So I am doing the sleeves for Precision wrap sweater. The directions are for 3/4 length but my granddaughter wants it to her wrist. The directions state after decreases to knit in stockinette until 10 inches. Should I follow this or do I need to do more decreases since I want full length sleeves. If I need to do more decreases, was wondering how many. Oh one more thing if it helps. I’m on last section of increase so will be at apx 9” when finish that section.
This is a useful calculator for altering sleeve length, or designing your own. Scroll down to get to the sleeve section.
https://www.worldknits.com/knitting-calculators
Is the sleeve knit top down?
One way of deciding how many stitches you want at the cuff is to measure around the wrist and use a swatch stitch count per inch to calculate the wrist. Another is to use a section of knitting already made, for instance if the body hem is worked in the same way, garter trim or rib trim, and wrap that piece of fabric around the wrist with the amount of ease you like, then use that fabric to count how many stitches across it is.
The top of the sleeve has to fit the sweater armhole so would stay the same count.
The length can be compared to your row count swatch or hold the fabric of the sweater up to the arm and count the rows in the body of the sweater to see how many are needed for the length of the sleeve from wrist to under arm.
The calculator can then help to work out how many decreases are needed and how frequently.
If you already have part of the sleeve made you can still try out this calculation and see how close or far off it is from what you have and then decide what to change, and how, when you have the information available.
It can also depend on how tapered, or not, you want the sleeve. Your grand daughter might like quite a fitted, tapered sleeve, I think it’s a ballet wrap isn’t it? On another project a more balloon sleeve could be wanted, wider/straighter on the forearm but very pulled in at the wrist. The calculations depend on what shape and effect you want.
I hope this helps.
The sleeve is knitted up to shoulder. I’m not really concerned about it being too tight. My granddaughter is on the small side for her age ( is around 20th percentile for height & weight for her age) if anything I would be more concerned it would be too roomy. So maybe I should just knit straight after doing the decreases as recommended by pattern. Seems to always be something to ponder on
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Actually I’ve been saying decreases when they are actually increases, (M1)
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That makes a difference. It was the decreases which led me to think they were top down although I was a bit confused.
Anyway, with cuff up sleeves it would be the cuff end where you would more likely need an alteration, to make a narrower tube for the wrist compared to the width at the 3/4 length. But if you’ve already done this and the wrist size is fine then, yes, I’d just knit straight for a bit longer before the underarm. You don’t want to go beyond the number of increases or pattern stitch count at the top of the sleeve as this is already worked out in the pattern so that it fits the armhole.
If it turns out the wrist/cuff and lower arm are on the big size for a good fit and you decide to re do the sleeves you can use the sleeve you have to measure a suitable cast on number before frogging.
It’s OK to ask here if you want help with the calculation.