Please, help with Sleeve Instructions!

How-to Questions
1

Hi
I’m Knitting the “Hooded Alpaca Parka” from [I]Knitting With Balls[/I], and I have a few questions regarding the increases on the sleeves.

The pattern reads:
“With double-pointed needles CO 56 sts. PM and join for working in the round.
Rnd 1: Knit
Rnd 2: M1 for “seam” stitch, PM, *K5, P2, rep from * around (57 sts).
Rnd 3: Knit
Rnd 4: K1 *K5 P2, rep from * around. Rep rnds 3 and 4 until piece measures 2” from CO, ending with rnd 3.
Inc rnd: K1, sl m, M1, work in patt to marker, M1, sl m.
Work even for [B]6 rnds[/B]. Rep the last [B]7 rnds[/B] 17 more times, working new sts into patt, and changing to circ needle when convenient (93 sts).
Work even until piece measures [B]19 inches[/B]."

Now, I need to adjust the pattern to 24.5" (my son has very long arms), so…

[B]Question 1:[/B] I’ve been told that I should work even for [B]9 rnds[/B] rather than the [B]6 rnds[/B] called for to lengthen the sleeves, so then I should repeat the last [B]10 rnds[/B] 17 more times, right?

[B]Question 2:[/B] The first “made stitch” at the begining of the row will be [B]M1L[/B] and the one at the end of the row will be [B]M1R[/B] (or vice versa)?

[B]Question 3:[/B] Regarding working the new sts into the pattern…I understand that after I do the first inc rnd (which is rnd 1, right?), rnd 2 will be all knit, then when I get to rnd 3, there will be 1 “seam stitch” that I will knit, then pass the marker, then the “made stitch” that I will purl(right?), then knit 5, then purl 2 etc. And, when I get to the end of the row there will be 5 knit sts, 2 purl, then 1 “made stitch” that I will purl (right?).

And it follows that after the next inc. rnd, there will then be an additional “made stitch” on either end that will both be purled, and on the third inc rnd there will be yet another “made stitch” that will be knit, along with the next 4 inc rnds after that, and so on…right?

And, hopefully, when I get to the 93 sts, and work even for 24.5", the sleeve will have the right length along with the correct shape…:pray:

Sorry, I know this is long, and I’ve probably made it more complicated by trying to put it into words. I appreciate any help you can offer! Thanks! :muah:

2

First of all, yes, your post is long, but that’s what makes it so easy to answer! All that information is very helpful! Okay–
Question 1: Yes, using more rows in-between increase rows is a good idea. It does say that after finishing the increase rows, you just work even until you hit 19", but separating the increase rows a bit more will make the lengthening work better, where the elbows fall will be better, etc. So, great idea!
Question 2: I always use M1L no matter which side of a sleeve, thumb gore in a mitten, etc., I’m doing and it always comes out well. But doing one on one side of the marker and the other kind on the other side will ensure that it’s very even, so yup, go for it.
Question 3: Ah, I think I understand what you’re saying:)-- and I think you’re right:). Just work the increases into the pattern as you go. So lets say that you end the row with K5 P2 (not including the seam stitch, etc.). The next increase row you would just K5 P2 K1. The next increase row you would K5 P2 K2, etc., until you had gotten to a full K5. Then the next increase row you would add on P1, then the next, P2, then the next K1, etc., staying in the K5 P2 pattern. Hope this doesn’t confuse you more, but I think you’ll see it work as you go.

3

Thanks so much for your response, brittyknits! I appreciate you slogging through that long post! I think I just needed reassurance that I was on the right track. :slight_smile: