wearing willard.

I wore Willard last week and got loads of compliments. The fit is perfect. I like my sweaters to usually have about +2 inches of ease, and this hits the target mark. I seem to only get the best fit when I’m knitting a top down raglan sweater. Bottom up ones are often too long in the sleeves (despite following exact directions and gauge) and the yoke feels tight and uncomfortable over the top of my arms. What’s more, the armpits seem to hang low, not nice and snug as evidenced by Willard.

Does anyone have any tips for getting a better fit for bottom up sweaters? Most of the ones I want to knit are bottom up, but I’m hesitant because I’m never happy with the fit.

Please advise.

5 responses to “wearing willard.”

ktyn3948

January 29, 2015 at 12:20 pm

The only way to get perfect fit for me is to constantly try it on as I knit. When I knit bottom-up sweaters I check every five inches or so to see if the fit is where I want it and frog back if it’s not right.

Reply
1. jenna.
  
  January 29, 2015 at 12:30 pm
  
  I have tried the try on method, but struggle to try it on when I join for the yoke. How do you try that on? Forgive me if this sounds silly…but I have no idea!
  
  Reply
  1. ktyn3948
    
    January 29, 2015 at 12:41 pm
    
    Very carefully haha. I try it on once before I join for the yoke to make sure everything will line up ok, and then knit awhile until I’m a few inches in and try it on again. It’s easier to try on when you only need one set of circular needles for the whole sweater.
strickmaedchen

January 29, 2015 at 2:14 pm

Maybe it is a needle problem? For example, when you work the sleeves on DPN’s, but the yoke on circulars your gauge could be slightly off. The same is true when those needles are made of different materials, wood vs. metal. Or you could just go up a needle size, when working the yoke…

Reply
1. jenna.
  
  January 30, 2015 at 8:39 am
  
  If its large swaths of color work at the yoke, I always go up a needle size. But I tend to be really good at appropriate tension and fair isle– I’m also not a loose or a tight knitter, so its interesting.
  
  And its really only the sleeves that are always too long. The yokes are to gauge, they just aren’t as comfortable when they are bottom up–merely because the yokes are designed differently and sit differently on the upper arms than top downs, so I’ve found…
  
  Thanks for all the advice!
  
  Reply

wearing willard.

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5 responses to “wearing willard.”

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