Top-Down Cabled Sweater - Need Pattern or Book Advice

General Knitting
1

I need to restart hubby’s aran sweater, it’s 75% finished, he’s lost a ton of weight and it still looks like a muscle shirt on him! See Cricket’s face on the couch in the background, she’s looking at the photographer (me) and saying “you DON’T really think that’s going to fit, do you?” (pic taken before he lost about 30 lbs. this year).

How could I have been SO wrong on c.o. stitches?!? :wall: I know, I know, I learned the hard way, those cables eat up a ton of width.

OK, so basically I’d like to start over with the same yarn (yuck! - his choice! Though it’s OK to work with as far as acrylic goes)…and this time do it TOP DOWN so I can keep adding stitches to make it fit. Can anyone recommend a pattern and/or book to help me out???


He chose the cables, and it will look the same top down as bottom up, so that’s a good thing. :shock:

2

Rip the whole thing out and start again??
If you’ve got enough yarn, I’d try knitting side panels to put in under the arms before I ripped. Pin or baste your pieces together and add fabric panels to see how big you need to make them and if you need a gusset in the armpit. If you don’t have enough matching yarn, get something contrasting enough that it looks like you did it on purpose and then use some on the neckband, too.
That said, I LOVE top-down sweaters; there are thousands of patterns out there. Ask for a recommendation or browse the patterns at your local yarn shop; a good pattern is well worth the few bucks it might cost.
And remember to check your gauge!!

3

Thanks. I figured I’d keep this one for myself.