like Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones actress).

I’ve made many a bag in my time, truly! I’m currently trying to expand my repertoire, hence the swearing at the sock!

@losenotloose both were King Cole patterns and use super chunky yarn, which is ridiculously quick to knit. The striped jumper, modelled by my lanky 15 year old, is just 51 stitches across. Took a week to knit. Absolutely go for it. Look into whether your area has any knit groups. I run a community group on behalf of a local charity, and we’ve knitters and crocheters of all levels who pop in. There’s also one at my local garden centre, and another at a library. It’s a great way to find people to learn from, and consume all the cake with. :)

Tin Can Knits have some great patterns. Some are free. Their basics collection is good for beginners. Their patterns are sized from babies to adults. Their website has some tutorials. It was a great starting point for me when I decided to try knitting again.

Yes, you just might need to hunt out some modern designs and be prepared to pay a lot for fabulous wool!

Crocheting their own crop tops seems to be popular with some teens at the moment.

There's some fantastic knitting content online. I can knit very basically but have been crocheting for 10/11 years. Maybe longer. I stuck with blankets for years but have up skilled massively the last few years and am learning to freehand clothing. I'm not into all the teen crazes and weird tiktok stuff. Personally feel that tiktok had ruined crochet but anyway, yeah the sky is the limit if you're willing to put time and effort into your learning.

I’m currently knitting this https://www.twoofwands.com/blog/ballerina-wrap-top and I want to knit this https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rosa-jumper soon. There are so so many beautiful patterns out there. Happy knitting!