DIY Network

Finishing Finishing From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-113

The seaming technique recommended for this sweater is worked on a one-to-one ratio. In other words, if two pieces to be sewn together (such as the back and the front at the sides and shoulders) have an equal number of rows or stitches, they will be very easy to fit together -- they won't even require pinning. If, however, the pieces don't have a one-to-one ratio (as the sleeves and the armholes), you will have to determine the ratio and stitch accordingly. But don't worry: we'll explain all that below. Even if you're not a math whiz, you should still be able to work it out and put your sweater together with no problem!

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	When you sew the pieces together, be sure to run the needle under both loops of the stitches.
	Figure A
	Sewing the sleeves into the body requires you to match up stitches and rows.

Shoulder and Side Seams
Using a yarn-threaded needle, match shoulder edges and sew them together stitch to stitch. Remember: always insert the needle in the hole it came out of, and always sew under both threads of each stitch. Give the yarn a tug every few stitches to tighten the seam, but don't pull so tightly that the seam puckers.

Next, move on to the side seams, stitching through the ridges of opposite rows and matching them up as you go.

Adding the Sleeves
When you're ready to set the sleeves in, you need to start in the middle, at the shoulder seam. One thing you'll find when you start fitting the sleeve into the armhole is that the ratio of stitches to rows is off. In our example, there are 30 stitches in one half of the sleeve and 40 rows in the armhole, or a 3-to-4 ratio. This means that every third time you run the needle through a stitch in the sleeve, you run it through two ridges in the body.

Match center upper edge of left sleeve to left shoulder seam, placing the marker at the shoulder seam (figure A). Sew down left front armhole, sewing sts of upper sleeve to ridges of armhole edge. As you approach the corner, adjust further, if necessary, so upper sleeve ends at the underarm. (As you did when you began setting in the sleeve, you should determine the ridge-to-stitch ratio. If it's 16 ridges to 24 stitches, as in our example, the ratio is 2 to 3.)

At underarm, turn corner. Sew 2 bound-off sts of Front underarm to each ridge of left sleeve. Return to shoulder, and sew left sleeve to back armhole edge and underarm in same manner.

Sew right sleeve to right front armhole edge and underarm in same manner.

Sew side and sleeve seams (ridges to ridges).

Neck Edging
With RS facing, using the smaller needle and beginning at right back neck, pick up and k, then immediately bind off, 1 st for each live st plus 1 st for each 2-row step (or ridge) around entire neck edge.

Knit Bit: Did you know that the term sweater was actually coined by athletes? That's right! After particularly heated games, they noticed that their knitted pullover jerseys were mighty sweaty!

RESOURCES :
The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch
By Sally Melville
©2002, XRX Books
XRX Books
Web: knittinguniverse.com

Berroco Softwist
Suggested retail price: $4.85
Berroco Inc.
Check Website for local retailers.
Website: www.berroco.com

GUESTS :
Sally Melville
Knitting expert, author