Once the body is complete it is time to move onto designing and knitting the sleeves. For the most part this is almost the same as how we calculated the body.
Measuring for the Sleeves
The first calculation you will need to do is to determine the number of stitches to begin with. This will be using the wrist measurement ‘F’ and your stitch gauge. F X 2 X your stitch gauge. For me that was (4.25 X 2) X 5.285 =44.92 I will use 44 as my cast on as once I subtract 2 the stitches are divisible by 7.
Follow the calculation sheet to determine the number of stitches to cast on. Be sure to adjust this number to be divisible by 7 after subtracting 2. Use the I-cord cast on as was done with the body of the sweater.
The next calculation will be how big the sleeve needs to be at the upper arm, (E) or the circumference at the the armpit. This will be the sleeves final stitch count going into the yoke area and will also include stitches that will be reserved for the underarm area of the sleeve. Follow the calculation page to determine the stitch count required at the top of the sleeve.
Determining the Increases
You now have the stitch count you need at the wrist and the stitch count you need at the top of the sleeve. From here we can calculate how many stitches need to be added. Increases are completed on each side of the sleeve. If you need to make an adjustment of a stitch here, do so. One stitch is not going to impact the sizing.
If one were to increase all the stitches at once, the sleeve would bulge out in a rather unattractive way at the cuff. For this reason I am suggesting the increases be evenly spaced between the cuff and the elbow. Follow the calculation page to work out how many increase rounds will you need and how many rows you will knit between the increase rounds. The final stitch count at the top of the sleeve should be divisible by 7 after subtracting 2.
Once the increases are complete you will continue to knit until your sleeve is your “J” measurement (cuff to armhole distance).
Place the sleeve stitches onto a stitch holder or scrap of yarn, then complete the second sleeve.
You have now completed lesson three. Be sure to check out the video to accompany this lesson at Murlo Discovery Channel. Don’t forget to sign up to our blog.
Other Videos in this series
Raglan Lace Alpaca Sweater Lesson 1: The Body
Raglan Lace Alpaca Sweater Lesson 3A: The Yoke Calculations
Raglan Lace Alpaca Sweater Lesson 3B: Knitting the Yoke
Raglan Lace Alpaca Sweater Lesson 4: Completing the Sweater
The Importance of the Swatch
I-cord cast off
I-cord Cast on
