I recently finished making Drops design Inner Circle pullover sweater. I checked my gauge and it came out beautifully except the waist and hip measurement is too wide. The shoulders, neckline and sleeves are perfect. What would be the best way to take in the side seams? I’ve thought about do doing it on my sewing machine machine , trimming the excess then serge hemming. Is there a better way? I can’t wear it as it is!
Since this is knit top down, the best way to narrow the waist and hips is to mark the spot where you want to begin narrowing the shape then pull out the knitting and reknit with gradual decreases.
If you don’t want to do that, an alternative is to do as you suggest and create seams at the sides of the sweater and stitch them. Be sure to mark the seams, pin or baste them and try on the sweater to make sure you like the new shape and it’s what you want. A back stitch might be enough to hold the seam and leave more stretch than a sewing machine stitch.
Did you knit this sweater in non-superwash wool or another kind of yarn?
I used the Drops extra fine merino. I will have to think about pulling it all out to where I need to decrease and redoing. If I try the backstitch would you recommend using the extra fine merino yarn. What is non-superwash wool? I just don’t understand why the rest of the sweater fits well.
Non-superwash is untreated and retains the scales on the outside of the wool. This helps it cling together when worn or washed. Over agitating in washing can cause felting.
Superwash has the scales removed and can be machine washed in general.
Patterns are designed for some ideal fit when we often don’t match with that ideal in real life. Luckily we can tailor the fit to the recipient as we work the pattern. If the pattern has a schematic, that can help with the measurements. Luckily this pattern does have one although it’s at the end of the pattern. You may be able to delete the increases and have a better fit but knowing your stitch gauge will be the best guide to the body circumference you want.
Thank you for taking the time to reply in detail. I looked at the schematic but I didn’t apply it to my waist measurement until blocking which obviously was too late. I’ve learned something to apply to future projects. Working on my Bindweed cardigan now and loving the detail and super instructions.
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It’s a shame your sweater doesnt fit the way you’d like. The shape is quite A-line from the underarm to the hem, which I wouldn’t much like either. I’d prefer straight down, not necessarily more shape than that.
Frogging large sections and reknitting feels awful just before doing it. I generally feel a lot better after I’ve started the frogging. it’s well worth the time reknitting to get the result you want.
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It definitely does especially going into summer. Maybe this Fall I will tackle it.
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Do you know how the extra fine merino yarn will re-knit after being blocked and taken out? Will it change my gauge, splitting…etc?
You should be able to use the yarn as is but to be sure, wind it into a ball and then rewind into a circle (the way you wind a garden hose). Then tie the circle loosely in 4 places and gently place in a wool wash to soak. You can remove excess water in a brief spin cyle or wrapped in a towel. Hang up to dry draped over a plastic hanger. That will remove enough of the kinks to make this easy to knit with at the same gauge and with no splitting.
Which brand of yarn did you use?
Drops extra fine merino. Thanks for the guidance. I have never re-knitted before.
Ok, should work just fine. Don’t agitate the yarn in the water or in drying. Just let is soak, and dry either in the spin cycle or in a towel followed by air drying.
It’s such lovely work in the yoke that it’s worth the extra effort.
I agree. I will show you finished product😊
Thought you might be interested in this, it’s a similar experiment to the modern daily knitting one already posted, it shows how you can steam rather than wash to reset the yarn…although towards the end she says for large amounts of yarn soaking may be more convenient. Steamed yarn will dry faster, depending what your room temperatre and climate are like you might prefer to steam.
I also saw a different video from Rox where she uses a hand held steamer which is another option and perhaps easier for a larger quantity of yarn.
Thanks you for the options. I have decided to redo later this year. Definitely want to have it done for fall. I will keep you ladies posted 
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