How can I resize parts of a sweater

[Lieuvena]

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I've been knitting since about June and just finished my first sweater (it lacks some seaming and blocking). I have a question I hope someone can help me with.

I knit this sweater http://www.knitting-crochet.com/oneskehoobabswe.html and everything fits except the arms. I understand how I can make the arms a bit longer, but I have no idea how to make the armholes and all around width of the arms larger. Is that possible to do?

TIA for any help!

[MerigoldinWA]

In what way are the arms too small? If the armhole is too short what I would do is to throw in a few more rows to make the yoke section longer. Since it has 1 row between increase rows, I would probably do 3 rows in a couple or three places. If you did only two the increases would be done on the opposite side from the others. If that isn't a problem you could do 2 rows between the increases in more places evenly spaced from each other.

If the sleeves aren't big enough around you need to somehow get more stitches in the total. You could increase a few more rounds just like you were doing in the regular instructions, that would make the armhole a little bigger and add a few stitches into each section. In effect it would make everything a little bigger, not just the arms.

Another thing you could do to gain just a little is to knit the sleeves in the round. When it tells you to work the sleeve flat and later sew it together, instead put the sleeve stitches on double points or however you'd like to work in the round. Right at the underarm part pick up some extra stitches, as many as you can get there as you join the sleeve to work it in the round.

Perhaps you could add extra increases into the sleeve sections of the yoke as you go down. I guess you could do that by adding increases on the usually non-increased rows, but only in the sleeve sections, right where they normally are when you increase the sleeves.

[Lieuvena]

The armholes are too tight (I don't know if that's what you mean by too short). When I put it on my DD the armhole actually squeezes her arm. Also the arm itself is too tight on her. Not by alot, but just by enough to be uncomfortable.

I *think* I understand most of what you suggested, I'm still pretty new so some of it went over my head! I'll read over it a few more times and try to figure it out.

I think the problem is that I don't know where all the parts start or what creates the pattern ect. So modifying it is a bit mystifying to me.

Do you think it would stretch out any just by blocking it? I actually want to make this again with a nicer yarn (I used really cheap stuff that is a bit stiff) but want to do it again and wondered if I could adjust the size somehow while I knit it.

Thanks again!

[suzeeq]

It sounds like you may have used acrylic which is good in a way, because it's washable, but it probably won't block out larger either.

Your best bet is take it out to just after the last increase stitches you did, put it on the needles and keep increasing. You need to do more increase rows to make the yoke (the part over the chest and shoulders) longer and that will also make the armholes and sleeves larger. It will also make the back and front have more stitches but it wouldn't hurt if the body was larger overall anyway, she'll grow.

[Lieuvena]

It sounds like you may have used acrylic which is good in a way, because it's washable, but it probably won't block out larger either.

Your best bet is take it out to just after the last increase stitches you did, put it on the needles and keep increasing. You need to do more increase rows to make the yoke (the part over the chest and shoulders) longer and that will also make the armholes and sleeves larger. It will also make the back and front have more stitches but it wouldn't hurt if the body was larger overall anyway, she'll grow.

Yep, it's acrylic. I understand what you're saying, I think! Would my last increase row be row 29? So instead of completing that row and dividing the work then I should start with another set of the 4 row pattern?

If I add more rows then how will I know what is what when I go to divide it. Right now it is 25 for each front side, 24 for each sleeve and 43 for the back. How will I know how many to change it to. I'm sure it's obvious, but without the pattern I'm clueless.

Thanks again for the help.

[suzeeq]

Yes, row 29 is the last increase row before you put the sleeve sts on holders. Do another increase row or even 2, then knit the dividing row. I would just repeat Row 27, only adding a stitch to the stitch number between increases (k23, -- k19 -- k38 -- k19 -- k23) There are 8 sts added to this increase row, 1 on each of the fronts, 2 on each of the sleeves, and 2 for the back stitches. If you're getting 4 sts/inch as in the gauge, each inc row adds 2", but that's the overall piece, which is only ½" for each section (back, sleeves and fronts). You can actually put the stitches on another circular or leftover yarn, and try it on her before you divide for the sleeves or knit it all the way; that way you'll know how many increase rows to do. If you need more stitches, add an extra st again to the knit sts between increases. When you get to the dividing row add the extra stitches to the stitch count for each section depending on whether you do 1 or 2 more inc rows. Or even more. Perhaps you're not getting the same gauge and that's why it's smaller? Or using a thinner yarn?