Part 5 – Easy Top-Down Raglan Knitalong

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

Here are my post-snack after school photos of TC trying on her raglan with a sleeve for the first time. Success!

The body length is just perfect and the sleeve is now to the point where I’ve started the ribbing to match the bottom edge in the Splash colorway only. She wants a long extended cuff that starts a little higher up on the arm so that’s why I am starting the ribbing at this point.

The fit is pure heaven! Whoot!

I loved her modeling yesterday. I was smart to wait until after the muffin and juice time because she went to town on posing for me. She is so fun.

Goofy little thing. Note the sleeved arm with her hand behind her head.

Okay, so let’s talk about that neckline a little bit. For TC’s raglan I will be adding a hood which I will post about when I get to it so we’ll put that on hold for now.

In Wendy Bernard’s book, Custom Knits, on pp. 154-55, the final step 10 says to add a clever neck edge at the end. That’s it. All you are doing here is picking up the stitches around the neck edge and adding on whatever edging you have chosen and then binding off. Simple as that.

Here is exactly what I did for the Grape Jelly Raglan for the neckline edging.

Neck Edging for the Grape Jelly Raglan:

With 16-inch circular needles in US size 7 and starting at the left front raglan line (this refers to the left side when you have the sweater on) I reattached the working yarn and picked up stitches as follows:

12 stitches down the left front

12 stitches across the front cast on stitches

12 stitches up the right front

10 stitches across the right sleeve

30 stitches across the back

10 stitches across the left sleeve

86 stitches total are now on my needles.

Place a stitch marker on the first stitch and work in the round.

Continue as follows:

Rnd 1: purl

Rnd 2: knit

Rnd 3: purl

Rnd 4: knit

Bind off loosely.

Note: It is very important to bind off loosely for the neck edge so the sweater will fit comfortably over your head. Some knitters like to go up a couple of needle sizes to work the bind off at this point. I just make a conscious effort to be relaxed and keep the yarn loose while binding off. You don’t want it to look sloppy loose just relaxed so it can stretch.

Cut the yarn and pull the end through the remaining stitch. Weave in all ends to the inside and trim.

You are officially done!!!! Give your sweater a blocking if you choose to do so. I gave mine a good steaming is all and let it dry flat.

Then throw it on and run out the door with your head held high!

By the way, when I get to the neckline point for TC’s raglan I’ll see if I can get someone around here to video me picking up the stitches for the hood and the neckline and I’ll share it on here. Is that something you are interested in? My former videographer has gone and left me for college – the nerve of him. He had the steadiest hand, too. Maybe TC will have to become my new video manager…..