Cuffs too big!!!

[elush@comcast.net]

I knit an alpaca pullover for my husband, which fits him very well. However, for some reason the ribbed cuffs are too wide. They are too wide to fix with blocking. How can I make them smaller? I thought about using a sewing machine and sewing a dart type wedge in them. But, that would leave a bunch of material inside the cuff. If I cut it won't it shred?

Evie

[knitasha]

The sneaky elastic fix has saved many a too-big cuff and stretched-out neckline. It's a specialty of the Whatever Works School of Fine Knitting.

Use round elastic thread and a yarn needle (white for light colors, black for dark colors, transparent if you can get it). Weave several rows of the elastic through the ribbing inside the cuffs, starting and ending at the seam. (For a man's sweater I'd use 4 or 5 rows.) Pull up each row of elastic as tightly as you want it and fasten in the seam.

The ribbing hides the elastic and the cuffs fit snugly. It also works for ribbing that starts out the right size and stretches over time.