Knit sleeves "in-line" or top-down?

[Carie]

Hi! I'm working on the (self-made) pattern from !@#$ and I'm thinking - uh, I have no idea how to make the sleeves so they'll fit right.

So, what if I joined the sweater body seams, picked up the stitches around the sleeve with a circular needle, or starting with one stitch and "expanded" from there, and away I went? Make the sleeves right on the garment?

Talk me out of it.

Or what if, apart from the sweater, I made the sleeve from the shoulder cap down to the cuff, instead of the bottup > up. That way the suspense of whether it will fit on the sweater will not last as long.

I thought I remember a post where someone does this.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Carie