www.wizardknits.com

Team Sweater Pattern

We will be drafting two Team Sweater patterns!

Our intent was to draft the pattern using a favorite - Patons® Classic Merino Wool. The sample knit up exactly to the stitch and row gauge given in the pattern.

However, the result was a rather bulky, stiff sweater better suited for the slopes than costume wear.The knit sample is designed to illustrate the manner in which we choose to start both the body and the sleeve of the Team Sweaters - using smaller needles to knit what would be the bottom band and the cuffs.

There is a smooth, barely noticeable transition between the smaller and larger needles.It eliminates the need to increase stitches above the ribbing.

The edges pull in a little but you remain "in pattern" and avoid the blousing effect which is not needed for this sweater.

Team sweaters are knit in a simple 2 x 2 rib stitch which produces a very stretchy fabric. The sweater is designed to be fitted; in other words, it has a minimum of wearing ease added to the actual standard body measurements.

The Team Sweater pattern is drafted in a size 12 Misses MEDIUM [38" bust]using Lion Brand Wool Ease®.

Although the Wool Ease is a 4 ply yarn, it is lighter and has a softer drape than the 3 ply merino. It was also more economical to knit [as a pure costume prop] than it would be in the Patons®. We found the Lion Brand to be frequently on sale for a much lower price per skein than the Classic Merino. Our patterns are for personal use only.Make sure to whitelist our domain so you can receive any communication received from our Customer Service department.

Custom Search

Analyzing The Team Sweater Pattern & Style

To reproduce any article of clothing accurately, including the Team Sweater pattern, we always do a bit of reverse sewing or knitting engineering, whatever the case may be.

This is how we analyzed the pattern and design of the Team Sweater in order to reproduce it as closely and authentically as possible. First, we imagined the tunic-styled, pullover sweater to be more of a hand-me-down garment than a unisex, one-size-fits-all style of sweater.

Early team photos clearly demonstrate that one size definitely does not fit all body types in spite of the stretchy nature of the knit fabric.Then we looked at the stitch pattern used to create the fabric for the Team Sweater.

Why use a ribbed stitch rather a plain stockinet fabric? The ribbed stitch adds texture to an otherwise simple, straightforward design. The vertical ribs also create a padded effect and provide serious crosswise stretch in the knit fabric for what we all know to be active wear. Ribbing adds considerable weight to the garment and allows it hang on the body as if it were a soft, insulating and resilient suit of armor, ready to absorb the bumps and bruises you are bound to receive during playtime.

The Team Sweater is designed to be outerwear.The actual fit of the sweater revolves entirely around its intended purpose. Imagine yourself flying around the stadium on a late model broom, at break neck speeds, wearing an assortment of extra protective gear while trying to catch a small flitting object. Would you want to be wearing a loose fitting article of clothing under all that gear?

Therefore, we turned to our favorite yarn, Patons® Classic Merino Wool, to knit up a sample swatch of a sporty knit fabric – a simple two by two rib - perfect for the Team Sweater Pattern. The merino wool knits up exactly according to the stitch and row gauge in the pattern, using the given size of knitting needles.

Hints & Tips For Rib Knitting

Here are a few hints and tips to ensure sucess when knitting the Team Sweater Pattern:

Make sure you have a sufficient amount of yarn in the same dye lot. Check the yardage too if you substitute yarns. In spite of the quantity recommended in the pattern, the quantity you actually will need to knit the Team Sweater pattern depends entirely on the stitch and row tension you achieve.

Compared to plain stockinet knitting, two by two rib knitting requires approximately 30% more yarn.

Measure your knit sample accurately. Ribbing is a very elastic stitch. Do not pull down or across on your ribbing swatch before measuring for the row gauge. To measure the stitches, we stretch the fabric sample out only until the purl stitches are barely visible between the knit stitches. Pin it in place and measure.

Do not block ribbing - you are killing the elasticity of ribbed stitch.

Buy The Team Sweater Pattern

FREE Projects at Joann.com

Disclaimer

Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear collection of custom knit sweaters, scarves, vests and cardigans are neither official nor licensed Harry Potter© products. These heirloom quality knits are merely reproductions of our own design. We strive to make these, and other costuming pieces, as authentic looking as possible with the use of high quality materials, accurate colors, attention to detail and superior workmanship.

Knitting Resources
Knitting stripes - the only "pattern" required to make a simple sweater or vest look like wizard wear!
Hobbie's sweater measurements, fit and sizing information.
How to take sleeve measurements.
New Patterns
Miss 10 Cardigan Vest: Buy Now
Miss 2/4 "OOTP" Cardigan:
Buy Now