Baby Sweater in One Piece Question

#1

I am knitting a baby sweater from the Lion Brand website:

This is the first time I have ever knitted a sweater, even though I learned to knit as a child and have knitted on and off for most of my life. The instructions (which I’m following for the sweater I’m knitting now) say to do the back of the sweater, then the front left and front right, and all the pieces get to the point where you shape the armholes, then put all the stitches on stitch holders. Then you knit the sleeves and put them on stitch holders too. Then you knit a yoke by putting all the stitches from the various pieces back on the needles (they’re raglan sleeves).

Is there any reason that, the next time I use this pattern, I can’t knit the back and the fronts all together so I won’t have to sew side seams? The pattern uses 67 stitches for the back, and 31 stitches each for the left and right fronts. If I cast on all the stitches at once (right front, then back, then left front) and used stitch markers so I’d know where the sections came together and where to make the proper armhole shaping, wouldn’t that work?

I haven’t knit many complicated pieces, but it seems to make sense that I could do this and eliminate the side-seam sewing. I’d still have to sew the sleeve seams, of course, but this wouldn’t be as bad. And I think it would knit up faster.

Could any of you more experienced knitters give your opinion as to if this would work? I’d really appreciate it!

#2

Yep, you can definitely knit the fronts and back all in one piece to the undearm and shape them separately. You might have to knit flat a few rows for the decs on the shaping, but would still avoid having to sew up the side seams. You can also knit the sleeves in the round too.

#3

Think carefully about if the pattern stitch would work out just right done that way. If it does it will work or may need to be adjusted a few stitches, but would still work probably.

A note about the yoke. I’ve done those types of sweaters where you have all the stitches coming together for the yoke and, it may just be me, but it seems very hard to do the first rows with all the stitches. I find it easier to use 2 or 3 circular needles to get started and then after it gets easier you can move back to one.

#4

giggle Knitting the sleeves in the round would require me to use double pointed needles, and I don’t do double pointed needles! :wink:

Thanks so much for the quick responses! MerigoldinWA, the pattern stitch should work out because I’m making sure to count the stitches as if I were knitting each piece separately, and it seems as though it should work.

I don’t think it’ll be too bad doing the yoke, because it’s a cardigan sweater so it’s open in the front. I’ll keep your suggestion in mind about the two or three circulars though.

Thanks again! I have to finish this first one in pieces because the back is already knitted, but I will definitely try a second one soon, knitting all the pieces together.

#5

A note about the yoke. I’ve done those types of sweaters where you have all the stitches coming together for the yoke and, it may just be me, but it seems very hard to do the first rows with all the stitches. I find it easier to use 2 or 3 circular needles to get started and then after it gets easier you can move back to one.

No, it’s not you; the first couple rows/rounds after joining all the pieces can be a little tricky. You can use more than 1 circ to make it more flexible, or a variation of magic loop where you pull out the cord somewhere along the way to make it fold up some. It doesn’t permanently stretch out the stitches though, they even up when you wash or block the sweater.