When making a pullover sweater in
either knitting or crochet, there are many different ways to
construct a sweater. In some cases, you will be working from the
top-down in one piece (working from the neckline downwards, adding
stitches for your raglan sleeves, and then coming back in for the
body); you might also work in the round from the bottom edge,
splitting the stitches at the arm holes and then working on the
front and back separately; alternately, you may work the sweater
in pieces, starting from the bottom edge and working up towards
the neckline. This last method of construction is the one we will
be discussing in this article.
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When you shape the neck of the front of a pullover, in
particular a crew neck or a v-neck, you are ensuring that
the neck opening will be large enough so that it fits over
the head. There are two components: the width and the
depth.
The depth is generally several inches. This is why the
neckline shaping begins before the front armhole reaches
the depth of the back armhole (where usually only width is
of consequence to the total neck opening).
To begin, stitches are eliminated in the center and then
decreasing takes place on each side of these center
stitches to further widen and shape the neck opening. When
the depth is completed, the shoulder stitches are usually
bound off.
Here's an example of an instruction you may see:
Shape Neck
K14 (15, 16, 16) sts, join a 2nd ball of yarn and bind off
next 6 (8, 8, 10) sts, k to end. Working both sides at
once with separate balls of yarn, dec 1 st at each neck
edge every other row 3 times - 11 (12, 13, 13) sts. Work
until same length as Back to shoulders.
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Knit Ribbed Top
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An instruction where you are working with two balls at the same
time is sometimes confusing. Here's how it breaks down:
- Work across the row as indicated for the first set of
stitches. Add the new ball in the same way you would when you
run out and add a new ball (work the first stitch, leaving a
long tail you will weave in later). Work across as indicated
with the second ball.
- You now have two balls of yarn attached, one on each side of
the neck.
- Now you will work both sides at the same time, ensuring you
have the same number of rows. Work across the row with the yarn
that is attached to the end of that series of stitches. Drop the
yarn. Pick up the other ball and complete the row on the other
side of the neck. Continue in this way.
There are other ways to accomplish this as well without working
with two balls of yarn. Just keep track of the number of rows
rather than relying on measuring, as it's easy to measure
incorrectly.
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A Second Way
You could work across the first set of stitches and then
place them on a holder. Continuing with the same ball,
bind off the center stitches and then complete the row,
working the remaining stitches. Work the one side as
indicated. When it’s complete, place the stitches from the
holder back on the needle and complete the other side.
A Third Way
Another way to work these instructions would be to work
across the first set of stitches and place them on a
holder as in the second alternative. Then, instead of
binding off the center stitches, work across those
stitches and place them on a second holder. Continue
across and complete this side, then the side with the
first set of stitches as above.
Since you are going to pick up stitches to work some sort
of edging along the neckline, you can simply work these
center stitches off the holder instead of picking up
stitches along that area. It saves time and there won’t be
a ridge along the wrong side of the neck when you pick up
stitches; rather, it will be a continuation of your
stitches.
Editor's
Note: For
crocheters, you won't have to worry about a stitch
holder. Simply put a split ring stitch marker into the
"live" stitch to keep it from unraveling. Then you will
be able to work the stitches and indicated above and
come back to the live stitch when you're ready to
proceed with that section of the sweater neck.
A final note for knitters: use the correct decrease
as you shape so they slant right and left in the correct
places!
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Crochet Retro Striped
Pullover
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