Dear fellow knitters. I started working on a traditional fair-isle knitted fisherman’s jumper a long while back. You helped me with a different issue then which I have already forgotten because it’s been so long. Today I’m back with more struggles!
I have finished the body of the sweater and am working on the sleeves. The sweater will have quite a tight neck and has a button-closed left shoulder to be able to put it on and take it off. This shoulder is the problem of today. It consists of two flaps. The front flap has three buttonholes and the back flap will have three buttons. Both flaps had a section which had to be folded over to form the double-layered flap. The flap with the button holes therefore had two sections with three button-holes which, folded over, formed the double-layered flap with buttonholes through each layer which have to line up and be sown over (I added a bunch of pictures for clarity because it sounds a little vague).
I followed the instructions exactly but it just doesn’t seem right. There are several sub-problems:
- In the extra length length of each flap, I had to purl one row so it could be folded over in a neat line. The issue is that, when I fold the front flap over and line up the buttonholes, the purl row is not in the middle and therefore doesn’t seem to serve a purpose anymore.
- Everything becomes very bulky because there are two flaps which are both double-layered. And if the flaps are buttoned in the end, they are laying on top of each other, making it 4 layers on the left shoulder. I highly doubt it will look nice.
- When I line up both flaps to see where the buttons should go, I feel like the back flap isn’t long enough and the front flap has to be dragged way further to the back to be able to reach the hypothetical buttons. It doesn’t line up nicely with the small part near the armhole. The problem seems to be with the front flap, the buttonholes seem to be too far down.
- The instructions mention that I have to “catch down” the long edge of both flaps to create this double-layered situation but I have no idea what “catching down” means and now I’m left with these stitches on stitch holders at the end of both my flaps
I think there is something wrong with the pattern/ instructions but I can’t figure out what it is. If anyone sees what it is or has advise on what would look the best in the end: Please let me know! I’m more than happy to take out the stitches I currently have for the left shoulder and start that part over because I already spent so much time on this sweater, I really want it to look it’s best.
Perhaps I should only make a very small part of both flaps double-layered to avoid bulkiness?
Are double-layered buttonholes a necessity?
Should I re-knit the buttonholes to get them higher and closer to the shoulder seem?
What to do about the “cathing down”?
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this message and look at the pictures. It is highly appreciated and I am very thankful. <3
