This little tale begins last night when I was tidying up my knitting stuff. Earlier yesterday I had finally gotten around to looking up how to do a stretchy cast off, and had cast off the bottom edge, and ends of the sleeves of my cardigan. Each sleeve used up a little under a ball of yarn, so there were two small piles of mostly unravelled yarn where I had been sitting doing my knitting; one from each sleeve. To tidy up I balled up those two piles, at which point I noticed something funny, can you spot what it was:
Yup, my two little balls were different sizes; whoops!! I got out the cardigan again, and laid out the sleeves flat, and lo and behold the sleeves are different lengths! Now, I will admit I did loose count of how many rows I'd done while I was knitting up the sleeves, but I tried my best to check the length of the second against the first as I was going, and definitely before I started the lace rows! I don't know how it happened but the sleeves are about an inch different in length!
I spent most of today hoping that it wouldn't be too noticeable once I was wearing the cardigan, and this evening while watching some TV finished off the button and neck band and tried it on... unfortunately the different is a bit much and I don't think I'll be happy with the cardigan unless I fix it. Here it is on me; you can particularly see where my elbows are bent the difference, on one my elbow is where the lace is, on the other the lace is on my forearm:
And here it is with my arms down straight - you can definitely tell the difference:
So now I need to go back and fix it... problem is, I don't know how!
Does anybody have any advice on the best way to go about unravelling the shorter sleeve back to the beginning of the lace (bearing in mind I've cast of and woven in my end)? And any easy/good/accurate methods for working out how many rows I need to add in to make them the same length?
Also, any tips/methods (or gadgets) for keeping track of how many rows you've done when the pattern requires heaps of stockinette rows like the sleeves did?
All help very gratefully received!
I don't own the pattern so I don't know the lace repeat but what I'd say is, I can't see the difference, really. I'd block out the length differentiation rather than frog back. You should be able to get the 3/4" (what it looks like) by stretching one sleeve and compressing the other. Of course, just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't rip it out! You can probably stretch the shorter one. It really isn't noticeable!
ReplyDeleteNo idea, but it is very pretty :)
ReplyDeleteeeeep!!! Such a thing would really irritate me... I would constantly be wondering if people are wondering about my sleeves. So what you do depends on whether you can handle it or not! I like K.Line's suggestion though. Not that I can talk - I know zip about knitting!
ReplyDeleteYou could always get a row counter - they're relatively cheap and I'm sure you'd be able to pick one up at any craft store. http://www.stuff4knitting.com/2-pkg-row-counters-4002.html?CAWELAID=600760936 is an example but I'm sure they wouldn't be too much more here.
ReplyDeleteNo suggestions on a fix it, though, I know absolutely nothing about knitting.
If you really want to unravel, it might be easier doing it to the longer sleeve, so you don't have to add/join any yarn.
ReplyDeleteI usually knit both sleeves at the same time, that way you are sure to have the same number of rows. You just cast both on the same needles with a ball of yarn for each sleeve. Or as Alex suggests, buy a cheap row counter.
I would take the longer one back if the shorter length is ok with you. I also knit both sleeves at once, but I have been known to make two left arms:p
ReplyDeleteTo keep track or count without a stitch counter, I thread a piece of contrast wool through the knitting at every decrease or increase, or if it is straight peice, every ten rows.
The knitting is lovely, how incredibly frustrating.
Lorraine