V-neck increases, pattern interpretation

How-to Questions
1

This is the pattern that I am working on, not a free pattern so I’ll just try to include the parts that are not clear. This is a top-down raglan.

I am fine with the raglan sleeve increases, that part worked out. It’s just the v-neck increases that did not add up. The pattern states:

CO 1 stitch, place marker A
CO 1 stitch, place marker B
CO _ sleeve stitches (sorry, being vague cause it’s not a free pattern), pm B
CO _ back stitches, pm B
CO _ sleeve stitches, pm B
CO 1 stitch, place marker A
CO 1 stitch

Right from the start, it describes to ‘at the same time’ as the raglan increases are happening on every right side row, to ‘increase for your v-neck in the first and last stitch on the needle every 8 rows until there are 6 stitches on each side of the A markers’ (exact wording)

I’ve interpreted this to be increase at the beginning and end of row 8, 16, 24, 32, and 40 (I started out with 1 stitch before each ‘A’ marker and need to arrive at 6 stitches, thus 5 increase rows to get there). Make sense??

The problem is that only gets me through 40 rows and my v-neck increases are already done. It was (yes, I’m already long past there :pout: ) another 25 rows or so until the raglan seams were long enough and I got to the part where I put the sleeve stitches on holders and joined the body in the round. In other words, for those 25 rows, the v-neck edge was straight, NOT a v-neck at all :doh: .

Looking at this photo, you can see that the lowest point of the v-neck is supposed to be even with the underarm area. That part I get, so obviously there are a bunch of neckline increases that I missed, but I just can’t see how it could be interpreted any other way :shrug: .

This pattern is lovely and it’s supposed to be very easy, but it’s vaguely written and I don’t know that it’s worth the $6.50 that I payed for it :!!!:

2

:?? I would have interpreted it the same as you–increase until there are 6, and that would get you 40 rows. I’d write to the designer and ask. I looked at the postings there, and nobody seems to have had this problem, so maybe we are just both in the dark.

3

I did email her, and got quick responses, but she kind of sounded like “I wrote that pattern so long ago and don’t have it right in front of me, but something doesn’t sound right…” Really helpful…NOT :roll: I’m going to try her again.

4

What you could do is space your raglan increases to every 4th row instead of every 2nd row. That would take you more rows to get to the underarm and the correct width.

sue

5

I’ve been back and forth with the designer – how I interpreted those increases is exactly how she would have interpreted it, go figure :shrug: . It still doesn’t add enough neck stitches to complete the raglan though - the way its written, once all increases are completed, the back section would have 86 stitches and the front left and right front combined have only 76 stitches. This can’t be right so I’m going to fudge some more v-neck increases. Sure wish I hadn’t spent the $6.50 on this pattern, especially now that the designer herself has sent me a link to the incredible custom fit raglan sweater pattern, on which she based her essential stripe sweater pattern - I already had this bookmarked and had I know it was the identical thing I never would have payed for it. Grrrrrr.

Anyways, I’ll plug away at it and hopefully I’ll love it.

6

You know, the incredible raglan sweater was the one I thought of when I saw that picture! (I think it’s just a pretty standard pattern, really. I’ve seen it in several books, including Vogue Knitting. I don’t think it’s right for her to charge $6.50 for it, especially since it obviously has mistakes!) Anyway, I made a similar v-neck pullover (which I later ripped out and changed to a crew neck, but nevermind that), and yeah, you should keep increasing every few rows until you get to the same stitch count on the front as on the back.

Do you think you could you ask for a refund?

7

The odd thing is that she has had loads of people knit up her pattern and NO ONE has expressed concern about there being mistakes :?? . I don’t think I’ll bother asking for a refund, I have had incredible customer service so that deserves a big thumbs up as far as I’m concerned, even though I’ve not really been happy with the product I purchased. I guess the reason that she’s able to sell it is that she’s calculated for seven different sizes AND two different gauges, and gives options for how the neck-line is to be finished and gives little tips and tricks along the way. Even though I’m convinced she calculated wrong - apparently I’m the only one to feel this way :shrug: .

8

Maybe she just calculated wrong for the one size/gauge/neck combination that you’re doing, and the others are correct. :shrug:

9

That was my thought, too. I’ve seen that in other patterns–most sizes are right, but one, usually the one I’m doing, has an error. :shrug:

10

As far as I can tell, it’s “wrong” on all sizes. There are not enough neck increases included in order to make the stitch counts of the front and back the same. That’s important, isn’t it?? :shrug:

11

It would certainly help…

sue

12

I am sorry that there is an error on the pattern you paid for… i think since you paid for it … it is only right that the person who sold u the pattern corrected the error…it is unfair to you and others who bought the pattern which got errata on it…she should at least try and solve the problem

13

She, and apparently all of the TONS of people who have knitted the pattern, doesn’t believe there’s an error.

I’ve been thinking about this more…

The back section starts off with 24 stitches. The front right and left start off with 2 stitches each for a total of 4 front stitches. In order for the front and back to have the same stitch count, there HAS to be an increase of 20 stitches on the front (10 stitches each, right and left). No???

Yet on the size I’m making, there is only an increase of 10 stitches total on the front, 5 stitches per side. There is the same descrepancy on ALL other sizes.

I feel almost compelled to email her again, now that I feel I’ve sorted out exactly what the problem is. Especially because in one of her emails to me, she said (and I quote) “I am thinking that your stitch count should be the same on the front as on the back”

What do you think??

14

i think it is the matter of principle… regardless whether free or u paid for it… she should make an effort to make it(the pattern) right for the customer … if it an error she made…just correct it what’s the big deal…she charge for her pattern used by us … she must see us thru no matter what…moreover customer is ALWAY right !

15

moreover customer is ALWAY right !

Welll no, unfortunately… I just started work in a customer service call center and they told us this is not always true. There are lots of people who try to scam the vendor for free goods, credit, anything. In this instance you’re not, you’re just asking for the pattern to be corrected and updated, and it sounds like she can’t be bothered to go over it again. That’s poor customer service. But I did want to point out another side to the `customer is always right’ view.

sue

16

ya i quote “this” just for this incident … i know sometime people out to scam other and cheat their way out…

17

I’m not even out to get my money back, I just wish that the pattern was accurate. I just don’t get how so many people have made the sweater and no one else has had problems. Go figure. :shrug: For me, it’s now water under the bridge - I’ll end up with my sweater, with or without her pattern.

18

believe me people sure caught the mistake on this pattern… it just that they could have did what you did…but they might keep quiet about it…and never say anything about it to the owner. maybe for them it too much hassel and time to confront the lady who write this pattern…i know with your knowledge you sure have figure the pattern out aldy… show us the pic when it done …