help with shoulder seam

Help! I am trying to join the fronts and back of a ribbed cardigan at the
shoulders. All my books have directions which only apply when there are an
equal number of stitches on the front and back. This is not the case with my
pieces. To make it even more difficult, they are stepped which really
confuses me. It is a 2x2 rib and the directions read "Join shoulder seams,
easing in fullness of front shoulder to fit back shoulder." Does anyone
have any advice? Or maybe know of an online source for directions?

TIA!

LauraJ

Hi Laura,

Sorry I can't help with this as I don't remember how I did it many
years ago, but it was the first and last that I made like that.

Hugs,

Nora

"Laura J" wrote in message news:rYezf.3921$FS3.705@trndny04...
Help! I am trying to join the fronts and back of a ribbed cardigan at the
shoulders. All my books have directions which only apply when there are
an equal number of stitches on the front and back. This is not the case
with my pieces. To make it even more difficult, they are stepped which
really confuses me. It is a 2x2 rib and the directions read "Join
shoulder seams, easing in fullness of front shoulder to fit back
shoulder." Does anyone have any advice? Or maybe know of an online
source for directions?

TIA!

LauraJ

Match the neck and arm edges. If the bound off rows are the same number of
stitches on the front and back, match the ends of these rows. The ribs
should match at the shoulder seams, if so just match the ribbing. If it
doesn't match then guesstimate the amount of extra stitches on the front and
evenly distribute the extra between the neck and armhole edges. You could
also run a length of contrasting thread along the bound of edge of the front
and gather the width to match the back. Finish the seam with either back
stitch or slip stitch crochet.
DA

In order , not to have steps , i advice you , to knit short rows when
making the shoulders, than KNIT the whole shoulder again ,,this will
straighten the Stepping og the shoulders,,,,,
Having more stiches in the front ? if it is meant by the pattern ,
they should have provided you with an idea waht to do if not [either
they had no instructions , or it `happened` to you ,,,, attach the
shoulder sides with a plain sewing thread put it on and go look in the
mirror , maybe you can moove the extra stiches to the front , maybe
make a sjoulder Fold [several years ago thay were in the trend]
When joining, try to imitate knit stiches , take thread come in under
the knit stich or over the purl st. go up to other side of shoulder
and imitate the stich wall there etc...
LOOK at the stiches with magnifying glass ,,,
mirjam

Hi Laura,
I'm catching up and just saw your post - you may already have finished this
work. In case you haven't, here's a suggestion: Try treating it as if it is
fabric that you're sewing. Pin the outer edges, and then take the center of
each side and pin there. Then find the centers of each of those and pin. You
should have have 4 relatively short sections, and can kind of gently stretch
the shorter side to fit the longer one and pin to hold that easing. (does
this make sense?) I would also try to match the ribbing where possible. You
will need to make sure you don't end up with puckers, although you might be
able to take those out with VERY gentle blocking.

This is how I've solved the problem, but I'm not the expert knitter as are
many of the folks in this ng, so their advice might serve you better. Good
luck!

Hugz,
Susan K

"Laura J" wrote in message news:rYezf.3921$FS3.705@trndny04...
Help! I am trying to join the fronts and back of a ribbed cardigan at the
shoulders. All my books have directions which only apply when there are
an
equal number of stitches on the front and back. This is not the case with
my
pieces. To make it even more difficult, they are stepped which really
confuses me. It is a 2x2 rib and the directions read "Join shoulder
seams,
easing in fullness of front shoulder to fit back shoulder." Does anyone
have any advice? Or maybe know of an online source for directions?

TIA!

LauraJ



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Sounds like a good method to me, although I hate sewing in sleeves and if I
can start at the top and work down I'll do that sooner than sew anything
together.
Love & higs
Christine

Soozergirl" wrote in message
k.net...
Hi Laura,
I'm catching up and just saw your post - you may already have finished
this
work. In case you haven't, here's a suggestion: Try treating it as if it
is
fabric that you're sewing. Pin the outer edges, and then take the center
of
each side and pin there. Then find the centers of each of those and pin.
You
should have have 4 relatively short sections, and can kind of gently
stretch
the shorter side to fit the longer one and pin to hold that easing. (does
this make sense?) I would also try to match the ribbing where possible.
You
will need to make sure you don't end up with puckers, although you might
be
able to take those out with VERY gentle blocking.

This is how I've solved the problem, but I'm not the expert knitter as are
many of the folks in this ng, so their advice might serve you better. Good
luck!

Hugz,
Susan K

"Laura J" wrote in message
news:rYezf.3921$FS3.705@trndny04...
Help! I am trying to join the fronts and back of a ribbed cardigan at
the
shoulders. All my books have directions which only apply when there are
an
equal number of stitches on the front and back. This is not the case with
my
pieces. To make it even more difficult, they are stepped which really
confuses me. It is a 2x2 rib and the directions read "Join shoulder
seams,
easing in fullness of front shoulder to fit back shoulder." Does anyone
have any advice? Or maybe know of an online source for directions?

TIA!

