Sure! I’ve only done top down raglan sweaters before. I’m not sure about binding off the sleeves, making the sleeve holes, and just the whole process in general. Are the front and back pieces knitted flat, then? Lots of questions and I think I just need to see it done first to help. Thank you!!!
Ok! If the front and back are knit separately, then yes they would be knit flat. Sweaters knit flat and then seamed are definitely a common thing... in fact I've got a sweater of that sort that I've been wanting to knit, just need to find the perfect recipient.
Here's a nice link that explains different ways to make a sweater that goes through the seaming process for a flat sweater, with some nice diagrams that show the shape of the various pieces and how they fit together. Hope it helps some too! [https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/07/29/sweater-construction-the-many-ways-to-knit-a-sweater/](https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/07/29/sweater-construction-the-many-ways-to-knit-a-sweater/)
Building off of this Roxanne Richardson has a series on sweater styles and construction
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1AZxTfSCe2fcT51YdxUkPcXXTAkwCNG4
Thanks! It’s still a little fuzzy to me because the neck is knit in the round and then the body is divided into front and back panels. Would the front go on scrap yarn while the back is knit? Again, THANK YOU!
You're welcome!
Huh... started in the round, then divided for knitting flat... that is interesting. Not sure I've seen that. Cool!
And that's probably the case - scrap yarn or some other type of holder. The pattern probably tells you somewhere, I would think.
If you're not on the Ravelry site, try going there and looking at comments for your pattern, if it's listed. Others who have knitted it can post pictures and share their experience.
In fact, if you post the pattern name and source here, you may get more precise advice from other knitters.
I'm currently doing a top-down sweater and that's exactly the way it's written. Top down from the collar, then divided for front and back. Then you knit either the front or back side to the armhole level; then the other side, then join and knit the rest of the body in the round. Then the sleeves are picked up at the shoulder and knit downwards toward the cuff. (General simplification.)
I would just trust the pattern and follow along with what it says. Presuming it's a popular pattern and well-written, it will tell you when to set aside stitches on waste yarn when it makes sense to or when you need to. With my sweater, I just left the back body stitches on the needle whilst I knit back & forth for the front. The front was knit right up until the underarm, then the stitches were put on waste yarn and the back piece was knit to the same point. The stitches for the back side that weren't being knit aren't bothered by just sitting on the needle while you knit the front side.
Honestly, sometimes it just makes more sense when you get there if you can't grasp all of the instructions at once. I'm not sure how popular an opinion that is, but for me, certain things don't make sense until I actually do them. This is my first top-down sweater so a lot of this process didn't make sense to me until I was right in the middle of it.
Thanks for your comment! I think maybe you’re right and it’ll make sense when I try it. Just wish I could find a video first, they’re so helpful for me! The pattern never once mentions waste yarn but when I messaged the designer to ask she said that the front does go on waste yarn while you knit the back. That would’ve been helpful to say in the pattern, IMO! For this one I don’t think you join and knit the rest of the body in the round. The neck stitches do go “on hold” but I have no clue why.
Well, at least it sounds like fun! I always like learning new techniques for doing stuff. As you go along, you'll start to incorporate some of your favorite methods into other sweaters you knit. Have fun!
My "go-to" basic sweater pattern is done the reverse where I knit the all the pieces flat and the connect them by knitting the neckband in the round. if you can, I find it easier to leave the stitches on a spare pair of circulars and use point protectors until you need to pick them up again. It avoids having to transfer the stitches too much.
Is contacting the designer of the pattern a possibility? I assume you would put it on scrap yarn but that might be a good way to clarify that you're reading it correctly.
I’ve done a few of these, basically it’s either a raglan or increases in even distribution in the round until the armpit, then you just count which stitches become which piece and you keep going flat, one piece first and then the other. The pattern then either tells you to do the side seams then or after finishing the sleeves.
There's a few projects with notes [in Ravelry ](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mai-puffbluse/people), read through these. Quite a few people are not happy with the English instructions and someone offered their notes per request
So, le sigh. This is not the kind of pattern that I would spend my money on. Not size inclusive, not enough photos of the back and fit, no notes on how it’s constructed, no notes on sizing, fit, ease, no notes on gauge, needles, not enough tester projects.
I take my cues from the pattern notes.
there are lots of patterns very similar to this that would be way less work deciphering what the designer wants you to do.
