Comments on: Charts 101

By: Maureen

Maureen — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:46:06 +0000

I have been knitting for over 50 years and never been able to read a chart until right now~a big THANKS.I have ‘Knitted Lace’ by Sonia Esbensen & Anna Rasmussen, but when it came it was all charted – so has sat on my shelf for a couple of years. After reading your explanations I went straight to the craft room and rescued it.

By: KnittingAddict

KnittingAddict — Wed, 02 May 2007 01:03:35 +0000

Never, ever, ever, ever thought I would ever be able to make any sense of charts — however, I am beginning to believe there may be a light @ the end of the tunnel!

Still not 100% sure, but at least I am not 100% negative now. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this all out for those of us that are severely chart challenged

Now, I am off to get myself a copy of your lacy pattern that includes the written directions. It’s my first lace project, and I only have a month to complete it — so I don’t have time for experimentation right now!

Thank you for the patterns too! They are gorgeous!!

~KA

By: Sandi

Sandi — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 04:09:03 +0000

I used to be able to read charts but still preferred line by line. Now I have MS I look at a chart and see squares with blobs instead of symbols. So, now I have to find someone who will write out the charts for me. Many of us aren’t put off by charts, we flat out cannot read them and I now only buy from designers who do write them out, no matter how much I love other designs.

By: Kristi aka Fiber Fool

Kristi aka Fiber Fool — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:52:43 +0000

I use post-it notes to keep track of what line I’m on. If there is a symbol I’m unfamiliar with I write the note on the post-it so it is right there when I’m working the chart. Usually I get it down in a repeat or two, but it is nice to have the validation right there if I let a project sit too long though.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:38:46 +0000

Charts really are easier in the long run for those who are visual. Even nonvisual data gatherers can make the connections in the brain to do it with practice. It’s not comfortable at first, as they complain (and as I once felt), but then it is far superior. I think there is much less looking back and forth with charts than with text instructions.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 04:23:18 +0000

Susan, a lightbulb turned on when you used the terms right-pointing / left-pointing slant! Just that word “point” suddenly clarified for me the problem I have when I see, “right / left slant.” Visually, I always pictured the opposite of what it was.

By: Kelley

Kelley — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:43:40 +0000

Thanks for the lowdown on chart reading. I’ve always been too intimidated to try knitting from a chart, but you make it seem so simple. I think I’d better try it now on my Forest Canopy

By: polarbears

polarbears — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:54:37 +0000

I do charted stranded knitting and needlepoint but I was totally intimidated the first time I was confronted with a charted Aran pattern. After I got used to it though, it was MUCH easier. You can “see” where you are. The various motifs are all lined up in order–no flipping back and forth to the separate instructions and no remembering which comes next. This is especially helpful if the motifs don’t have the same number of rows in each repeat. Also, those of us who knit weirdly no longer have to rewrite the instructions. I do my decreases differently than the standard k2tg and ssk and could never remember which slanted which way. Now I just look at direction of the symbol. Post It’s are super for marking what line you are on–and you can take notes on them.

Take a deep breath, start slowly and try not to get frustrated. In a very short time Suz’s “lightbulb” will come on.

By: Beth S.

Beth S. — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:08:58 +0000

I can remember being afraid of charts. It was before I’d ever really sat down and tried to understand one. Once I gave it an honest try, the advantages of charts were obvious.

The other day I was going through my sock pattern binder, and I pulled out a lovely pattern I’ve had for years but never tried before… and when I realized the whole thing was written out line by line (i.e. no charts), I sighed and put it away. I don’t know if I’ll ever bother with it, even though it’s pretty. (Maybe I should just get some graph paper and chart it myself?)

By: Em

Em — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:44:16 +0000

I’m completely with you on the charts. I love working from them, and defintely think that there is a greater margin for error on written designs. “Knit-speak” was far more intimidating to me when I was a beginner, and I thnk I prefer charts now both for their visual cues and for their portability! This goes for cabling as well as lace, although cable charts are often more complex in their symbols.