Help with faulty raglan pattern

I’m using a free raglan jumper

pattern from hobbycraft (my first error) which has proved difficult to read throughout. I’m now working on the sleeves, and have completed a rib cuff, then increased 1 stitch every 6th row, finishing with 49 stitches.

It now asks me to increase 1 stitch at the end of every following 8th row until there are 57 stitches. You then work straight until sleeve measures 17 3/4 inches. However, my sleeve is already at 17 inches! I followed through with the pattern at first, but it was ridiculously long and can’t be right.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? As it’s a Raglan sleeve I’m hesitant to change the pattern myself, in case it doesn’t match the back & front which I’ve already knitted.
Link to pattern online: https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/free-pattern-knit-a-chunky-xmas-jumper-pattern/615563-1000

Welcome to the forum!
It’s very odd that the pattern has you increase one stitch only at the end of the sleeve rows. Every sweater pattern I’ve made (and that’s a lot of sweaters) has increases at each end of the sleeve rows.
Have you been increasing one stitch per increase row or did you increase at the beginning and end of the row?

These are all increases for the lower part of the sleeve and not the raglan so the increases won’t affect the join to the front and back.

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Ah, that is odd! I’ve been increasing one stitch at the end of each row. It was every 6th row at first, then it starts asking for one increase every 8th row. Do you think it would create a shorter (more normal sized) sleeve by increasing at each end throughout?

Thanks for your help, it’s been driving me crazy! I am a novice but my Nanna has been knitting for years and we couldn’t make sense of it between us.

Yes, increasing at the beginning and end of the row will decrease the length in that shaped section by half. The sleeve will be symmetrical, widening on both sides.
You’ll be decreasing on rows 5, 11,17,23,29 and then row 37,45,53 and 61.

Patterns get easier to read the more of them that you work. Ravelry is often a help because you can see a rating for the pattern and read comments in the forum and projects sections. I couldn’t find this particular pattern on Ravelry however.

Enjoy finishing up!

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Got it, thank you! I will try this instead & see where I get to. Fingers crossed for something that looks more like a sleeve and less like an elephant trunk! Will definitely be looking on Ravelry in the future.

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Hi, are you able to help again please :grin:

I’ve been reducing for the raglan for a while now, decreasing 1 stitch at each end of every 4th row until 11 stitches (I think I’m reading that right from the pattern above?) But I’ve now got 29 stitches left and the sleeve already reaches the top of the shoulder.

Should I carry on or does that sound like it’s too long already? Just aware I’ll have 18 more stitches to reduce so around 36 more rows to go. Thanks!

The sleeve should end at the neck. When you say the top of the shoulder, do you mean at the beginning of the shoulder where it joins the arm or at the join of shoulder and neck?
If you’re just at the top of the arm, you might note the row you’re on and start decreasing ever 2 rows, one stitch each end. Work the second sleeve the same way.

Does the pattern give a row gauge/tension, and does your knitting match it?

If your stitches are taller than the given row gauge, your sleeve cap (triangle raglan shape in this case) will end up too tall by the time you finish all the decreases.

Does the raglan shaping on the sleeve match your raglan shaping on the body? Is your gauge/tension on your sleeve the same as it was on your the front and back pieces? (Sometimes we can knit looser or tighter at different times or on different width pieces.)

Thank you for your help again - I adjusted the reduction and it’s looking good so far. I’m on the neck now so hopefully will finish soon & will post a picture (if it looks ok!) :grin:

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Hi, thanks for your help, I have tried to keep the tension the same and the knitting on the sleeve and body pieces look quite similar. I had to go a bit rogue and adjust the pattern for the sleeve, but it sewed up ok with the front & back raglan.

There was no tension instruction, but I think that’s what I get for using a free pattern :laughing: