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Post by motdaugrnds on Dec 28, 2017 16:19:27 GMT
Here is a sweater I'm "crocheting" with the left-overs from other projects and various skeins not being used. I call it my "sweater of many colors"; and will keep it to help me with layering during the winter months as I doubt anyone else would want it. I've never crocheted a sweater before and have no idea how to do the sleeves. As you can see I've started from the shoulders and am doing the back and 2-part front as one piece. It still is not as long as I will make it; however, I decided I'ld do the sleeves before making it longer. Here I'm stumped! If I continue crocheting rows on the sleeves, I don't think the sleeve will come out right because, when it hangs down along the side of the sweater as it would when arms are lowered, the upper part of the sleeve will be shorter than the under part of the sleeve. I've taken a picture of the sleeve area and drawn some lines in an attempt to better show what I'm talking about. The help I need is in understand how to make the sleeve cuffs come out the same length. (When I did a sweater "knitting" on a circular loom, I simply "increased" the upper part of the arm and "decreased the upper part of the other arm to make the sleeve equal on both the top and bottom at the wrist area. I don't know how to do this with crocheting.) Can anyone direct me?
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Post by belldandy on Dec 28, 2017 16:51:51 GMT
Your sweater will probably have a better fit if you run some decreases from the shoulder to wrist. (This assumes you're picking up stitches from each shoulder when the front and back have been stitched together at the shoulder seam but NOT down the side seam, so the front and back open flat).
Having an underarm sleeve depth measurement from a sweater that fits well might also help. Great idea you have for using scrap yarn, too.
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Post by motdaugrnds on Dec 28, 2017 21:16:39 GMT
belldandy ,I do not understand what you have just said. I'm concerned about the upper part of the sleeve (shoulder to wrist) being shorter than from under arm to wrist. Wouldn't placing "decreases" in this upper part make it even shorter? Hmmmmm maybe placing "decreases" on the under part of the sleeves would work? Yes? No? I'm having a hard time picturing this in my head... While working the bodice (front and back) I actually had to "increase" the length of various rows so as to make the bodice wide enough to extend under the arms. (The "knitted" sweaters I made I had to literally make a separate strip to go under each arm that would connect to both the front and the back. Otherwise the sweater wasn't wide enough for an adult.) Yes the front and back still open flat even though they are connected. In fact it all opens flat, even the few rows I've already added to the sleeve areas. When you say to "...have an underarm sleeve depth measurement..." are you referring to the LENGTH of the sleeve from under the arm to the wrist? It is definately shorter than the length from the shoulder to the wrist WHEN MY ARMS ARE ALONG MY SIDES. This is why I'm concerned...
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Post by belldandy on Dec 28, 2017 21:41:46 GMT
belldandy ,I do not understand what you have just said. I'm concerned about the upper part of the sleeve (shoulder to wrist) being shorter than from under arm to wrist. Wouldn't placing "decreases" in this upper part make it even shorter? Hmmmmm maybe placing "decreases" on the under part of the sleeves would work? Yes? No? I'm having a hard time picturing this in my head... While working the bodice (front and back) I actually had to "increase" the length of various rows so as to make the bodice wide enough to extend under the arms. (The "knitted" sweaters I made I had to literally make a separate strip to go under each arm that would connect to both the front and the back. Otherwise the sweater wasn't wide enough for an adult.) Yes the front and back still open flat even though they are connected. In fact it all opens flat, even the few rows I've already added to the sleeve areas. When you say to "...have an underarm sleeve depth measurement..." are you referring to the LENGTH of the sleeve from under the arm to the wrist? It is definately shorter than the length from the shoulder to the wrist WHEN MY ARMS ARE ALONG MY SIDES. This is why I'm concerned... The underarm sleeve depth refers not to the length but to the size of the sleeve opening at the upper part near the shoulder. I see what you mean from the drawing. If the sleeve is 'deep' all over, with no taper toward the wrist, then that problem in the sketch might come up. If you have a sweater that fits well, take measurements from that....the length of the sleeve, too, and try to match that up. A knitted cuff with stretch might also help the sleeve from being too short on the upper side than the lower.
