cuff too tight

[candy]

The first sweater I made 20yrs ago is too tight on the cast on edge of the sleeve. I read the how to make a sweater shorter by putting in two life lines. If I just picked up stitches three rows up on a needle do I just cut one stitch at the cast on edge and try to pick it out from there. I don't have extra yarn the same color so I thought I would take three rows out and put it on a larger needle and bind off loose. Will it work?

[BillSpace]

I'm doing something similar with cuffs that are too loose. It should work.

Something that surprised me, but shouldn't have: when you start to undo from the cast-on edge, you can't just rip as you would if you were undoing from the cast-off. You have to undo every single stitch and pull the yarn through. Very tedious if you're looking at a lot of rows or a lot of stitches.

I found it better to snip a stitch right below my target row and pull the stitches out from the top. Then you're left with a detached cuff, which you can rip down if you want to reuse the yarn or you can discard if you're going to knit the cuff with new yarn.

[knitqueen]

I agree. I wouldn't bother trying to pick out the cast on edge. It can be tedious and a PITA!! Either just cut the cast on edge off after you have your needles in the destination row (or lifeline or whatever) and then unravel or do what the previous poster suggested by cutting the stitches just below where you have your needle placed. Just be sure not to accidentally cut the stitches that you want to work on.

[candy]

Boy, it was hard to put the needle in the destination row. The wool was dark navy and small stitches. I kept on somehow slowly moving up one stitch when I was picking up the stitches. I had an idea, I wet the cuffs and put a can of coke in each cuff and let it sit over night. It worked out perfect and now I don't have to cut it at all.

[BillSpace]

There you go! Excellent use of alternative techniques!