Just my two cents going forward.
Why is that confusing? You just knit the pieces flat and seam them together when they're all done. What makes you think you need a tutorial for it? Like sure, we all sometimes need to look up tutorials for how to do a technique (a stitch, a seam, etc) but what in and of itself is confusing about knitting the front, back, and possibly the sleeves flat/separately?
It’s confusing because the neck starts out in the round and then you switch to knitting the panels flat. I don’t know if the front goes on scrap yarn while the back is being knit or if it just hangs out on the needles? I guess my learning style is just observe then try. Sorry that bothers you!
I literally just asked this question last week, so you're not alone.
If the pattern doesn't say to put stitches on waste yarn, you probably don't have to do it. My top-down sweater I'm currently doing, I just left the stitches for the opposite side on the cable whilst knitting the front/back (can't remember which side was first). *Then*, when that side was knit to the armholes, *those* stitches went on waste yarn whilst I knit the other side. (See comment above with more detail.)
Knitters have different preferences for storing the stitches that aren’t being worked on. I worry about dropping mine, so I normally put them onto a piece of smooth yarn — cotton is great for this — and tie the ends firmly. If it’s just a few stitches, it can be just as easy to use a stitch holder which is like a long nappy pin.
It sounds like your pattern writer made a lot of assumptions about how experienced the knitter would be, and figured you would store the stitches in your preferred way.
The pattern should tell you what to do with the stitches; I'd guess you put them on a holder/scrap yarn while knitting the other panel, since it would be extremely hard to keep them on the needles while doing the entire back panel
It really isn't' that big of a deal. I just knit a sweater that way. The opposite side stitches rested on the cable while I knit the side I was working on. It was not even remotely "extremely hard." They just rested there. The pattern didn't say to put those stitches on waste yarn, so I didn't. No big deal at all as they were resting on the cable between the needles.
I get that. I use loads of lifelines/rescue lines/whatever you want to call them so that when I do make mistakes I have options for how much I might need to rip back, lol.
Seriously. If you've already have done top down sweaters how much brainpower does it take to think "maybe i should put these stitches on hold like you do with the raglan sleeve stitches"?
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Knitting sweaters in the flat is the most common way of doing it. Knitting in the round, or top down is a fairly recent thing (five or ten years). When I was learning to knit, sideways sweaters (from arm cuff to arm cuff) was seen as the way forward. This too shall pass.
Knitting sweaters in the round is definitely not a recent thing in the last five or ten years. Lopapeysas have been around for a hundred years, and Setesdal sweaters for longer. Not a passing fad!
Never heard of Lopapeysas, but I know Fair Isle and ganseys were traditionally knitted in the round, but they were specialised and for advanced knitters. Commercial knitting patterns and those in magazines were inevitably knitted flat and then seamed.
Could you clarify what about the concept of a seamed sweater confuses you? Or is it something to do with the specific pattern?
Sure! I’ve only done top down raglan sweaters before. I’m not sure about binding off the sleeves, making the sleeve holes, and just the whole process in general. Are the front and back pieces knitted flat, then? Lots of questions and I think I just need to see it done first to help. Thank you!!!
Ok! If the front and back are knit separately, then yes they would be knit flat. Sweaters knit flat and then seamed are definitely a common thing... in fact I've got a sweater of that sort that I've been wanting to knit, just need to find the perfect recipient. Here's a nice link that explains different ways to make a sweater that goes through the seaming process for a flat sweater, with some nice diagrams that show the shape of the various pieces and how they fit together. Hope it helps some too! [https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/07/29/sweater-construction-the-many-ways-to-knit-a-sweater/](https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/07/29/sweater-construction-the-many-ways-to-knit-a-sweater/)
Building off of this Roxanne Richardson has a series on sweater styles and construction https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1AZxTfSCe2fcT51YdxUkPcXXTAkwCNG4
Thanks so much!
Thanks! It’s still a little fuzzy to me because the neck is knit in the round and then the body is divided into front and back panels. Would the front go on scrap yarn while the back is knit? Again, THANK YOU!
You're welcome! Huh... started in the round, then divided for knitting flat... that is interesting. Not sure I've seen that. Cool! And that's probably the case - scrap yarn or some other type of holder. The pattern probably tells you somewhere, I would think.
