Help!
I made a child’s cardigan sweater using Red Heart yarn. The first and last four stitches of the side bands were K2, P2. After completing the sweater, I needed to add the buttons, but the front edges rolled under. I tried carefully to steam just the first two stitches, but the end result was more than just the edge.
Is there any way to get the ‘bounce’ back in the stitches? I did wash and block it, but it doesn’t look the same; it’s more flat than the rest of the sweater. Short of taking it completely apart and reknitting it, is there anything I can do?
Thanks for the help.
Nope, once you’ve steamed acrylic (also known as ‘killing’ it) it stays just like what you’ve got. You can steam the whole thing so it all looks the same.
When will I ever learn??? The back is is K2, P2 so I won’t want to flatten the rib look of the back. Since it’s mostly the ribbing at the bottom edge of the sweater that looks flat, I think I’ll [try to] rip it back and knit it again. If the absolute worst happens and it looks terrible, I’ll just frog the whole sweater and start from scratch. It’s knit from the bottom up - Flax Jax is the pattern by Jill Eaton - fabulous pattern and fun to knit, so I won’t mind doing it over.
Suzeeq, thanks for the response. I don’t get to visit this chat room (nor knit) as often as I would like, but people like you are a blessing when I have problems. Thanks again for the help. You’re a godsend!
I don’t think taking it apart and reknitting it would work either. From what I understand once you kill the acrylic it’s permanent.
If I understand you correctly the k2p2 edge is knit in with the sweater…not picked up as a button band? A k2p2 edge knitted in would leave a 2 stitch stockinette edge. Stockinette curls and even blocking can’t always remove that tendency. At least 5 stitches of garter, seed stitch or other non curling stitches are a better choice for the edge unless you pickup stitches for the button band.
is ironing without steam killing it too?
I don’t know for sure about ironing, but I don’t think I’d do it. When I have something made from acrylic I use the ‘toss in the washer and dryer’ method of blocking. :teehee:
I tried to research this particular sweater on Ravelry to see how it worked. It looks like on all the finished projects of this sweater that the bands at the waist and fronts were done in seed stitch, and that on the stripes of texture on the back they used seed stitch as well, not ribbing. Did you change that on yours? I wonder if this would make any difference? From the ones others shared that they had done and their comments the fronts laid nice and flat with the 4 stitches worked in seed stitch.
As Jan said, if you steamed parts of the yarn those parts will always be different than the rest, so you would probably want to use new yarn. Luckily RH is not expensive.
Yup, I changed the pattern and I did the back, cuffs, and bottom edging in a K2, P2 rib, and I like the look of it. I’ve made a few of these sweaters and always followed the seed stitch pattern without a problem - leave it to me to get creative this time!
The pattern is so adaptable for color and edging that I thought I’d give the ribbing a shot. If I do use the rib again, what do yoiu think I should do about the buttonhole/side bands? Garter stitch? Or should I add the bands later by picking up stitches?
Thanks for the help! Suggestions are always appreciated.
Yes, you might leave those 4 stitches off on each side and then pick up bands and knit them on with your K2, P2 ribbing and make the bands as wide as you need to to look nice.
Any non curling stitch would be best for knitted in button bands. That means garter and seed type stitches. If you want ribbing then picking up and knitting the edge separately would work.
Thanks!!!
I think I’ll frog the sweater and start over - after all, the fun is in the knitting, and I’d rather have it look good than passable.
You guys are great. Thanks for sharing your experience and your talent.
When you frog, just make sure to cut out the part that was used for the steamed section! That part of the yarn has been “killed” and will look or hang funny where ever or how ever it used! But you can certainly save the rest of the yarn from the rest of the sweater.