OFIC - Tidying up the dreaded ends!
I'm doing the sleeves on my Gerda pullover -- I hate sleeves! (Have I mentioned that before?!?)
I have this problem -- I love getting started on a sweater, I love doing the body -- those long beautiful rounds of repeats.......It's magical. I don't even mind the armhole steeks and neckline shaping. Then come the sleeves. I have a few sweaters around that aren't finished because of my dislike of sleeves.
Here's why...... on this sleeve, I couldn't be bothered with weaving in the new yarns and weaving out the old yarns....so I'm left with this very unappetizing underarm seam. You can see the designated underarm stitch -- the stitch that designates the "seam" and the stitch that I decrease either side of.......
even worse, this is what it looks like on the inside! What a tangle of yarn ends -- what a mess!
With a bit of sorting out though, you can make sense of your ends. Sort them out, matching them up -- you will be able to tell where they belong, which way they need to go -- give them a tug and you'll see where they came from - don't be scared when you see gaping holes like this one! 
Just take the adjacent yarns, do a single one over the other knot, and weave in the remaining ends for 1.5 - 2 inches into the body of the fabric. 
See? The hole disappears when you weave in the ends -- and it looks like an uninterrupted round of knitting. 
When you've woven in all of the ends, just snip them off -- I leave about 1/4 inch and this little bit felts into the body with washings. 
Yes, it's a lot of work to do this, but the result is quite satisfying. Any little inconsistencies will even out in the wash and blocking process -- you'll be amazed! 
I did all of the finishing on this sleeve with Caelee on my lap! I even managed to take this photo as she was trying to get under the sweater! Do you think she's trying to get my attention?
Happy Knitting!
I have this problem -- I love getting started on a sweater, I love doing the body -- those long beautiful rounds of repeats.......It's magical. I don't even mind the armhole steeks and neckline shaping. Then come the sleeves. I have a few sweaters around that aren't finished because of my dislike of sleeves.
Here's why...... on this sleeve, I couldn't be bothered with weaving in the new yarns and weaving out the old yarns....so I'm left with this very unappetizing underarm seam. You can see the designated underarm stitch -- the stitch that designates the "seam" and the stitch that I decrease either side of.......
even worse, this is what it looks like on the inside! What a tangle of yarn ends -- what a mess!
With a bit of sorting out though, you can make sense of your ends. Sort them out, matching them up -- you will be able to tell where they belong, which way they need to go -- give them a tug and you'll see where they came from - don't be scared when you see gaping holes like this one! 
Just take the adjacent yarns, do a single one over the other knot, and weave in the remaining ends for 1.5 - 2 inches into the body of the fabric. 
See? The hole disappears when you weave in the ends -- and it looks like an uninterrupted round of knitting. 
When you've woven in all of the ends, just snip them off -- I leave about 1/4 inch and this little bit felts into the body with washings. 
Yes, it's a lot of work to do this, but the result is quite satisfying. Any little inconsistencies will even out in the wash and blocking process -- you'll be amazed! 
I did all of the finishing on this sleeve with Caelee on my lap! I even managed to take this photo as she was trying to get under the sweater! Do you think she's trying to get my attention?Happy Knitting!
Anne
Yummy colors there...thanks for the 'ends' tutorial. I'm afraid I've got a lot of those in my current Fair Isle (sigh).
ReplyDeleteCaelee looks like she's got the right idea, snuggle under that warm sleeve!
That is a wonderful pictoral lesson! Thanks so much. I am thrilled to see that you have a blog up and running. I am definitely going to link you to mine and watch you like a hawk. ;0)
ReplyDeleteThat. Is Beautiful. Nicely explained too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think she might want something. Maybe.
Very timely tutorial!
ReplyDeleteOops, actually, that was my "anonymous" comment above! I've only had one tea so far this morning!
ReplyDeleteThe sleeve is beautifully done. And, the tutorial is great. The inside of a Fair Isle Sleeve does look like an insane tangle. My first one terrified me. Whatever does one do with all those yarn ends? You have shown how to do it.
ReplyDeleteWonderful.