I am currently decreasing stitches at the top of a cardigan sleeve on a Bergere de France pattern. Could you please help with the instructions - medium size. I start off with 56 stitches but after decreasing I have less than 14 stitches left on
the needle.
Hello
What is the pattern name, or can you post a link to it?
The stitch count works out for size M.
Is it possible you accidentally lost track of where you were and followed a different size? You might try it again but put some post it stickers on the pattern to cover up the sizes which you don’t want.
56 sts cast off
3 sts twice = 6
2 sts four times = 8
1 st seven times each side = 14
2 sts four times = 8
3 sts twice = 6
Total 42
56 - 42 = 14
Do you know how to undo your work back to the beginning of this section? Putting in a life line or tinking gives more control when pulling out the stitches. Catching the stitches on a smaller size needle can also help.
Let us know how you get on.
Thank you very much for your reply.
I had thought that 1st 7 times at the beginning of every row would decrease 7 stitches ( not 14) and that is probably where I went wrong.
As regards decreasing 2 sts 4 times ( the first one)at the beginning of every second row. How is this worked? The shaping would not be correct unless I decreased one stitch at each end of the row.
It is a Bergere de France Cardigan . Pattern 447. Free download on Lovecrafts website.
Working the 7 sts rather than 14 would leave you with too many stitches at the end rather than too few. Really the pattern is not as clear in this line as it might have been, in my opinion - unless i have added it up incorrectly. The way i have added up the stitches work out for the stitch count and the shape produced should look like that in the pattern, a bell shaped sleeve cap.
There are a few patterns with this number but i found this and the pattern reads correctly. I hope it’s the right one
https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/p/cardigan-in-bergere-de-france-angel-50-creations-17-18-447-downloadable-pdf?srsltid=AfmBOopiNsPKB52p3ec4-OlaNoPst7UaN-yBMo7HTc1ZjWWRDVGhsXhb
Here is a marked up pic of the schematic for the sleeve cap wih the decreases written on
Sorry it’s not super clear i had a bit of a job getting a pic from the pdf. Maybe you can zoom in to see the decrease numbers.
The sleeve cap is 14 cm on the schematic, going by the row gauge of the pattern this is 27 rows
19 rows = 10 cm
1.9 row = 1 cm
1.9 Ă— 14 = 26.6 rows.
The cast offs/decreases are spaced:
Every row 3 st x2 = 2 rows
Every row 2 st x4 = 4 rows
Every 2nd row 1 st x 7 = 14 rows (right side rows)
Every row 2 st x 4 = 4 rows
Every row 3 st x 2 = 2 rows
Final 14 st = 1 row
Total rows = 27
The rows with 2, 3 or 14 sts are cast off, that is a stitch passed over a stitch and off the needle.
Work the first stitch, work a second stitch, pass first stitch over second stitch and off the needle = 1 st cast off. 1 stitch remains on right needle, work another stitch, pass first stitch over second stitch = 2 sts cast off. Work to end of row. Turn.
Repeat on wrong side of fabric = 2 sts cast off twice.
Repeat all for 2 sts cast off four times.
The rows with 1 st are decreased (k2tog or ssk) and worked 2 sts in from the edge.
Work 2, work 2tog, work to last 4 sts, work 2tog, work 2. Turn. Work wrong side row straight.
Repeat another 6 times for total of seven times.
The shaping of 3 and 2 sts in a single row is to produce the bell shaped sleeve cap. It requires a rapid decrease, then a gradual decrease, then a rapid decrease, to produce the shape. This will seam in nicely to the armhole. It is a more sophisticated shape and fit than a drop shoulder or triangle sleeve cap.
Ok, there’s quite a lot of info there. See what you think. If it doesn’t make sense or you haven’t got the answer you need please do let us know.
Wow. That’s a confusing way to write that, for sure. Inconsistent use of punctuation (there should be a colon after “3 sts twice”, not after “every row”, and also inconsistent formatting. “at the beginning of every row, X sts twice”, but then “X sts 4 times, every 2nd row”. It’s easy to think the 7 decreases are every 2nd row, when they aren’t.
I think how Creations wrote it out is a lot clearer, with each instruction on a separate line.
Thank you so much! Lovely clear detailed instructions. I have completed one sleeve. Just need to knit the other one now
The decreases in this knitting pattern are so confusing and the incorrect use of punctuation does not help either.
Just one more question regarding assembling the cardigan. The length from the start of sleeve decrease on the sleeve to the start of decrease on the main garment is shorter. How will this be sewn together as one is longer than the other? Sleeve is 13-14 and back is 19-20cms
The slope of the sleeve cap will give you the extra length that is needed to seam the cap into the opening on the body. First seam the front and back at the shoulders.
One way to work this is to pin the beginning decrease for the sleeve cap on each edge to the beginning of the decreases for the armhole on the body. Then you pin the center of the sleeve to the top of the shoulder and ease the remaining sleeve cap into the opening on the body.
The height of the sleeve cap is shorter than its perimeter. You can check, as a rough guide, by taking a flexible measure or a piece of yarn around the outer edge of the sleeve cap, then straightening out the strand against a tape measure to see it will be roughly the same as the armhole.
Glad you found the previous info heloful.
There is no limit to how many questions you can ask so just ask away if you have more.
