Archive of Thread: Pumpkin kids cardigan Back

2 years ago
I started to knit this pattern  and completed the back and one front.  I thought I had made a mistake when the raglan on the front was much shorter than the back but when I checked the pattern I found that I had followed the instructions correctly.  I looked at the raglan cap instructions and couldn't follow them  I am used to knitting raglan garments where the raglan is the same length on each piece.  I'm in the UK so maybe the US method is different.  I didn't knit any more of this pattern so I would be grateful for any advice.

2 years ago
There are 2 ways of knitting a raglan and I think you are familiar with what I would call "the standard method" where all 3 raglan seams are the same length and when you work a round neckline you pick up the stitches remaining at the top of a sleeve, pick up down the side of the front neck, across the middle of the front neck, up the other side, the stitches at the top of the second sleeve and the stitches across the back neck.

The other method, which I think a lot of people would say is "the best method" and that it produces a neater, better-shaped neckline, is the one you have just encountered where the raglan shaping on the front is completed in fewer rows than the shaping of the back.  The sleeve raglan is also shaped differently: one side is worked to match the back shaping but the edge which will be joined to the front raglan has a more rounded shapes which is usually accomplished by casting off a few stitches and then decreasing until ALL the sleeve stiches are worked off.

When you come to put the garment together the "shaped edge" of the sleeve will form a continuation of the front neck shaping, providing the extra rows that are "missing" when you knit the front.

It's hard to make this understandable using words but I hope I have managed to give you some idea.  I am sure that if you have picture of the pieces of this garment you will be able to see how they fit together.

Jenny

2 years ago
Thanks.  I'll take another look at the pattern and give it a go.

2 years ago
I have nighmares about raglan sweaters!   Can we just forget this style exists?😊

We made a decision to have the top of our raglan sweaters shaped, so the front and back edge of the sleeve are different lengths

The problem with drafting raglan sleeve pattern is geometry. Modify the size of the upper arm and the neckline changes, modify the the neck opening and the upper arm and armhole change. 

Most knitters want to work the raglan shaping every other row which also impacts the geometry.

I tried to explain this in this video .. it  Uses Designaknit for the examples, but maybe the images will help in understanding the issue.

https://www.knititnow.com/learn/tutorial/889/dak-raglan-sleeves

2 years ago
Hi, I used the "modified" raglan just once, many years ago, and never, ever again.  It ended as a total mess and eventually found a home in the rubbish bin.  Sadly, I no longer use any of the raglan designs in KIN.  Fortunately, i still have a few designs from the olden days, before joining KIN.  However, I do love KIN.xx

2 years ago
Hi Shirley,
I'm so sorry to hear this. Thank you for not giving up on us.
We plan to re-visit raglans in our Dynamic format.
  
The 2 biggest problems:

1. Perfect Fit - allowing knitters to customize neckline, armhole and garment sizes with raglan shaping
2. Incorporating the desired every other row shaping in the armhole shaping. (it's a math thing)

If having a shaped sleeve cap isn't of interest, we can re-think the design.

2 years ago
Hi Sue
I usually do raglans with this design - can you see what I mean?
Joy

2 years ago
nice compromise. With less complicated shaping when knitting, too!

2 years ago
I never knit raglan on the machine,  but rising the back on handknitting pattern is done by shortrows,  that do not affect the raglan increases or the neckline. The raglan arms are symmetrical for back and front. Maybe short rows could be used for altering the arms,  too?