Wednesday, September 21, 2005

To convert to raglan

I'm starting to make a pattern from the newest issue of knitty.com.  I always like to know how a pattern is going to fit before making it -- and sometimes I redo patterns completely.  So I had to devise a way to redo patterns or, at least, compare them to my other patterns.  Here's my formula for converting a pattern to raglan.

First: Determine how many more garment stitches than sleeve stitches there are.
BB = number of garment stitches (from pattern) below the underarm divided by 2
SS = number of sleeve stitches (from pattern) near underarm seam (Include stitches belonging to underarm seam.)
Add 2 (or 4) to SS -- 2 if there are an odd number of stitches in the raglan seam, 4 if an even number.  (I arrange the raglan seam so that just over half of it belongs to the sleeve.)
D = BB – SS

Second: Measure your neck. Multiply by 120%. Multiply by the gauge. Call this number N.
OR: Second: Count the number of stitches at the neckline. Call this number N.

Third: Calculate the number of stitches at the neckline (so that B – S = D).
S = (N / 4) – (D / 2) -- number of sleeve stitches at neck
B = (N / 4) + (D / 2) -- number of garment-back stitches at neck
The type of neck chosen determines F, the number of garment-front stitches at the neck.
B and S should be made into whole numbers -- and possibly tweaked further to fit in with the ribbing and/or garment patterns.

Fourth: Determine U, the length of the underarm seam, and R2, the number of rows with raglan decreases/increases (decreases if knitting from the top down, increases if knitting from the bottom up). (One choice for U is BB/6. Another choice is the value of U from the pattern.)

After U is chosen, then R2 = (BB – B – U) / 2. U may have to be changed in order to make R2 a whole number.  Also check that 2 * R2 < R, the number of rows above the underarm seam. (Raglan decreases/increases are usually taken every other row – and sometimes every fourth row. For this reason, 2 * R2 needs to be less than R.)

Saturday, September 17, 2005

casting on

I just realized that I've been recommending the wrong type of cast on for starting a sweater.  What I should have said was use a cable cast on (instead of a chain cast on).  Directions for the cable cast on can be found at : http://www.wonderful-things.com/newknit1.htm.  The cable cast on is easy to do, doesn't twist much, and is fairly substantial.  It's not too good, however, in places where one wants to pick up stitches -- such as at the underarm sleeve.