Trying on a top down raglan

[Jan in CA]

You survived and you learned something new! Yes, you will do it again. It's the best way to make sure it's going to fit. You may not have to do it again for this sweater though.

[Lizars1735]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jan. And I did learn that it can be done.

If I have to try it on again, maybe I'll try Sue's method and use a few circulars instead of waste yarn.

[Jan in CA]

I've used more circs, too. I feel like it depends on what you're checking. For length circs are fine, but for fit I prefer waste yarn.

[suzeeq]

And then there is the problem of trudging through knitting back onto the needle.

That's solved by leaving some of the stitches on your needles, putting the rest on other needles. Then you can just knit without fiddling around with the scrap yarn.

After it gets too large to be easily portable, I just work on it at home watching tv, and use something smaller to take to work with me or wherever. I dislike seaming more than working on portable pieces, and have never had it not come out the right size when I tried it on to see where I was. Perhaps you didn't know what to look for, or how to adjust it?

[suzeeq]

I am afraid to put more than one fixed circular together to try it on because I'm sure something will fall out and I'll drop stitches.
This sweater is just going to have to fit without me trying it on again!

Rubberbands or point protectors on the ends if you're nervous about it. And you know. I've had a few fall off, but they only drop a couple rows at most so I just pick them up and put 'em back on the needle. As long as you don't stretch out the edge more than you need to get it on and off, it's fine. I usually don't try it on after I've divided for the sleeves anyway; at that point I can also measure it flat and take that into consideration too.

[Rie]

That's solved by leaving some of the stitches on your needles, putting the rest on other needles. Then you can just knit without fiddling around with the scrap yarn.

The multi-needle approach sounds like a smart idea. Thank you, I'll try that.

After it gets too large to be easily portable, I just work on it at home watching tv, and use something smaller to take to work with me or wherever.

Yes, I do a lot of my knitting away from the house, so multiple projects are the only way to maximize my knitting time.

I dislike seaming more than working on portable pieces, and have never had it not come out the right size when I tried it on to see where I was. Perhaps you didn't know what to look for, or how to adjust it?

No, I don't know what to look for, and if I was able to see a fit problem, I wouldn't know how to fix it. I am completely missing the point there I know. At least I know that, right?
I once decided to make this pullover. I tried it on several times and it seemed to fit well enough. But when I finished it, it was too big. For some reason, I couldn't tell this when I had the live stitches on waste yarn.
Same thing with this cardigan, although I was able to figure out that it was too big and I ditched it, because what could I do but start over with a smaller size? I maybe could have saved it if I had been using a lifeline back then. Then I could have ripped back to an earlier point in the sizing. But really, I find the whole increasing and decreasing thing to form the arms and neckline to be a little complicated to mess with.
If it doesn't fit, then all I know to do is start over with a different size.
I think part of my problem has to do with blocking, since I don't really know how to block in the round well, my projects grow in a way I didn't factor in when I knit up my swatch. So I'm not able to try it on pre-block and in progress and imagine how it will fit after blocking.
Sad stuff really.

[suzeeq]

Here's my second attempt at a reply, hoping my computer doesn't crash again...

With a top down raglan or pullover you would check the fit before you divide the sleeve sts. The front and back raglan increase lines should not quite meet, maybe an inch or so gap. Then you CO 2" worth of stitches enough to get your finished measurement. If your yoke is too short but you have enough stitches, work a few more rows without increases. You can dec stitches at the underarm right away if you have too many sts for the sleeves.

As to the 'finished measurement' many people do make too large a size, so you should measure something that fits the way you'd like and use those measurements, rather than what you think you need. If you're busty, working a pullover with 2-4" of negative ease will keep it from being too large; if you use the size for your full bust measurement it could be too boxy elsewhere. With negative ease (less than your body measurement) it will stretch lightly over the bust, but pull in at the waist, even if you don't do waist shaping.

I don't use lifelines, they're too fiddley. What I do if I need to rip back is to go back to the row beyond where I want to start again, then with the yarn at the end of a RS row (or end of a round if working in the round) take a smaller needle and while pulling out the last row stitch by stitch, put them on the needle. It's easier to get the needle in that way - it's smaller and you pick up the sts as you rip/tink back. Stitches don't drop as easily as people think, the live edge needs to be stretched out a lot for them to do so. If one does escape down a row or two, just put it on the needle and fix it when you get to it. You can also use a size 1 or 2 or other tiny needle and thread it through the row you want to rip back to, or thread the lifeline (with thin yarn or floss) through the stitches before you take it off the needles.

You don't need to worry about blocking in the round either. Most things just need to be washed and laid flat to dry. No stretching or pinning needed, just wash and dry. That can even out the sts and will relax them. For acrylics or blends, wash and dry in the dryer. You can knit a sample first and wash and dry it to see how the yarn acts when its wet and that should tell you what the finished item will do too.

[Rie]

With a top down raglan or pullover you would check the fit before you divide the sleeve sts. The front and back raglan increase lines should not quite meet, maybe an inch or so gap. Then you CO 2" worth of stitches enough to get your finished measurement. If your yoke is too short but you have enough stitches, work a few more rows without increases. You can dec stitches at the underarm right away if you have too many sts for the sleeves.

Well, I think this is exactly my problem! All of your post actually, but especially this bit. I've been trying them on well after this point and without any criteria except that all my parts fit!
Thank you so much!

As to the 'finished measurement' many people do make too large a size, so you should measure something that fits the way you'd like and use those measurements, rather than what you think you need. If you're busty, working a pullover with 2-4" of negative ease will keep it from being too large; if you use the size for your full bust measurement it could be too boxy elsewhere. With negative ease (less than your body measurement) it will stretch lightly over the bust, but pull in at the waist, even if you don't do waist shaping.

You nailed my other size problem. I always size up 2-4" on my bust measurement but I've never actually measured one of my favorite sweaters until tonight. It's a 36" which is my bust size! I can't really explain that, but it has what I would characterize as "plenty of ease". I definitely need to re-evaluate how I take my measurements!

Anyway, thanks again for such great help!

[suzeeq]

Well, I think this is exactly my problem! All of your post actually, but especially this bit. I've been trying them on well after this point and without any criteria except that all my parts fit!
Thank you so much!

You nailed my other size problem. I always size up 2-4" on my bust measurement but I've never actually measured one of my favorite sweaters until tonight. It's a 36" which is my bust size! I can't really explain that, but it has what I would characterize as "plenty of ease". I definitely need to re-evaluate how I take my measurements!

Anyway, thanks again for such great help!

You're welcome. Many people think they need a larger size than they do. Most of my storebought sweaters measure a little less than my bust measurement; even though they're a much finer gauge they fit nicely. Knitting is very stretchy so it doesn't hurt to make a sweater with negative ease. Even a cardigan can have zero (same as your measure) or an inch positive ease and it'll still fit nicely.

You can also try on the sweater when you've done a few inches of the body to make sure you've judged your gauge and estimated finished measurement right too. But you'd have to go back to the sleeve divide to make any adjustments.