Pattern Question - Increases

okckwilter · 06-03-2012, 08:20 AM

I'm trying to work this freebie-pattern sweater from Cascade Yarns:
http://cascadeyarns.com/patternsFree...ilkTopDown.pdf
I'm using Berroco Weekend yarn with #9 needles to get gauge.

The top yoke is worked back and forth until you get to where you have to cast on 20 stitches for the front neckline and then joined at the underarm to work in the round. You later pick up stitches for ribbing around the neck. Before joining in the round, the pattern says to kfb in the first and last stitch to shape the neck edge. I understand the pattern fine but end up with large holes next to the kfb increases, especially in the row where I have to cast on for the neckline.

Would it be better to kfb in the second stitch and next-to-last stitch of each row? I'm afraid it will be difficult to hide or work in the holes when I pick up stitches for the neck edge, which is what the gal at the LYS suggested when I went there for advice.

I've ripped this back twice now, re-working it once again, and would sure like to be able to get going on it again. Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks!

Ingrid · 06-03-2012, 01:56 PM

You could work a M1 increase rather than kfb. It's less noticeable. You could work the m1's between the first and last stitch.

Picking up stitches for the neck will possibly hide the holes, especially if you make sure you pick up in a row that's below the holes. But why fret about them?

suzeeq · 06-03-2012, 02:08 PM

You can do another increase, like m1 that Ingrid suggests, or KRL/KLL. There's videos for them on the the Increases page.

salmonmac · 06-03-2012, 02:10 PM

I agree. There are several increases that are less visible than kfb that you can try. I like KRL and KLL (knit right loop and knit left loop) because they work so well into the knit fabric. Try different increases and see which you prefer to this sweater.

okckwilter · 06-03-2012, 09:51 PM

Thank you all for the suggestions. My lack of experience really annoys me as I just don't know of other options that might work better than the stitches suggested by the pattern. Ingrid, the reason I'm fretting about the holes left by the kfb increases is that in some places the holes are much larger than in other places and just plain looks bad to me.

Now to try out a couple of different increases and see which I might prefer; oh yeah, and make sure I get the right ones to slant in the right direction!

salmonmac · 06-03-2012, 09:59 PM

This is experience. Even if you only learn one new thing with each project, think how much you're learning. I love projects that go beyond what I've done before so that I can try something new.

okckwilter · 06-03-2012, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by salmonmac

This is experience. Even if you only learn one new thing with each project, think how much you're learning. I love projects that go beyond what I've done before so that I can try something new.

Very true and I have nothing against gaining experience and enjoy learning new things with each project. I just tend to get hung up on the lack of visible progress!