'Sitcom Chic' cardi from knitty...need opinions

#1

I am making this cardigan. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/PATTsitcomchic.html

I finished the body of the sweater, up to the armpits, and have almost both sleeves finished. Next comes the part where I will join the 3 pieces together and start raglan shaping.

The patterns asks to cast off 12sts on underarm portion of each sleeve (they are knit in the round). I read somewhere else that someone who had made it, rather than casting those stitches off, kept them on a holder as well as the ones that were supposed to be cast off the underarm portion of the main body piece, and grafted them together instead of casting off and seaming.

I have kept those stitches on holders and plan to graft. That part I’m okay with.

What I’m wondering is this. I’ve never done this type of sweater before with raglan shaping and all that. I’m trying to visualize whether it would be best for me to do the underarm grafting at the VERY end, OR if it would be better for me to do the grafting BEFORE I join the 3 pieces???

#2

The best place to hide a boo-boo is the underarm, also called armscye (pronounced arms-eye). If you think you might make a mistake in grafting, or finishing the end of the yarn… now you know where to put it. Happy Knitting, you’re almost done :smiley:

#3

I personally would hold off on the grafting till the end. I find that I need the “give” of the ungrafted section for the first inch or so of the raglan shaping because it’s sort of tight and unwieldy at that point. After the raglan shaping becomes easy and smooth, you can go ahead and do your grafting then, or just wait till the end.

#4

That’s exactly what I was wondering. Thanks! :thumbsup:

#5

Oh, I almost forgot. Instead of a regular stitch holder, I put those underarm stitches on lengths of contrasting yarn. This way, nothing stiff or rigid gets in my way. I like everything all soft and mushy when I’m joining sleeves on a raglan and doing those first few yoke rounds.

#6

Gotcha! :thumbsup:

And thanks trucker 945, you’re right, I AM almost done!! :cheering: :cheering: