I'm finishing a set in sleeve pullover. I was hoping the shoulder seams would even out after blocking, but they still look crappy. I tried mattress stitch, kitcher stitch and ended up doing a 3-needle bind-off, even though I had already bound off. (Thank goodness for Amy's video's! I actually learned how to do these with the videos! She makes it so easy!)
Is there a better way? There seem to be holes where the cast offs switched and the seam is WAYYY too tight. I'm willing to take off the neckline stitches, sleeves and unknit/frog if I have to. I really want this sweater to turn out! I already have to take off the bottom and add some length (we'll see how that goes), but I want to get the shoulders to look good. I have to say, the yarn is looking a bit worn where I've worked it so much along the shoulder. I'm thinking taking it out and using new yarn would work.
Can someone please look at the pattern and tell me if I should have done this differently? I think the 3-needle BO would have looked better if the stitches hadn't already been bound off, but what about the various cast-offs and the holes between? Would it work to put the stitches on a holder instead of binding off? How do I eliminate the holes? Here's a link to the pattern:
http://www.magknits.com/Aug05/alice.htm
THANKS SO MUCH!

The 3 needle bind off is the correct method for shoulder seams. It provides a nice neat seam. It probably would have been better w/o the previous seaming. Can you take it all out and fix it?

I'll take it out, but what do you mean "without previous seaming"? that I tried the other stitches first or that it is already bound off? The fact that it's bound off in three sections seems to make the holes.

I'll take it out, but what do you mean "without previous seaming"? that I tried the other stitches first or that it is already bound off? The fact that it's bound off in three sections seems to make the holes.

Oh... :doh: I meant that it was bound off. 3 needle bind off as you know is done with live stitches. I'm not experienced enough to know how you could work with the bound off edges other than undoing them. :thinking: If you feel it's too tight you could go up a needle size or two when binding off, too.

It's a gorgeous sweater btw!

Thanks! It's been fun to work on, until the finishing! I'm not experienced enough to know how to do the shoulder without the bind-off, either.

Can anyone with shoulder-work experience chime in and help? I need to know if I can put the stitches on holders instead of binding off? or will that leave my yarn in the wrong place for the next rows? Will doing it this way eliminate the holes or is there a better way to knit/shape the shoulder?

I actually like to "graft" the shoulder seams, which can be done with seams that bound off. Have you looked at the grafting technique? It leaves an invisible seam.

Edited to add: I can give you a better explanation if you need it, and try to take pics?

Do you mean mattress stitch or Kitchner? I tried those. If you have another technique, I'll need pictures and instructions.
Thanks!!

Yes they are similar (some say the same) but maybe if we do a few pictures it would help. I don't have a knitted garment with me to use for demonstration though. Let me see if I can find something....

Okay, it is kitchener, but I do it sometimes after the edges have been bound off. Maybe I'm not understanding your problem exactly?

The biggest problem is the holes between the levels of cast off. Maybe I did that part wrong? It also puckers and just looks too tight.

Okay, now I understand better. I have sewn a ton of shoulder seams. Sometimes I just do it over and over, using different methods until I get something I can live with. I'm sorry I can't be more help!

WHen you shape your shoulder seams, do you do the whole "cast off the first 6 sts at armhole edge 3X, then CO remaining stitches"? Or is there a better way to set up the shoulder seam? Is there a trick to not having holes? Do I need to pull really tight, CO looser? Any tips would be great!

The few pieces I have designed have straight shoulders, no stepped BOs. Your bind off should be loose, that helps to keep the seam nice and even. But when you are seaming, don't pull too hard, that make the seam "bunch up". I still think, kitchener is the right one. It might be that you aren't grabbing the stitches in the right place. That is why I wanted to be able to show an example, but I don't have one, so I'm looking for one online.

If you can get your hands on a copy of Vogue's Ultimae knitting dictionary or the smaller of it they have a great section on seaming and grafting, which shows tons of different ways to graft seams. I've used that to do shoulder seams with much success.

Should I redo the top front and back so the shoulder is straight? Is there a way to shape it earlier in the process so the seam on top doesn't have holes, but has the needed slope? THanks SO much for your help.

I'd love to see your designs!

Middle of the page has a piece on seaming shoulders (http://dawnprickett.blogspot.com/2006/02/making-beautiful-seams-tutorial.html) if this is still the route you want to go.

That looks helpful. I wish it had pictures of the stepped BO, b/c that seems to be my problem (no pun intended :teehee: ). I used this seaming method to set in the sleeve and it looks great. Of course, I'll have to take it out if I re-do the whole shoulder. UGH!

So, take out and make a straight seam? Or re-do the stepped BO looser? Tighter? Or just live with imperfection?

Input, anyone?

The Kitchener st is invisable but is it weaker? I just noticed most people recommend the three needle BO for the shoulder seam but I was wondering why the kitchener st would not be better because then you don't notice it.

You can shape the shoulders before using the 3 needle bind off by using short row shaping. The Knitters Book of Finishing Techniques has great pics.

Basically you knit up until where you should have bound off for that row, wrap and turn, and then work back to where you should have bound off for the next row, wrap and turn, etc. On the final row you pick up the wraps. That's for the back.

For the front, you only have to w&t at the shoulder edge.

As for Kitchener, it's my understanding that you need a seam for strength, too.

I have not done the short row for the shoulder yet because the sweater I am working on does not have the steps but the next time I would like to try it.

As for three needle bind off, I knew there must be some reason for using it over kitchener st. Thanks

The photo you posted, what method was that?