The Knitting Fiend

Here is that “thing” I showed you yesterday. Looks better, eh?

Since yesterday, I removed the waste yarn, and sewed the sleeves shut. I still need to add the button band and ribbing trim. I could do that right wasy, but, first I want Jim try it on for a test fit. Then I can decide if it will have 1″, 2″ or 3″ cuffs.

Ok, but back to what I did today. To remove the waste yarn, I turned the sweater inside out. I could see the purl bumps from the waste yarn along what would be the body seam under the arm. I carefully snipped the waste yarn with scizzors, and pulled a bit out. I repeated at 5″ intervals along the length, and then snipped at the edges. Then, I just pulled the waste yarn. It came out. Poof, gone, it’s magic!

The back was already fused to the front; no seaming was required. However, the several rows of waste yarn were still attached to the sleeves, and the sleeve stitches were still live. These would need to be seamed or grafted.

But, now, or later? I could attach the ribbing first, trusting the waste yarn not to unravel. Or, I could sew the seams now, knit the ribbing and sew it on. I decided to seam the sleeves now and knit the ribbing later.

To seam on the machine, I pulled out 1 needle for every sleeve stitch. I held the sleeve with the knit side facing me, rolled the waste yarn toward me and hung the stitches from one edge of the sleeve on the needles.

I folded the sleeve so the two knit sides of the sleeve face each other, folded along the waste yarn and hung the stitches on the other side of the sleeve. (Due to the 1/2 stitch shift on cast on and bind off edge, there will always at least more stitch on one of the edges. Depending on exactly how you hang the half stitches on the cast on edge, there may be two two extra stitches on one edge. So you will need to double up a stitch. Just do so.)

I’m going to digress to give a bit of advice to those who may later decide to knit my pattern: When you fold the sleeve to hang the other side, fold the body of the sweater up also, so the whole sweater seems “inside out”. Then hang the sleeve. You want to be able to pull that sleeve out after seaming. I didn’t do it the easy way the first time, and ended up with a twist bewteen the sleeve and the body. It wasn’t a problem — I just pulled the sleeve right side out through the gap in the under arm. But, I thought “Weird, how did I do that?” (I made sure I folded the whole sweater before rehanging the second sleeve. That was easier! )

Once both sides were hung, removed the waste yarn. I pull the needles all the way out, push the work toward the gate peg and clip the waste yarn in a few places. Then I pull then yarn to the side carefully– pushing the sweater against the gate pegs to make sure the sleeves don’t jump off the machine.

I placed the carriage on the left, threaded it, and knit a row. Then I latchtool bound off. Sleeve seamed! Perfect-a-mundo! I pulled the sleeve right side out, and mattress stitched the under arm. Oh, and of course, I repeated for the other sleeve.

Now, because I’m test knitting, I dunked the sweater in water, and spun it dry. I want to verify the fit for Jim. So, there’s going to be a delay before I attach the cuffs and button band.

Still, even though it’s not done, you can the sweater is starting to look like a sweater!