Knitting sleeves top down

How-to Questions
1

Hi … there are many video guides on youtube showing how to to divide for top down raglan, but not for non-raglan sweaters. - the type where a three needle bind off is done to avoid seaming?Is there a dvd with these kinds of videos for shoulders with different shapes?

something like Paula Ward’s youtube video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv3YDmqnQzA&NR=1

thanks

2

You mean to leave shoulder sts live instead of binding off on 3 rows? On the row before the first BO sts, stop knitting when there’s as many sts left as you’re supposed to BO (x sts). Then turn and work the next row, on the following row, work until ‘x sts’ from the previous place you turned and either work another row, or just leave the sts on a holder - depends on how many you were supposed to BO.

I’m not sure how your thread name about knitting sleeves top down relates to your questions about 3 needle BO for the shoulders though. Do you have something else in mind…?

3

hi… sorry if I confused you. I just wanted to know if there are detailed written instructions on what Paula Ward’s video does on top down sleeves without any seaming…

from what I see she does this :

  1. pick up all the required stitches
  2. knit around until you reach the stitch before first pick up stitch. knit the last stitch
  3. do a wrap and purl until you reach have purlled the same number of stitches on the right, (divide sleeve in half, and you should only purl/knit the same number of stitches on the left as the right half) do a wrap and turn again.
    4.knit all the way to the wrap, knit the wrap with the knitted pick up stitch from the first round. Wrap the next stitch.
    5.repeat step 1-5 but increase and decrease according to the pattern.

Is this assumption correct?

Thanks

iss there anywhere I can get more detailled instructions like this?

4

That’s pretty much it, Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top (can usually be found through libraries) has it written, but sometimes people have a hard time following her. Your step 3 isn’t quite right though. If you join Ravelry, the group Top Down sweaters has some pages with tutorials for knitting top down set in sleeves.

The video and most instructions have you start picking up sts at the bottom of the armhole all around, then you knit up to the top again, going about 1/3 past the top shoulder before doing W&T. To me, this seems like you’re going to have a half round of sts on the front of the armhole though other people say it doesn’t matter. When I do this, I’m going to begin the pick up about 1/4 - 1/3 of the way before the shoulder seam on the front, then just turn and work across. That’ll give an extra ‘row’ at the top of the shoulder which is where you need it anyway for a little more fullness.

5

sorry… I guess my step 3 confused everyone. what I meant to say was referring back to a pattern.
3. Pattern states you end up casting off 8 stitches… as we will not be casting off, or sewing the sleeve on… therefore, row 1 in our top down sleeve omits 2 stitches from the left and the right. (these 2 stitches would be our seaming stitches) leaving you to knit with 6. Now divide this number into 2, that is 3. (Previously when you sewed the sleeve on,the sleeve was folded in half, then lined up with the seam in the shoulder, then sewn on. Basically, left side of the sleeve has to mirror the right side. Dividing the 6 stitches by 2 is the same concept) When we knit, we make sure the same number of stitches knitted from the right side is the identical to the left side. Here, we will knit three on the right and 3 on the left without turning and wrapping.(the knit and wrap does not apply yet as we are not talking about the end of the row).

Does this help more?

  • Suzeeq - thanks for the suggesting the top down knitters forum on ravelry. heading there now
6

I think I understand now, but it’s more complicated than it needs to be. Of course you’re going to pick the same number of sts on the front part of the armhole as on the back half, but that explanation is more than needs to be said.

7

got another 1.

we wrap,turn knit, and then when you reach the end wrap turn purl. Is the knit row, 1st row and the purl row, 2nd row? or the knit and purl row considered as the first row or 1 row?

just that patterns tell you to increase/decrease on alternate rows, or on the nth row you have to decrease/increase and then you have to incorporate the knitting together of the wrap with the stitch that you knitted with the original pickup stitch. So it gets confusing as to how to count the rows

Thanks

8

Each trip across the needles is 1 row, so the knit row is one row, the purl row is another.

You shouldn’t be having to decrease during the shortrows on the sleeve cap.

9

I love this forum and website… :slight_smile:

10

in Paula Ward’s video, she knits to last 3 stitches after the seam before doing the first wrap and turn. Does it always have to be 3 stitches? or as long as I do the required number of stitches in the pattern, all is okay?

Thanks