New knitter - 1st time sleeves

#1

Hello,

I’m knitting my first cardigan and am finally on the sleeves, which I thought would be a breeze but now I’m having a moment of self-doubt. I posted a neckline question a while ago and the reply was really helpful so thought I’d try again with this. The instructions read:

inc 1 stitch at end of needle every 4 rows.

I read somewhere that doing the m1 inc 2 stitches before the end helps when you put it altogether so that what I’ve been doing. Will that effect the pattern? Also ‘every 4 rows’ means stockinette, purl, stockinette, purl and increase on that 4th line? Or does it mean 4 rows of your stitch as it appears on the right side? (ie 8 lines of stockinette and purl)

I’m probably making this sound more complicated than it is. Would really appreciate help though as sleeve looks quite wide already and I’m not past the elbow. Though having not done this before, not exactly sure what it should look like.

many thanks,

Lou x

#2

Every 4th row is the 4th row after the last inc so…

1 - increase
2 purl
3 knit
4 purl
5 increase

And yes you can put the increase in one or 2 sts from the edge, just do it the same on both sides.

#3

Does your pattern have a schematic? If so, that should give you an idea of the sleeve shape.

Assuming you’ve completed the front/back, measure the depth of the armhole (or check schematic). The wide point of your completed sleeve should be roughly twice that figure. If armhole is 8" the sleeve width would be about 16". If you’re nearing that fig and only halfway up the sleeve something is awry.

cam

#4

You wrote " inc 1 stitch at end of needle every 4 rows." That gives you a lopsided sleeve with increases only on one side. That patter probably says `inc 1 st at [B]each[/B] end of needle…’ It’s common to over look that.

Stockinette isn’t what you call a knit row, it’s what you get when you alternate a knit row then a purl row. Each one is a separate row, you don’t count both as one row, but 2 rows.

#5

You’re right. It does say inc at each end. I made that mistake earlier in the week and had to unravel it and start again! So from all the good advice, I think I’m on the right track again. Many, many thanks.

#6

Well, veteran pattern reader that I am, I missed an `every’ in a pattern line someone posted the other day, so it happens…