Tapering "Bell-bottom" Sleeves

#1

I completed a sweater last winter for my son and he really likes it [B]except[/B] for the bell-bottom sleeves. This sweater has a ribbed pattern throughout (sorry, I don’t know how to post a photo attachment here) and the sleeves do not end in cuffs. The sleeve seams were the last to be finished when the sweater was completed. I would like to taper the sleeves from about elbow down to wrist. The question is: Do I take out the seams from elbow down and remove from the width somehow (cutting?) or is there a simpler, less drastic way to do this? I don’t have very much spare yarn, about 4 yards. And there’s about 1 to 1-1/2 inches each side of the seams that needs to be removed for the fit he wants.

Thank you to any and all who can give me advice. :muah:

Charis aka nearlynarly (my Ravelry projects shows a photo - V-neck black ribbed men’s sweater)

#2

If the sleeve was knit from the shoulder down, I’d unravel it as far up as you need and reknit the new narrower sleeve. Of course, it’s probably not that easy. If the sleeve was knit from the cuff up, you can cut it at approximately where you want to start the taper, pick up the sts and knit down to the cuff. Here’s a link that will show you the details. http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2008/01/length-reassignment-surgery.html
It’s a very good looking sweater. Good luck with the new sleeves.

#3

Steak it:
Turn sleeve inside out. Run it through sewing machine (or hand stitch) from elbow to cuff to achieve the size/taper you want. Cut away excess. Turn right side out. Done.

Reknit it:
Pick up stitches from a row at the level of the elbow. Then cut all the stitches in the next row closer to the elbow. Unravel and ball yarn from the sleeve you just cut off. Use yarn to reknit from elbow to sleeve achieving desired size/taper. New stitchs will be 1/2 stitch off from old if sleeve was knit cuff to shoulder. Will match if originally done shoulder to cuff.

#4

Undo the seams to at least the elbow (from the cuff), then cut off any ribbing and unravel from there up to where it’s seamed. Knit with decreases on both edges every inch or 2, depending on how much you need to take out and reknit the ribbing.