Schematic or Not To Schematic

I'm motoring along on my Inlet Custom Fit Cardigan  I was knitting merrily along on one of the fronts, Thursday night according to the instructions.  While I was merrily knitting along on it, I thought that it was odd that the instructions did not have me increase for the bust after decreasing for the waist as they did on the back.  But, being the blind follower that I usually am, I continued on doing as the Custom Fit pattern said.

When I got home, I looked at the schematic and was a bit perplexed by it.  Since it showed the waist going in and then increases for the bust, I was thinking more and more that I was right and the elves at Custom Fit had it wrong.

After first looking in the Custom Fit Ravelry Group and on project pages and finding no notes or comments as to there being a problem, I decided it was just my pattern that was wrong.  So, I emailed Custom Fit.  The very next day, I had an answer ( pretty darn customer service the weekend of TNNA)  which was that the schematic was not indicative of what my sweater was going to look like, and basically, it was a canned drawing.  Huh?  Ok, I understand, and if I had been of sound mind on Thursday night late in the evening, I would have paid attention to the measurements that were given for my Custom Fit sweater, measured my piece and said ah ha, pay no attention to the schematic.

But, (you knew there was going to be one), why bother putting a schematic in then?  I have always looked to the schematic to tell me what the sweater shaping looks like and what the measurements are at certain spots.  I tell new sweater knitters that are trying to figure out whether they need to make changes on non-Custom Fit sweaters, that they should look to the schematic and the measurements that are referenced there and then make changes if needed.

Now, to Custom Fit's credit, the measurements that they provided below the schematic are smack dab on, which tells me what the schematic does not.  And it all made a lot more sense on Friday night then it did on Thursday, but still that (lets call it) drawing is a bit deceiving.  Knowing what I know now and what my readers will benefit from to is look to the measurements they will not lie.

While we are on the subject of Amy Herzog, I just want to say I think she is a genius and I am infatuated with her patterns and books right now, and I am a fan girl.  When I run across a podcaster that interviews her, I tune in, because she has been able to do what all of us knitters wish we could do, make a buck out of hobby and turn it into a business.

If you are interested, give a listen to these podcasts to hear the story, I think you will enjoy listening.

5-19-2015

6-12-2011