I am participating in an online workshop where we are learning to knit a yoke sweater.
I want to start my sleeves early and am looking for guidance/resources on how to knit sleeves without a pattern. These sleeves will be knit bottom up and be joined to the body before starting the yoke.
I used an online knitting calculator to determine my increases for a standard sleeve.
Does this look reasonable to those who are knowledgeable about knitting without a pattern?
What other resources are available to learn more about knitting sweaters and other types of projects without a pattern.
I have a couple of Elizabeth Zimmerman’s books but I an having a difficult time relating to her style.
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Hello
So long as you have considered your gauge and are certain of your starting stitches, ending stitches, and rows to be worked for length, then yes this looks right.
When I change the length or size of a sleeve i either make sure to end with the correct number of stitches required in the pattern (so the sleeve fits the arm hole) or I additionally take into account the need for a different size armhole.
Perhaps you’re looking for another book in a different style, can’t help you there, all my pattern modification or making sweaters without patterns I have used online resources and videos.
Working a sleeve cap top down for the style of a set in sleeve.
Charting a sleeve cap and armscye from scratch with just measurements.
Calculating a neck shaping from measurements.
Although I have done these things I am not especially comfortable or competent in them and have to be in the mood for some heavier maths, charting and frogging. I still prefer to begin with some sort of pattern and adapt from there. Sometimes using a combination of 2 patterns plus my own modifications.
I wish I knew more about tailoring and pattern making/cutting so I understood construction better and could transfer that to knitting patterns but I’ve always been useless at sewing and even sewing a button on causes me problems.
For me having the ability to modify a pattern so it fits or drapes the way I want is what I hope to learn, I am a long way off.
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This sounds like a fascinating workshop.
Sometimes sleeves have several increases after the cuff and then a series of increases up the arm. It depends on the shape you would like, tighter to the arm or with a bit of fullness.
Ann Budd has a couple of books that are worth looking at for guidance particularly the Handy Book of Sweater Patterns.
https://annbuddknits.com/books/the-knitters-handy-book-of-sweater-patterns-basic-designs-in-multiple-sizes-and-gauges/
What an adventure this is!
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Thank you. I just needed confirmation that I am on the right track.
It is a fascinating workshop. It is Johnny Vasquez, The Yarnist website that is hosting.
He teaches the basic math using the Elizabeth Zimmerman percentage method. In this case we are knitting a yoke sweater from the bottom up.
We are taught how to use our personal gauge and measurements to calculate the number of stitches to cast on. We use a worksheet to do the calculations so we understand how it’s done. He then provided an online calculator to do the same thing which gives us a basic pattern to work from
The sleeve in the pattern is just a straight tube that will eventually be joined to the body before the yoke starts. We decide what type of sleeve we want and how to calculate increases.
I like to do my own research, I have Anne Budd’s Top-Down Sweaters book, I will checkout the one you recommended.
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Johnny Vasquez is a good teacher. I followed his New Stitch a Day before he went to the Yarnist.
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I’m a long way off too. I was hoping this workshop would help me to gain knowledge and confidence.
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