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Jill Wolcott Knits: A Fit Background

I am always thinking about how garments fit. Partly it is my training, mostly it is my passion for fashion, knits, and design.

Knits Fit: Princess DressI remember drawing endless princess dresses when I was young (before moving to imaginary portraiture). Before I had sewn my first stitch I knew that the waistline on a princess dress was flattering!  From there I went on to sew most of my own clothes (a practice I continued until my late 30s). When I was in high school I made all my clothes and always had sufficient clothes to have a different outfit every school day in any month—I spent a lot of time at my sewing machine. I was 5’8″ with broad shoulders and without an hourglass shape. I began “tweaking” the patterns I bought and I started experimenting with making garments from an idea, not a pattern.

When I decided to make this my vocation, I learned manufacturing garment construction and pattern making. I went on to fashion design school from technical school. I spent the years following my education enhancing and building on what I learned in school.  When I came to knitwear in 1993, I simply shifted my flat-pattern and garment construction knowledge to knits. In the process I learned to design and create shapes without making patterns, but to the same criteria I had used in flat pattern.

In 2000 I began teaching at FIDM in San Francisco. For several years I taught technical design classes in addition to product development classes on line development and portfolio development. I have taught grading for plus sizes online, and I have created sizing standards for yarn companies.  I taught Grading for Designers at TNNA with my friend Jeane deCoster. Jeane taught me how to use spreadsheets—over the phone!

I am not an Excel ace, which I think helps me teach A System of Grading to others. I do know fit and grading.  In A System of Grading I will give you information based on women’s garments.  Men’s garments are graded similarly, but in shapes that don’t need to accommodate curves. I am not a menswear specialist. Same for children. I have spent most of my time, and developed my expertise, in womenswear, including plus size grading.

I combine design and technical skill with an ability to effectively teach to a variety of learning styles.

Want the Details of my education, designing, & teaching: Jill Wolcott CV 2019-20?

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Jill’s Story

Teacher, Designer, with expertise to lead you where you want to go as a knitter/designer. Read More…

Blog Archive

Don’t Miss these Techniques!

drawing of how a button link is put together. design, writing, technique

Button Links

most of the shelves on the yarn wall

Color Play in Yarn

Photo of Jill's Rowena Iron and her Reliable Steamer Iron

Steam Block

lovely hand-wound center pull ball in Fingering 101, yarn, yarn ball, center-pull, technique

Hand Wound Center-Pull Ball

Popular in the Shop

  • Smallest Number of Stitches to Cast On A Moebius Suggested price: $3.00
  • Tulle Collar on dress form with taupe side out, a view of tope and bottom Latvian braid, and 3 vintage button links. Tulle Collar $12.00
  • Half-size dress form wearing dk version in pink and purple from Oink Pigments Clapham Trio: Junction, Road, & Common $20.00
  • ASOG 2023 Deposit-in-Full: Gou Pei Dress ASOG 2023 Registration Deposit-in-Full $100.00
  • ASOG 2023 Deposit-in-Payment: Gou Pei Dress with wings ASOG 2023 Registration Deposit-in-Payments $100.00 / 7 days

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About Jill

Teacher, Designer, with expertise to lead you where you want to go as a knitter/designer.

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