Bottom-up seamless sweater

[katherinesummer]

I am making a bottom-up seamless sweater, and I have joined the sleeves to the body and knit a few rounds. I haven't made one of these in a LONG time, and I'm not following any pattern

Comments

[basketcaselady]

This is where row gauge comes into play. You have to figure out how much fabric you want from the collar to the underarms, how many rows that will take, how many stitches you have when you join the sleeves, and how many stitches you want around your neckline. Generally the every other row works, but again it depends on the above info.

[laurenpburka]

I recommend a copy of 'The Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns." If you want to totally wing a sweater, you just need a gauge and an approximate size (chest size if nothing else). Then pick a pattern to deviate from.

My only issue with the book is that when I'm knitting for myself, the yarn quantity estimates are way over, since my chest is the biggest dimension and the rest of me is not as big, so I end up over-buying.

"Then pick a pattern to deviate from."

[irishlacenet]

What a wonderful turn of phrase. Thank you.

[bulieb]

I usually knit 1.5-2 inches before beginning the decreases, then decrease every third row 2-3 times, then every other row. More gradual decreases than is typical -- but I knit mostly close-fitting sweaters and I have a long/skinny-ish build -- so this is a good formula for that shape.

Jacqueline Fee is another EZ-devotee with a good book on seamless sweater designing, and I believe she suggests working a couple of every-fourth-round decreasing first.