Button Band K2P2 increase?

#1

I am knitting Basic Black Cardigan and am nearing the end.

The button band is 2x2 rib and I am told to increase 1 st at the marker - this is where the neck goes from around to down the front. There are 4 rows of ribbing (4 increases).

I am a bit confuzzled on what to do. Hmmm - in looking closely at the picture, it looks like it won’t be seen since the button goes there… so maybe the increase will be a knit triangle? Any thoughts?

This has been a great little sweater to knit - I am hoping to finish tomorrow :inlove:

#2

Yep, the inc helps create the turn from the front to the V. Having already done the first row of rib in 2x2 sounds like the inc will cause you to have a 3-st rib K at the point, but as you noted, it will be hidden under the top button. It’ll flare just a bit at the point anyway to most likely wouldn’t’ be that noticeable.

VERY cute sweater!

cam

#3

The extra stitch they want you to create at the point of the v neck is so that your corner will turn properly. It needs that extra boost to “turn” with. Just be sure when you are all done will all the picking up and inc 1…and before you commence with the 2x2 rib…that your stitch count is a multiple of 4 +2…which means that you will be able to work “K2-P2” to the end of the row, and end with an extra K2, right side facing.

Don’t pick up too many or too few stitches. If you pick up too many…your band will ripple. If it does, you have to rip it all down and re-pick-up less stitches. If you pick up too few, you neckband will respond by curving or curling sideways in a fetal position…also aggravating.

This is the curving that I mean in the photo below, that I pulled off the internet. She either picked up too few stitches, or she cast off the last row too tightly. I use a size 9 needle to cast off if I’ve knit with a US7…two sizes bigger.

Here is another one. She how she has to yank on the buttonbands to pull it down? Even then it is not working out.
This is definitely too few stitches picked up. If you use wool, you can sometimes tug the ribbing out during blocking. Or, re-bind-off, using larger needles.

This one, below, is perfect…and I’m sure she blocks her work, too! Very polished looking!

The appearance of buttonbands ribbing is a pet peeve of mine. If it’s done badly, it’s so ‘hanging out there in the wind’ so to speak. I’ll tear down a rippley or curvy (whatever the case may be) buttonband in a heartbeat… and RE-DO it til it’s right. I have good days and bad days!

Just a little tip: I always divide the sweater’s raw edge into evenly spaced sections, marking them with safety pins, before starting to pick up the stitches. Then I make sure that the right amount of stitches are picked up within each section. I try to pick up the total # prescribed by the designer…but that is just a starting point or guideline for me. Sometimes my sweaters are longer than the pattern model…so my raw edges are lengthier, requiring more picked up stitches.

Well, I am talking way too much. I hope something I have said will help you! Feel free to PM with any particular questions.

#4

This info is helpful for everyone! Thanks Dollyce!:thumbsup:

#5

Thanks, everyone! And Artlady, thanks for all the detailed instructions.