Archive of Thread: Best options for first sweater? Back

4 years ago
I want to make my first machine Knit sweater, and I would like a cardigan.  
I know I want a V-neck and some side shaping, but I know nothing about whether shaped shoulders or straight shoulders are my best option?  
Or which sleeve to pick?  Set in sleeves would look best on me, but is that asking too much from a newbie?  I am busty, and probably considered plus size.  Proportionate hips and shoulders.  
What do you recommend?  

Also, is it unrealistic to have this sweater done in 2-3 weeks to take on a trip? 
Many thanks in advance. 

4 years ago
This is just my opinion, but:  FIRST machine-knit sweater?  I would definitely not do a cardigan; I would do a pullover.  I would not do set-in sleeves; I would do drop shoulder.  I would not slope my shoulders; I'd knit them straight across.  I would not do a V-neck; I would do a round neck.  Totally don't mean to discourage you, but, IMHO, these tips will make for a more successful first shot at it.  You can definitely get a pullover done in 2-3 weeks.

4 years ago
I understand I may be an overly ambitious knitter.  Even if I don’t try this for my trip, I would still like to understand the differences in fit of the shoulders and the sleeves. 

4 years ago
A sloped shoulder will fit the curvature of a shoulder best, but it involves short-rowing or binding-off, row by row, with a matching of the decreases/binding-off on the shoulders, which are made one side at a time, and in conjunction with neck shaping, which takes good concentration (unless you do a cut-n-sew neckline) .  Set-in sleeves will fit a body better because they, too, follow the natural curvature of the body, but, again, you're back into decreasing and binding-off on both sides of the garment while knitting (unless you do cut-and-sew, of course).  Because I'm small, I like to do set-in sleeves for myself, but I'm starting to lean more into drop shoulder garments because I have hand problems, and the seaming of a set-in-sleeve is more difficult than the seaming of a dropped shoulder.  If you do a sloped shoulder and use the short-row technique of decreasing and then take the shoulders off on waste yarn, then you can hang the shoulders back up on the machine after the front and back are done and, right sides together, bind-off loosely on the machine.  If you bind-off the shoulders of a sloped shoulder, the seaming gets trickier and often doesn't look too great.

4 years ago
Another tidbit:  a dropped shoulder will add more bulk under the arm area, which, especially on a smaller person like me, can look kinda' "chunky," so if I were making myself a dropped shoulder sweater on a bulky machine, I might think twice and make a set-in sleeve instead.  However, I'm awaiting the arrival of a newly ordered Hague Linker, which may solve the problem of my hands hurting with too much seaming, so I can go back to my set-in sleeve sweaters, but set-in sleeves are definitely more work all the way around.  The bulkiness under the arms that might bother me might not bother you at all.  A lot will also depend on the stitch pattern you use, too; a tuck stitch will make a more unyielding bulk under the arms than a stockinette pattern.

4 years ago
Hi Shari!

IMHO you are being overly ambitious.  But that's OK - we all have been there. I just don't want you to get discouraged.

Think of learning to ride a bike, there are some really basic things you need to know, and you need LOTS of practice before you can join the Tour de France. 

I agree with Sandee, but let's take it step by step.

Where are you on your journey?  Can you cast on, bind off and work increases and decreases?  What about short row shaping?  Have you ever picked up and finished a neckline?  What about the front edges of a cardigan?  What about finishing the hems of the sweater and sleeves.

All of these are very distinct skills that are critical for you to know and practice.

Are you familiar with creating a proper swatch?  If I challenged you to knit a 6" x 6" square could you do it ? (without blocking or stretching ... a REAL square)

1. Cardigan vs pullover.  It's the finishing of a cardigan that is the challenge ... if you crochet and are willing to work a fancy crochet edge, around the neck and front of the sweater ... go for it!

2. V neck shaping isn't hard, but again it's the finishing that is the challenge

3. Set in sleeves are very ambitious!  Not only do you need to shape the armholes and sleeve cap itself.  Setting in the sleeve cap neatly takes practice.

4. Shaped shoulders provide a better fit for most of us. For machine knitters, they are shaped with partial knitting or short row shaping. One more thing for you to master.

Can you see that there are quite a few skills involved with your first sweater?

Can you knit your first sweater to wear in 2-3 weeks?  Yes ... BUT  ... again I'd hate for you to get discouraged and give up on  machine knitting.  It's a journey that isn't learned overnight (or 2-3 weeks)

Please drop me a note ... sue@knititnow.com and we can discuss what you CAN accomplish for your trip and get you something that will fit, something you will be willing wear and a project that you can enjoy with a successful finish.


[QUOTE username=Shari Mendonca  Shari Mendonca userid=6845863 postid=1309615399]I want to make my first machine Knit sweater, and I would like a cardigan.  
I know I want a V-neck and some side shaping, but I know nothing about whether shaped shoulders or straight shoulders are my best option?  
Or which sleeve to pick?  Set in sleeves would look best on me, but is that asking too much from a newbie?  I am busty, and probably considered plus size.  Proportionate hips and shoulders.  
What do you recommend?  

Also, is it unrealistic to have this sweater done in 2-3 weeks to take on a trip? 
Many thanks in advance. [/QUOTE]

4 years ago
Thank you for asking this question.  I have made a few blankets (straight Knitting) and I too would like to go on to a sweater.  Your questions could have been written by me.

4 years ago
Another type of sleeve is the set in sleeve.  When you get to the armhole, cast off 10 or 15 or20 stitches then knit straight up to the neck shaping. Don't worry about shaped shoulders as the garment will shape to your  shoulders in wear.  Concentrate on the neck shaping for a first sweater.  To knit the sleeve, pick up the armhole stitches between the cast off stitches.  Knit straight for enough rows to fit the cast off parts of the sleeves, then knit straight for say 10 row and start the decrease shaping for the sleeve.  For the back you could do the neck part straight.  Don't forget to put the saame number of stitches on waste  yarn as for the front. Put the front shoulder stitches on one side back onto the machine right side facing (knit side facing) [take the waste yarn off the shoulders after picking up the shoulder] purl side facing pick up the corresponding back shoulder and do the same as the front.  Knit one row to join the stitches and then knit a loose row and cast off.  Pick up the neck and knit the neckband. Join the other shoulder stitches in the same way as the first one. Then knit the sleeves as explained above.

I hope you can understand this. If you are in the UK maybe I can help you further over the phone.

Ann

4 years ago
PS  I didn't read through what I had written so please  excuse any mistakes.

Ann