Sweater Blues

Denali · 08-07-2007, 06:56 PM

Ok, so I have this really pretty sweater I've been knitting for my mom. I fought the button band, but got it to lay flat. Fought the sleeves, but got them to look nice and fit well. Now I am fighting the actual sweater itself. Here is a pic of what I am dealing with http://www.geocities.com/hosselblotta/MVC-029X.JPG The sweater kind of pokes out under the arm. The pattern to the sweater can be found here http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/cpy8703-4merino.html

What happened is my gauge was about 2:1 (I knit 2 sts for every 1 they say to knit) so it was pretty easy to figure out. What happened is I sewed up the side seam vertically, then horizontal to where the arm holes start. This resulted in a pointy edge that looks really stupid when you try it on. Fits kind of weird too. Is there an easy to fix this without ripping anything out. The key here is not to do any ripping. (That would make me cry) Maybe just by sewing it a different way or something.

Thanks

Ingrid · 08-08-2007, 12:34 AM

I think what I would do, and I'm not really sure if it would work, is to put in a lifeline a few stitches down from the edge. Then I'd snip the stitches at the top of the pucker and flatten it out. At that point, it would depend on what I'm left with. You might be able to knit a bit and bind off flatter, or maybe put a piece of yarn through the stitches and widen out the piece.

It's a good place to be able to fuss with it, since it's under the arm.

Denali · 08-08-2007, 01:31 AM

Here is a better picture that is easier to see what is going on. http://www.geocities.com/hosselblotta/sweater.JPG

Ingrid · 08-08-2007, 02:11 AM

OK, I'd take those stitches out at the top that's making it stick out, and maybe pick up stitches along there and bind off?

Another alternative might be to tuck it in and seam up the outside. You'd have that pooch on the inside, but that's ok.

Denali · 08-08-2007, 07:47 PM

I may to try to seam it along the inside. To take the sts out would mean ripping out from the top of the shoulder down I do believe. If seaming it doesn't work, then I guess I'll have to rip some of it out. Thanks for the help.

Making notes on this pattern so I know not to do this again next time (if ever) I make the sweater.

cftwo · 08-08-2007, 07:56 PM

I'm a big fan of hiding mistakes, if possible, instead of frogging everything. From the picture, it looks like there are two possible problems: either your front and back side lengths are different, or there's just something funny in the way the sides were designed.

If the front and back side lenghts are different, I'd hide the extra in the top armhole seam. Sew up the side seam from the bottom, and whatever is left at the top you can hide in your armpit when you wear it. Just use a contrasting colored yarn to indicate where the sleeve should be sewed in (it'll be in quite a bit on one side and pretty flush with the other).

If there's just something funny (and not straight) on the side seam, I'd hide the extra inside in the side seam. Just sew it up straight, even if you're not on the edge any more.

Neither of my theories (or their solutions) work if you knit this in the round.