I am trying to knit the yolk on this pattern. The body of the cardigan is knitted in one piece. The pattern states that I should knit across the first front panel, then knit across the sleeve (which has been knitted separately) and then knit across the back. It is a physical impossibility to knit across the back after knitting across the sleeve. There must be an error in the pattern. Does anybody have any suggestions?
Is it this one?
Is it worked from the bottom up? Did the pattern tell you to bind off any stitches for the underarm of the body? Or put them on a holder? It’s common to do this, and then put some sleeve stitches on waste yarn, for the underarm to be finished later. You would knit the first front panel up to the bound-off stitches, knit across the sleeve except for the held stitches, then continue across the back until you come to the other side, do the same for the second sleeve, and finish with the other front.
You may need a longer circular needle to fit all of that onto one needle.
This page has some photos that may clarify this, although it’s a jumper, not a cardigan: Bottom-up Sweater Construction – tin can knits
Welcome to KH!
This second join of sleeve to back (or front) can be very tight so that it seems impossible to work with your needles. Are you using a circular needle? If so you can pull out a bit of the cable to give the needle itself more room to move. It’s similar to the way the cable is pulled out for magic loop.
See about 7:25min in this video.
I’ve also put the sleeve sts on a couple of dpns in order to be able to work that second join. It’s only tight for the first couple of rows or rounds and then it becomes easier.
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I’ve made one top where it was so tight on the needle at the sleeve that I had to work with 2 cable needles, I didn’t have interchangables at the time, nor did I have 2 the same size, my solution was labourious but I slipped the stitches to a spare thinner needle and worked them with my correct size needle. I don’t know if that’s possible for your situation but as mine seemed impossible and this was the way I managed it I thought I’d mention, just in case. It was only 2 rows before it felt more comfortable.
I don’t choose patterns like that any more, it left me slightly traumatised.
Thank you for your reply. I have tried cable needles and a circular needle and it just doesn’t work. I think I’m just going to have to abandon the project. It’s left me traumatised as well!
Sometimes it’s best to just put a project down out of sight for awhile. You can come back to it with fresh eyes or maybe move on. I’ve certainly done this.
You’ve come so far with this bottom up pattern, there’s this diagram which may make it easier to work. If not just ignore it and work a project that gives you pleasure. There are plenty of patterns out there.
R and L are the right and left needles. The diagram shows the cable looping out which gives you the “play” that you need to knit across the sleeve sts.
Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the knitting and let us know how it’s going.
Oh no! Sorry to hear it’s been so traumatic!
Sometimes it’s better to just find something more fun to knit.