Sheep Shots: In Which I Finally Fix the Sweater

Sunday, January 14, 2007

In Which I Finally Fix the Sweater

Right from the get-go, I suspected that the Aran Cardigan might be too wide (though not too long) for the Not-So-New-Daughter-In-Law, and so, as I was putting the finishing touches on, I left little tags of the yarn I used for seaming (the better to remove the seams if ateration was necessary).

Alteration was necessary. NSNDIL is tall and very slender.

Those little tags came in handy for spotting the actual seaming yarn.

I carefully unseamed the sides and the very slight sleeve inset.

I graded the seam as she requested (to give it a slight A-line) and reseamed the side from the right side this time (I had crochet-chained the seams originally).

This modification totally removed the sleeve inset, making it a true drop shoulder.

I gave (very brief) thought to cutting the fabric. After all, I have steeked and I know it works, but this is very rough wool and I was concerned about how the new seam would feel (stiff and scratchy).

Then I carefully tacked down the wedges of fabric that I did not cut away so that they wouldn't create a roll and additional bulk.

Here's the finished sweater. You can almost see the A-line effect.

If it doesn't fit right, I fear my next (only other) option is to re-knit front and back.

I'll do that if necessary, but dudes, I sure am hoping I don't need to.

Labels: big people clothes

// posted by Ann @ 1/14/2007 03:58:00 PM

Comments:

If it doesn't fit right, do the dressmaker thing: open the seams again, put it on her, pin it until it fits, hand tack it and try it on again, then do the firm seams.
But remember to block it first! Things change in the blocking!

If there's a lot of selvage left over, you still have the option of (heresy) simply machine sewing it and doing whatever is necessary with the selvages, including using a serger. Even Stephanie Pearl MacPhee has told about using a serger to save a gift sweater.

A friend of mine used to hand sew her sweater seams but once she ran out of yarn and machine sewed one side. That side lasted much longer than the hand sewn one, and after that she always machine sewed them. It's still hand-knitted.

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