LauraJ



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.859 / Virus Database: 585 - Release Date: 2/14/05

Thanks everyone, for your advice! I took a little from each of you and used
what was in my books to make something up. Doesn't look perfect but hey,
it's my first sweater and it wasn't an easy situation so it'll have to do.
When I first read the pattern, I didn't realize what an awful situation it
was setting me up for - yes, the pattern is specifically written so that the
# of stitches doesn't match front to back and neither do the # of ribs and
the steps on top of all that just made it more difficult. But I'm not
experienced enough to know how to change patterns yet so I just had to do
what they told me to do! Has anyone had this problem with Jaeger patterns
before?

Now I am dreading sewing the sleeves in. I'll probably be back in a couple
of days with questions on that!

Oh, you know one thing that I never did find a picture or explanation of in
any of my books is the process of joining pieces at the cast-off edges when
they are both reverse stockinette. I used the weaving method for normal
stockinette but just made something up when I got to the purl stitches. So
if anyone knows of somewhere on the web to see a picture or read an
explanation of this, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

LauraJ

"Laura J" wrote in message news:rYezf.3921$FS3.705@trndny04...
Help! I am trying to join the fronts and back of a ribbed cardigan at the
shoulders. All my books have directions which only apply when there are
an equal number of stitches on the front and back. This is not the case
with my pieces. To make it even more difficult, they are stepped which
really confuses me. It is a 2x2 rib and the directions read "Join
shoulder seams, easing in fullness of front shoulder to fit back
shoulder." Does anyone have any advice? Or maybe know of an online
source for directions?

TIA!

LauraJ

"Laura J" wrote in message
news:q76Af.5020$FS3.1657@trndny04...
Thanks everyone, for your advice! I took a little from each of you and
used what was in my books to make something up. Doesn't look perfect but
hey, it's my first sweater and it wasn't an easy situation so it'll have
to do. When I first read the pattern, I didn't realize what an awful
situation it was setting me up for - yes, the pattern is specifically
written so that the # of stitches doesn't match front to back and neither
do the # of ribs and the steps on top of all that just made it more
difficult. But I'm not experienced enough to know how to change patterns
yet so I just had to do what they told me to do! Has anyone had this
problem with Jaeger patterns before?

Now I am dreading sewing the sleeves in. I'll probably be back in a couple
of days with questions on that!

Oh, you know one thing that I never did find a picture or explanation of
in any of my books is the process of joining pieces at the cast-off edges
when they are both reverse stockinette. I used the weaving method for
normal stockinette but just made something up when I got to the purl
stitches. So if anyone knows of somewhere on the web to see a picture or
read an explanation of this, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

LauraJ


Laura, Jaeger patterns are usually well written. The pattern book should
give you the name of the designer. Ribs or other vertical patterns should
continue over the shoulders and down the back. IMHO, this is a design flaw
or poor planning on the part of the designer, and I would avoid their
patterns in the future.

This page has great illustrations on mattress stitch for both knitted and
purled fabric.
Good luck on your sleeves
DA

"DA" wrote in message
...

Laura, Jaeger patterns are usually well written. The pattern book should
give you the name of the designer. Ribs or other vertical patterns should
continue over the shoulders and down the back. IMHO, this is a design flaw
or poor planning on the part of the designer, and I would avoid their
patterns in the future.

This page has great illustrations on mattress stitch for both knitted and
purled fabric.
Good luck on your sleeves
DA


Hm, now I am beginning to wonder whether part of what I thought was the
shoulder on the front piece (the side with the "extra" stitches) is actually
supposed to be the neck. I should have taken a picture before I seamed it
up. ARGH!

Okay, you inspired me to go back and look at the picture (which I should
have done before I began seaming - doh!). This is the jacket in question:
http://www.theknittinggarden.com/pat...20/maxwell.htm
It is hard to tell from that size but if I look at the giant picture in my
book the ribs definitely don't match up on the man's shoulder. But if you
look at the woman's version, see those ribs that are swooshing out of the
cable to the neck on hers? They swoosh into the shoulder on mine (but my
cable is also higher up because I'm shorter).

Now I don't know whether to doubt the pattern or doubt myself! This isn't
supposed to be so difficult, is it?!?

LauraJ

Okay, you inspired me to go back and look at the picture (which I should
have done before I began seaming - doh!). This is the jacket in question:
http://www.theknittinggarden.com/pat...20/maxwell.htm
It is hard to tell from that size but if I look at the giant picture in my
book the ribs definitely don't match up on the man's shoulder. But if you
look at the woman's version, see those ribs that are swooshing out of the
cable to the neck on hers? They swoosh into the shoulder on mine (but my
cable is also higher up because I'm shorter).

Now I don't know whether to doubt the pattern or doubt myself! This isn't
supposed to be so difficult, is it?!?

LauraJ

Thanks for the link to the pics. Since you can't see the back of the
sweaters in the pics, is the back knit with just plain ribbing with out the
twist? The pictures gives that impression. The knit stitches are matched
at the shoulder edge in the picture and then it looks like the next group of
knit stitches on the front are matched to a purl section on the back, and
the third group from the front are again matched to knit stitches from the
back. The schematic shows the back as being straight across, which leads me
to ask if you left enough stitches on the front for the neck opening. There
should be the same number of stitches on each side of the neck opening on
the front and back.
Before you doubt a pattern, make sure that you have read it correctly
including studying the schematic.
DA