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Post by motdaugrnds on Dec 29, 2017 13:56:37 GMT
Yes I understand your thoughts of the underarm "depth" being the size of the sleeve opening at the upper part. What I'm referring to, however, is the "length" as I've already taken care of the depth in that area.
I've started the sleeves with rows going "across/around" the sleeves, not down the sleeves.
Yes I understand taking measurements of the length of the sleeves and matching both sides of one sleeve so they come out "right" at the wrist. It is how to do this that is giving me problems.
I can, of course, decrease stitches all the way "down" the under or lower part of each sleeve and this would create the correct "width" around the wrist (smaller than the shoulder area); however, it does nothing to "shorten" the LENGTH of that sleeve from arm pit to wrist. That is what I'm asking. Either I need to decrease this underarm "length" OR increase the upperarm "length"; and I don't know how to do that in crochet with these rows going around instead of up and down the sleeves.
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Post by here to stay on Dec 29, 2017 14:37:17 GMT
motdaugrnds , I am almost the worst possible person to offer a suggestion as my afghans tend to have less than straight edges but I have seen crocheted ragland sweaters where the ragland part ends after it covers the tops of the shoulder and regular decreasing stitching takes over from there. So the uneven ragland part ends up acting as the shoulder and the arm drops straight down from there. The arms are attached to the ragland part in a seperate circle. curious.com/benjaminkrudwig/series/how-to-crochet-a-raglan-style-sweaterAnyway I thought this might help. If not, I would perfectly understand if you tell me it was nothing like you were asking.
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Post by motdaugrnds on Dec 29, 2017 16:33:43 GMT
Heretostay, Thanks for the URL. I didn't have much luck with it as it was just too involved to get any information from it. Never even got to see anyone (or any instructions) doing sleeves.
I may have it figured out myself though. Not sure because I'm such a noob at crocheting. I've started the sleeves with "single crochet" stitches all around the arm hole (from arm pit up around shoulder area and back to arm pit). I did two rows of this SC (single crochet). Then I've started an experiment using several types of stitches within the same row with each type of stitch longer than the previous one up to the shoulder; then reversing it back to the arm pit. I'm using SC (single crochet) > HDC (half double crochet) > DC (double crochet). Since I have a total of 66 stitches all around the arm hole, I'm placing 10 SC on each side of the arm pit, HDC next for a total of 10 each side and 26 DC over the shoulder area. EXAMPLE OF ONE ROW (starting at arm pit): 10 SC, 10 HDC, 13 DC, 13 DC, 10 HDC, 10 SC
This is forming a kind of curve in that the upper part (from shoulder down toward wrist) is getting wider than the under part (from arm pit upward). I'll be watching to see if the actual "length" of the upper reaches the actual "length" of the under to find out if this is working. Then if so, from there I can continue the sleeve with the same stitch (probably SC) to reach the wrist. If anyone sees a flaw with this, I sure would appreciate hearing as taking out rows and rows of crochet is not something I'm that interested in doing. LOL
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Post by dustawaits on Dec 30, 2017 15:54:39 GMT
motdaugrnds, you do not begin to know how I admire your determination to crochet! To do the beautiful work you have done even as a beginner. I have yet to get to the batters block let alone first base! Hope you find the help you need.
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Post by dustawaits on Dec 30, 2017 15:55:51 GMT
motdaugrnds, you do not begin to know how I admire your determination to crochet! To do the beautiful work you have done even as a beginner. I have yet to get to the batters block let alone first base! Hope you find the help you need.
