About Top-Down Raglan Pullovers the underarm is complete and the raglan piece joined to be worked in the round. The top-down raglan design is of "sea ms" are decreased to the neckline. From Continue increasing every other row until comparatively recent origin in terms of the top-down, the sleeve/body stitches are the piece is long/large enough to meet at swea ter design. Raglan construction was increased to the underarms and then th e the underarms. The sleeves/front/back arc created as a supplement to or replacement sleeves, front and back stitches separated separated at this point. Some designers have of the saddle shoulder sweater. See Suzanne and wo rked to the edgings as three separate the knitter work the sleeves first so they are Bryan's article "Raglan Sleeved Sweaters tubes. worked down to the wrist and finished off. from the Bottom Up" on page 46 for more Others instruct the knitter to work the body discussion o n the history of this design. Construct ion first and then the sleeves. In that instance, The hallmark of the raglan is the diagonal A top-down raglan is essentially a seamless the body is worked as a tube to the desired shaping lines moving from the top of the rectangular yoke. Once the math for gauge length and finished. Regardless of which neckline, to the underarm. Thus, the sleeve is complete, cast o n placing markers at is done first, some additional stitches may top is integrated into the neckline. This the four points dividing the back/sleeve/ be cast on for the underarms to reach the design eliminates the problem of excess front/sleeve (see Swatch 1) . The stitch before desired chest measurement. The finishing fabr ic under the arms which is frequently the purple marker is the beginning of the on a top-down raglan can include a short found in d rop sleeve sweaters or seams to fro nt neck. The stitches between the purple seam at the underarms if the stitches fo r the limit the wea rer's movement. (begi nning of round m arker) and the fi rst sleeve were not picked up from the body green marker are the ri ght sleeve stitches. when started. Finishing can also include Com ponents The sti tches between the green m arkers the neckJ ine edging or a button band for a A raglan sweater incorporates the same are the back neck. The stitches between the cardigan if they were not worked as a part components as other sweater designs second green ma rker and the blue marker of the ga rment. - edgings, a body, sleeves and a neckline. are the left sleeve stitches. The stitch after What sets this design apart is the method the blue marker is for the front neck. In Pros/Cons of shaping the armhole. AJso, although it other words, the short sides of the rectangle Pros can be worked in pieces and seamed, raglan are the sleeves, the long sides are the front For many knitters, one of the major construction lends itself quite well to being and back. The "yoke" of the garment is advantages to working a top-down raglan worked in one piece whether from the created by increasing two stitches at each design is the minimal amount of finishing. bottom up or the top down. When worked marker every other row. After knitting a Once the piece comes off the needles, it in o ne piece from the bottom up, the sleeve/ couple of inches, some additional stitches is almost complete. For those who don't body stitches arc joined when the length to may be cast on for the front neck and the like or are nol proficient at finish ing, this 12 Cast On • May - July 2010 design produces a great looking finished Cables can be incorporated into the raglan object. shaping. Extra stitches need to be cast on to accommodate the cables. Be sure to recheck Another advantage to working from the the math for sizing. Incorporating lace, t op ~ down is that the garment can be tried cables or any stitch pattern involving stitch on as it is progressing. In order to try it multiples can be a challenge. The stitch on, the stitches need to be moved to waste pattern should be centered over the front, yarn long enough to hold the stitches when back and tops of sleeves. Also, the type/rate they are stretched out. Once the sweater of raglan shaping needs to be harmonious has been tried on, it goes back onto the with the stitch pattern. knitting needles to continue working. Also, particularly relevant fo r children's Designing within the Framework, garments, sleeves and body length can be The raglan design is a great canvas for more easily lengthened as the child grows. playing with various types of increases/ Simply remove the bind off and the ribbing, decreases. Because this article focuses on put the stitches onto the needles and knit top-down construction, we will review Swatch 1 to the added desired length, finishing with increases and their visual appearance. As the edging. Children tend to grow taller knitters working through the Master Hand faster than they grow around. Being able to Kn itting Program learn, there are many lengthen sleeves and body will lengthen the different ways to increase stitches. The time a sweater fits. diffe rent methods of working increases resu lt in diffe rent visual appearances. As in Cons lace, using a yarn over increase will create a The diagonal lines running from neck to hole (see Swatch 2). When fl anking a center underarm have the effect of accentuating seam stitch, the hole adds visual interest the shoulders. This attention to the and decorative appeal to the seams. The shoulders is not troublesome for most yarn over increase is particularly sweet in children and men, however some adults children's garments and also complements may not want this focus on their sho ulders. an allover lace design nicely. The bar Also, not all adults are as angular in shape increase creates a small "purl bump" from the neck to the armhole (or the and also works nicely flanking a center armhole to the neck) and so the rate and/or seam stitch (see Swatch 3). Remember, placement of the increases (top down) or in working the bar increase, that the purl decreases (bottom up) need to be altered bump falls after the stitch in which it is for a more tailored fit. worked. In order for the bumps to fl ank the center stitch, one increase must be worked Placing markers at the beginning of the in the stitch just preceding the seam stitch cast on, for top-down, or at the point when and one in the seam stitch itself. Make One the sleeves are joined to the body for a increases are visually less noticeable than bottom-up is one of the more challenging the yarn over or bar increase methods. aspects of setting up the "seam" placement. They are worked in two different ways and If the markers are not properly placed, the are directional depending on the manner shaping Kill be off. in which they are worked (see Swatch 4). Some knitters prefer that the increases slant Stitch Patterns away from the seam (blended increases When designing for a top-down ga rment - as Swatch 4) and some prefer they slant in a sti tch pattern other than stockinette toward the seam (full fashioned increases) or garter stitch, one thing to keep in mind - this is a matter of personal preference, is that stitch patterns and color work are but be consistent. Because the increases necessarily worked upside down. Because are worked every other row in the raglan the garment grows from the neckline shaping, lifted increases are not the best toward the hem, the stitches are the inverse choice. of what they are when the garment grows from the hem to the neckline. As with any design adventure, swatching is a must. continued on page 14 a top-down construction are vertical and Child's Top-Down Pullover FASHION FRAMEWORK would consist of decreases. Waist shaping by Molly Ferrante happens by decreasing to the waist, working plain for an inch or so and then increasing Yarn Symbol: Medium (4) at regular intervals to the desired stitch Level of Experience: Easy continued from page 13 count for the hip measurement. While Sizes: Child 2-4 (4-6, 6-8, 8-10) most patterns work waist shaping where the side "seams" would be it could also be Finished Chest Measurement: The lifted increase is worked by pulling up worked as vertical darts as "princess seams". Chest: 26 (28, 30, 32)" a leg of the stitch from the previous row; Finished Length: 14 (15, 17, 18)" having fewer than three rows between The bottom of the sweater is another increases can result in the fabric puckering. stylization opportunity. Many basic patterns Materials: end the garment with ribbing. Seed or Cascade 220 (3.5oz/100g, 220yds/200m, As with most other types of garment con­ Moss Sti tch can be substituted for ribbing. 100% Wool): struction, raglan designs can incorporate Working a turning row and then reducing 3 (3, 3, 4) skeins #7823 Turmeric many types of necklines. Cardigan designs needle size to work an inch in stockinette Sizes 5 (3.75mm) dpns & 16" (40cm) circ are worked flat or steeked and the front sets the stage for a hem. Hemming the needle & 7 (4.Smm) dpns & 16" (40cm) & neck shaping is dictated by the type of garment increases the fini shing as it will 24" (60cm) circ needles or size needed to neckline desired.