The end is in sight!
It's time to take on the final clue of the Saoirse sweater and vest knit-along and get those garments off those needles and onto your blocking mats (or beds, or towels😉)
So grab a cuppa, have a read below, and then join us over in Knithub for Clue 3 chats!
Clue 3: Sleeves and Edging
Overview
When the body is complete and you can see your final garment is in sight, it's all about finishing up. The sweater has got the sleeves left to work, and the vest has an I-cord edging worked around the edge of the armhole.
The sleeves are worked in the round from the top down with decreases worked down the length of the sleeve. The cuff finishes with garter stitch and and I-cord bind-off again like for the body.
The sweater has a garter stitch crew neck edge that is finished with an I-cord bind-off and the vest uses a cowl neck with the Icelandic bind-off. The option of interchanging both of these bind-offs is given throughout the sweater.
Most importantly, all bind-offs, body shapes and neck edging can be mixed and matches so that you get the sweater that you want just for you!
Tips
If you are working full sleeves, it can be helpful to pick up an extra stitch in the ‘gap’ at each side that you decrease on the following row. This will help prevent underarm holes.
For the vest, it is best to use the larger needle size to do the I-cord edging. This will help prevent the armhole from becoming too tight.
If you want to keep your sleeve decreases on knit rounds (rather than purl rounds), just move the decrease round forward or back a round as needed.
Sleeve Adjustments
If you want to change the length of your sleeve or the cuff size, you can make adjustments as you knit. Make sure that you check the blocked gauge with a light steam block. Ripple stitch stretches vertically with blocking and it’s easy to get a sleeve that’s too long.
If you want a smaller cuff, be careful that you don’t begin decreasing too quickly as you may find that your upper arm gets too tight. You could also do a few extra decreases in the round before the garter cuff.
If you want a shorter sleeve, you may also want to move the sleeve decreases closer together so that you fit them all in before you reach the sleeve length that you want.
Neck Edging
I have shown two different neck edgings: a crew garter edge and a cowl neck over in your project workshop. These are interchangeable and you can use either neck on either garment type.
Keep in mind that you want the crew neck to pull in a little, so use a smaller needle size and the I-cord bind-off to keep it snug. You will see that I've also added a few neck decreases at the back of the neck as well to help pull the neck in a little.
It is the opposite for the cowl neck. You want it to drape so you will use the larger needle size. In fact, you could even go up a needle size! The Icelandic bind-off gives more stretch at the edge, allowing the cowl to open up and feel more full.
If you are using a heavier yarn and want to ensure a drapier cowl neck, you could add a few increases in the first round so it is larger as well as using the larger needle size. The length can also be adjusted to the length that you would like.
YouTube Live
If you have any questions or you'd like to join us for our clue 3 chat, pop over to YouTube or tap the link to catch the replay too!
Don't forget to drop into Knithub to join the chat!
Wishing you all the best for clue 3 of the KAL!