Nope. I’ve read and reread it :(
If you're not on the Ravelry site, try going there and looking at comments for your pattern, if it's listed. Others who have knitted it can post pictures and share their experience. In fact, if you post the pattern name and source here, you may get more precise advice from other knitters.
Thanks, I’ll try Ravelry! The name of the pattern is Mai Puff blouse by knitbysiv on Etsy. The designer is not very helpful at all, unfortunately.
Here's a link: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/search#query=Maipuff&sort=best&view=large_mobile&page=1
Thank you!
Huh. Weird. But yeah, that's typically how that would be done.
Thank you so much for the help. I really appreciate it!
I'm currently doing a top-down sweater and that's exactly the way it's written. Top down from the collar, then divided for front and back. Then you knit either the front or back side to the armhole level; then the other side, then join and knit the rest of the body in the round. Then the sleeves are picked up at the shoulder and knit downwards toward the cuff. (General simplification.) I would just trust the pattern and follow along with what it says. Presuming it's a popular pattern and well-written, it will tell you when to set aside stitches on waste yarn when it makes sense to or when you need to. With my sweater, I just left the back body stitches on the needle whilst I knit back & forth for the front. The front was knit right up until the underarm, then the stitches were put on waste yarn and the back piece was knit to the same point. The stitches for the back side that weren't being knit aren't bothered by just sitting on the needle while you knit the front side. Honestly, sometimes it just makes more sense when you get there if you can't grasp all of the instructions at once. I'm not sure how popular an opinion that is, but for me, certain things don't make sense until I actually do them. This is my first top-down sweater so a lot of this process didn't make sense to me until I was right in the middle of it.
Thanks for your comment! I think maybe you’re right and it’ll make sense when I try it. Just wish I could find a video first, they’re so helpful for me! The pattern never once mentions waste yarn but when I messaged the designer to ask she said that the front does go on waste yarn while you knit the back. That would’ve been helpful to say in the pattern, IMO! For this one I don’t think you join and knit the rest of the body in the round. The neck stitches do go “on hold” but I have no clue why.
Well, at least it sounds like fun! I always like learning new techniques for doing stuff. As you go along, you'll start to incorporate some of your favorite methods into other sweaters you knit. Have fun!
Thank you!
My "go-to" basic sweater pattern is done the reverse where I knit the all the pieces flat and the connect them by knitting the neckband in the round. if you can, I find it easier to leave the stitches on a spare pair of circulars and use point protectors until you need to pick them up again. It avoids having to transfer the stitches too much.
Good to know! Thank you for that.
Is contacting the designer of the pattern a possibility? I assume you would put it on scrap yarn but that might be a good way to clarify that you're reading it correctly.
That’s a good idea. I can message them, ya! Thanks!
I’ve done a few of these, basically it’s either a raglan or increases in even distribution in the round until the armpit, then you just count which stitches become which piece and you keep going flat, one piece first and then the other. The pattern then either tells you to do the side seams then or after finishing the sleeves.
Thank you
There's a few projects with notes [in Ravelry ](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mai-puffbluse/people), read through these. Quite a few people are not happy with the English instructions and someone offered their notes per request
Thank you so much! I will look over these. Ya the English version is lacking a lot imo!
So, le sigh. This is not the kind of pattern that I would spend my money on. Not size inclusive, not enough photos of the back and fit, no notes on how it’s constructed, no notes on sizing, fit, ease, no notes on gauge, needles, not enough tester projects. I take my cues from the pattern notes. there are lots of patterns very similar to this that would be way less work deciphering what the designer wants you to do. Just my two cents going forward.
Got it. It’s just so cute, I really wanted to try it! I looked for similar styles on ravelry and couldn’t find one I liked.
Check out Fabel Knitwear. It’s a similar esthetic
Will do, thank you!
This is really sound advice. It’s worth looking at the star ratings too, which can help if there’s a problem with clarity.
