The Sewing Place

Will this work?

Ploshkin

Will this work?
« on: September 25, 2017, 11:53:29 AM »
I've just got some yarn to knit a chunky sweater (James Brett Marble Chunky)
Having completed my top down, in the round sweater I am now hooked.  I like knitting with the cables as I have tendonitis in both hands and I particularly like the no sewing up.  The pattern I am going to use doesn't have raglan sleeves otherwise I might be tempted to attempt knitting it from the top. 
However I have a plan - knit the front and back simultaneously, in the round, taking off 2 stitches from what would be the sides (4 stitches in total) to account for there being no side seams.  Do this until the armhole shaping then split and do the front and back separately.  Knit the sleeves in the round minus 2 stitches to account for the lack of seam then knit the sleeve head flat.  That would mean the only sewing up would be the shoulders and sleeve heads.  Neckband then knitted in the round.
It seems perfectly doable to me.  Is there any major flaw in the plan that has escaped me?
Life's too short for ironing.

b15erk

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2017, 11:58:00 AM »
Sounds perfectly sensible to me Plosh.  Says she with half a dozen cardigan pieces on the desk, waiting to be sewn up.... :(

Look forward to seeing how it works out.  I've done it in reverse with a donkey pattern.  I couldn't manage the muzzle in the round,,,,

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Acorn

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2017, 12:05:19 PM »
I did something very similar with a baby's cardigan and it worked so well that I couldn't understand why they're not always done that way (for children's clothes at least, since the maximum number of stitches is still very manageable even for non-experts).
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ellabella

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2017, 13:04:11 PM »
I've thought about this, but never got round to trying it.

I cannot see a reason why it will not work.

Do you think that knitting individual sections was originally the answer to the limitations of conventional needles.

Now we have cables long rows are not an issue.

I am knitting a cardigan in one piece at the moment but confess the pattern was written that way.

Ploshkin

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2017, 13:13:39 PM »
I'll go for it and hope it doesn't end up looking like a donkey  :)
Come to think of it, I'm sure traditional Guernseys were knitted on 4 needles.
Life's too short for ironing.

b15erk

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2017, 13:16:09 PM »
 :D :D :D

Jessie

eta the donkey looked very well  ;)
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

BrendaP

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2017, 13:49:36 PM »
It's quite do-able. 

The only thing to be aware of is that a lot of people, me included, get different tensions for knitting and for purling - my purling is a bit looser.  If you look at stocking stitch worked back and forth on two needles and the ridges on the back are in pairs then this happens to you too.  It will result in a slightly different tension and appearance where the change from 2 needles to the circular one occurs.  If you do tension swatches you can work out which size needle you need to use for the purl/wrong side rows to match the size needed for the knit/right side rows.

I hope that's making sense!


« Last Edit: September 25, 2017, 14:45:13 PM by BrendaP »
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Acorn

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2017, 13:57:46 PM »
Now I need to go and find some knitting to see whether my knits and purls are even...  ;)
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Bogwoppit

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2017, 15:41:39 PM »
if you look up steeks you'll find how they do it with fair isle cardigans.  Very cool.
Lurking in Lancashire, improving my sewing when life gives me time.

b15erk

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2017, 15:45:22 PM »
OOOooo Steeks!  I watched a wonderful video on this by Arne and Carlos (no link, but available on Youtube).

It looks wonderful when they do it, but I'm afraid if I tried it, it would turn out quite differently  :S

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2017, 15:47:39 PM »
OK then, here's the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8UVwATDASw

It's 3 videos long I think, but very interesting.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ploshkin

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2017, 16:29:40 PM »
That's fascinating Jessie.  I've done a lot of traditional knitting in my past but have never heard of steeking.  When I'm at a loose end some time I'll knit up a swatch and give it a go.
Life's too short for ironing.

Deafoldbat

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2017, 19:11:58 PM »
I experimented with this many years ago after reading Traditional Knitting
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Pearsons-Traditional-Knitting-Expanded/dp/0486460533/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506362567&sr=1-1&keywords=traditional+knitting

Knit the body in the round to the armholes, divide and knit front and back to the shoulders and cast off front and back together, pick up and knit neckband, then pick up round armholes and knit the sleeves in the round down to the cuff. (This requires some thought if your pattern goes the other way!) I only used this plan on T-shaped jumpers though I expect clever people can do raglans too. One tip was to purl a stitch to mark the sides, where a seam would go, and be sure to mark the beginning of the round.
Fishermen's ganseys were knitted like this on 4 or 5 needles depending on size.The reason for knitting down the sleeve to the cuff was that when the cuff wore out, you could unravel it and knit a new one.

Lachica

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2017, 19:48:29 PM »
That's how I knitted 3 Icelandic sweaters in the early1980s. As a non-knitter, it makes perfect sense & is easier as there's no purling.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Ploshkin

Re: Will this work?
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2017, 20:40:29 PM »
Ooh DOB, thank you for that.  It hadn't occurred to me to pick up the stitches round the armhole though it is a shaped sleeve head so I'd have to think about that.  I'd probably need to pick up the stitches gradually and knit in the flat until I had all of the armhole on the needle.   I also hadn't thought about casting off the shoulders together.
I might yet avoid any sewing up.
Life's too short for ironing.