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Post by motdaugrnds on Dec 30, 2017 16:21:37 GMT
dustawaits , Thanks for the encouragement. With the help of the kind and generous people in here I'm learning the different stitches easily. It is putting them to use in creating something that is not just straight lines that I'm struggling with now. I had to undo the curvy part I was creating on the sleeves. I do want that curve; however, simultaneously I need to decrease the length of the rows...not sure how to do this yet. Remember my rows are going "around" the sleeves and not up and down them. I'm thinking if I skip a stitch ever so often on different rows, this would definately shorten the "width" of the sleeve. I can continue the diverse stitches on each tow and, thereby, maintain the curve at the top all the way to the wrist. I'm just not sure where to place the skipped stitch, i.e. within the DC (would be more noticeable there) or within the HDC (not as easily noticed) or within the SC (probably not noticed at all). And I'm thinking maybe if I alternated which "side" of the sleeve I placed the skipped stitch, it might work even better with the same outcome, i.e. shortens the "width". Any thoughts? Has anyone done such a thing and had it work? Yeah just received email from dear friend telling me to skip a crochet stitch by including it in with one of the stitches I'm doing next to it. All I need do is start the adjacent stitch but not complete it until I add the stitch I'm skipping. This means I've crocheted two stitches from the previous row making them only one stitch in the row I'm doing...no holes...
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Post by motdaugrnds on Jan 1, 2018 18:44:51 GMT
Well this has been quite a learning experience. Here is what I've got done so far. If you look closely you will certainly see the mistakes I made. Getting it too broad meant I had to gather it; so I did so mostly in the back. Then I added the extra wide hem by creating it separately and sewing it to the sweater. My measurement turned out wrong so I either had to redo both the gathering as well as the separate hem or add a triangle shaped onto the hem. I chose to add the triangle and that taught me a great deal about crocheting. It did turn out ok but it does not look at all professional....LOL....as though I thought it should. Anyway I added a type of collar that would hug my neck and still have the sleeves to do...if I decide to go ahead and do them. Not sure I'll have enough yarn unless I add some more colors. ROFL Just might do that! Critique is always welcomed. What is showing is the front (2 parts) and the "gathered" back.
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Post by dustawaits on Jan 1, 2018 22:20:58 GMT
I do like your choice of colors and how you paired them!
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Post by belldandy on Jan 2, 2018 23:26:19 GMT
How is the sweater going? It looks really cute!
Let me see if I 'get it' now: you're working the sleeve in the round from the shoulder? As one piece, with no seam? If that's the case, and you want to work decreases, try to place one or two decreases per row where the underarm would be. Stitch markers come in handy here. Even a piece of yarn in a contrasting color to show you where to decrease (work two stitches as one).
When the underside of the sleeve is as long as you want, stop. Try the sweater on. If the top side of the sleeve is too short, like your drawing, you can add a couple of rows to the top side. It will look smoother to work short stitches on the outside of the rows, then longer stitches in the middle: sc, esc, hdc, dc, hdc, esc, sc. So it's compensating for the top side being shorter.
You will need to count how many stitches around the sleeve and work the extension on half the number of stitches.
This can be really confusing in print. In person, it would take about thirty seconds to demonstrate.
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Post by motdaugrnds on Jan 3, 2018 0:26:49 GMT
belldandy , That is quite helpful. Thank you. I have not taken the sleeves any farther than those two rows of SC seen in green. I have stitched the sides of the sweater together already. So far the way I've done it fits ok. I'm thinking if I do go ahead and put sleeves in it, it might be easier if I created them "flat" (not on the round). And it might be easier for me as a crochet noob to make the rows lengthwise instead of width wise. This way I could make a strand of SC from underarm down to wrist, turn and go back up. Increasing these rows so as to keep the length the same as I take the rows up to the top of the shoulder just might work; then I could reverse it going down the other side. Does that make sense? Once the sleeves are done, I could sew the sides together from armpit to wrist and then add a wrist band....I think.... I've actually run out of the bits of yarn I had to work with; so if I do put sleeves in this thing they would need to be a totally different color. Not sure that would look very good; so may just leave this as a "vest" to layer with during these arctic spells we're presently having.
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Post by Woodpecker on Jan 4, 2018 1:07:28 GMT
I think you did a wonderful job. It's really nice. I was thinking the same thing, before I read that you felt the same. It looks great as a vest!
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