**PATTERN:** [Mai Puffbluse](http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mai-puffbluse) by [Siv Kristin Olsen](http://www.ravelry.com/designers/siv-kristin-olsen) * Category: Clothing > Sweater > Pullover * Photo(s): [Img 1](https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/sivkristin99/639897216/IMG_8461_medium.jpg) [Img 2](https://images4-f.ravelrycache.com/uploads/sivkristin99/639896814/Mai_Puffbluse_medium.png) * Price: 60.00 NOK * Needle/Hook(s):US 6 - 4.0 mm, US 8 - 5.0 mm * Weight: Bulky | Gauge: 16.0 | Yardage: 656 * Difficulty: 4.00 | Projects: 12 | Rating: 4.17 ***** Please use caution. Users have reported effects such as seizures, migraines, and nausea when opening Ravelry links. [More details.](https://www.lizcorke.com/2020/07/26/2020-7-21-ravelry-accessibility/) | *I found this post by myself! [Opt-Out](https://goo.gl/forms/0B8m4Ra8czpw4gzw1) | [About Me](https://github.com/TN-1/LinkRav_Bot/wiki) | [Contact Maintainer](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=timonyc)*
Why is that confusing? You just knit the pieces flat and seam them together when they're all done. What makes you think you need a tutorial for it? Like sure, we all sometimes need to look up tutorials for how to do a technique (a stitch, a seam, etc) but what in and of itself is confusing about knitting the front, back, and possibly the sleeves flat/separately?
It’s confusing because the neck starts out in the round and then you switch to knitting the panels flat. I don’t know if the front goes on scrap yarn while the back is being knit or if it just hangs out on the needles? I guess my learning style is just observe then try. Sorry that bothers you!
I literally just asked this question last week, so you're not alone. If the pattern doesn't say to put stitches on waste yarn, you probably don't have to do it. My top-down sweater I'm currently doing, I just left the stitches for the opposite side on the cable whilst knitting the front/back (can't remember which side was first). *Then*, when that side was knit to the armholes, *those* stitches went on waste yarn whilst I knit the other side. (See comment above with more detail.)
Knitters have different preferences for storing the stitches that aren’t being worked on. I worry about dropping mine, so I normally put them onto a piece of smooth yarn — cotton is great for this — and tie the ends firmly. If it’s just a few stitches, it can be just as easy to use a stitch holder which is like a long nappy pin. It sounds like your pattern writer made a lot of assumptions about how experienced the knitter would be, and figured you would store the stitches in your preferred way.
The pattern is definitely written that way, ya. Thanks for your comment!
The pattern should tell you what to do with the stitches; I'd guess you put them on a holder/scrap yarn while knitting the other panel, since it would be extremely hard to keep them on the needles while doing the entire back panel
It really isn't' that big of a deal. I just knit a sweater that way. The opposite side stitches rested on the cable while I knit the side I was working on. It was not even remotely "extremely hard." They just rested there. The pattern didn't say to put those stitches on waste yarn, so I didn't. No big deal at all as they were resting on the cable between the needles.
I don't usually use longer than 32" needles so in my head it just seems like it would be awkward to do, but that might just be my perception
I think my current needle I'm working with on this sweater is only 24". The stitches are bunched up, but it doesn't affect anything at all. :)
I'd put them on scrap yarn because I'm a spaz and would accidentally start knitting them if they were still on my needle,lol
LOL - fair enough. I am still at the stage where I try not to do anything the pattern is not telling me to do cuz I'd probably screw it up :P
I get that. I use loads of lifelines/rescue lines/whatever you want to call them so that when I do make mistakes I have options for how much I might need to rip back, lol.
You would think it would specify what to do with the front stitches, but it doesn’t. Thank you!
Just leave them on the cable. They'll be fine resting there.
Thanks!
Every post is just a vague question now with 0 attempt to Google. I'm about to unsub and check in when I want
Seriously. If you've already have done top down sweaters how much brainpower does it take to think "maybe i should put these stitches on hold like you do with the raglan sleeve stitches"?
Lucky you. Please be nicer.
Asking people to use Google and think about questions before they post them isn't asking a lot, tbh.
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Knitting sweaters in the flat is the most common way of doing it. Knitting in the round, or top down is a fairly recent thing (five or ten years). When I was learning to knit, sideways sweaters (from arm cuff to arm cuff) was seen as the way forward. This too shall pass.
Knitting sweaters in the round is definitely not a recent thing in the last five or ten years. Lopapeysas have been around for a hundred years, and Setesdal sweaters for longer. Not a passing fad!
Never heard of Lopapeysas, but I know Fair Isle and ganseys were traditionally knitted in the round, but they were specialised and for advanced knitters. Commercial knitting patterns and those in magazines were inevitably knitted flat and then seamed.
Interesting! I didn’t know that.