Machine(s) and Yarn

Focus on one machine

Do you have more than one knitting machine?  Which is your favorite? Perhaps it’s the gauge and the and the electronics.  Maybe you LOVE your punchcard machine.
No matter the reason, mastering ONE  machine will go a long way towards knitting sweaters that fit.
Why?  If you aren’t burdened with figuring out which buttons to push, you’ll be able to focus on techniques that will add to your satisfaction with your finished item.

Best advice … put all but one machine away for a while and focus on your favorite.

Use the same yarn for a while

If you are a sewist, you probably wouldn’t use the same sewing pattern with denim and with a knit. Each has its own properties.
The same for yarn.  Take a natural fiber. Knit 2 swatches.  Let one rest and wet block the other.  When you measure for gauge, you’ll get very different numbers.  If your swatches have any man-made fiber content, hit one with steam and compare …. Lots of variables, with one yarn.
Switch to a different yarn and do the same thing.  The differences may be even greater.
The point is, each yarn has its own characteristics.  Once you learn the “personality” of a particular yarn, stick with it. I know a professional designer who only uses one yarn.  She knits hundreds of custom designer garments.
When she knits a sleeve, she KNOWS what size it is going to be.  This also allows her to get creative.  She can play with color, she can make colorblock pieces … plus she KNOWS that the sweater is going to fit!