A New Book Project: Pattern Fitting For Knits

Yes, there is a new book in the works! After three sewing books in four years, I feel like I’ve gotten the process down and I still have so many book ideas that I want to put into fruition.

I love looking for underserved book topics and one idea that has been mulling in my head for years has been to make a book on how to do pattern fitting for knits, that would take a holistic approach and also educate around different types of knit fabrics and sewing methods and how these factors affect the fit of a knit garment too.

But since sewing and not pattern fitting, is my area of expertise I knew I wouldn’t be able to write this book on my own. But as faith would have it, a few years ago I connected with pattern maker Malena Hjerpe (you can read my interview with her here) and we have since then collaborated quite a bit, especially when it comes to our respective sewing pattern lines.

Malena has spent her professional life developing patterns for some of the biggest Swedish fashion brands and she now works as a freelance pattern maker, and one of her niches is pattern making for knit garments. She also has her own line of sewing patterns, PatternByMalena.

So once my latest book Sewing Jeans was sent off to the universe and I had regained some of my energy, I felt so excited about this new book idea and having Malena as my co-author.

In September we went from planning out all the topic ideas to actually start working on the book, and now we feel ready to share this project with you!

What will the book be about?

Basically, it’s a book about pattern fitting for all sorts of knit garments, with illustrated step-by-step instructions and diagrams, that will be very easy to follow and understand. Even if you are new to pattern fitting.

How is this book different from other pattern fitting books?

Most, if not all, pattern fitting books on the market currently are geared towards woven fabrics, with very little (if any) information on how to fit knit garments. Taking into account things like stretch, range of movement and the challenges that come with fitting garments that lacks darts, multi-seam panels and other features that we often rely on when fitting clothes made of woven fabrics.

Will there be instructions for sewing knits in the book too?

Yes, each chapter will also have illustrated tips for how to sew knits using the best techniques. Because using the wrong methods for sewing knits will often cause fitting issues as well, such as a gaping neckline, shoulders that are too wide etc.

That said, it´s not a book about sewing knits primarily, but I plan to do one on that topic too in the future. Instead, in this book, you´ll learn all the next-level sewing with knit stuff that many regular sewing books and pattern instructions omit, but that will make a huge difference to the end result.

Will, you also talk about different knit fabrics and how to choose the right fabric for different projects?

Yes! That is a topic that is very dear to both me and Malena, so there will be an entire section in the book dedicated just to knit fabrics and their different properties. I actually took a university course in textile science many years ago, and the plan is to utilize that knowledge but make it less technical and easier to digest.

Will pattern fitting for men be addressed too in the book?

Of course, we are determined to make an inclusive book that addresses fitting issues in a non-gendered way. That also translates to how the book will be illustrated and the overall feel of the book. We are aware that most fitting books currently available are quite women-centric when it comes to presentation and we want to make sure our book has a broader scope.

When will the book be out?

We can’t say for sure, but we are aiming for 2023. Yes, that is far away in the future, but we want to take our time and make sure the book is A++++ and worth the wait 🙂

Are you open to book topic suggestions/Will you cover XYZ in the book?

Yes, we are all ears as we are still finalising the content. Just share your questions and topic ideas in the comments.

You are also welcome to apply to become a book beta reader. We are currently open for applications and the goal is to put together a small but diverse group of readers that can give us feedback on everything from content to the design of the book.

Apply to be a beta reader

Hope you like this new book idea and we will of course keep you updated on the book project when we have some news to share. And just like my previous books, it will be available both as a print and e-book.