Imitation Tweed Dress - Building the pattern III
We are working on the back of the dress and just finished the waistband. We are ready to start increasing again for the chest. You need three measurements, from the schematic: V5, V6, and H5. Also see the first post on this pattern.
Work out the number of stitches you need to have when you reach the widest of the back (H5). For me, H5 = 39 cm. This translates to 78 stitches. Finishing the waistband, I have 64 stitches on the needles. This means I will have to increase 14 stitches, or 7 on each side. Over how many rows? This is where V5 comes in. For me, V5 = 8 cm, or 21 rows. This makes it easy: it means one increase row (+1 stitch on each side) every 3 rows. But since I want to work all my increase rows on the WS, where I am in stockinette stitch (it's easier and neater that way), I need to increase every even number of rows (every 2 or every 4 rows). So I do my first increase row after 2 rows, the second one 4 rows after that, and then alternate between 2 and 4, until I have increased 7 stitches on each side. This brings me roughly to V5.
After that, easy. Knit on the 78 stitches until I reach V6 (15 cm from top of waist band).
It's now time to bind off on each side for the arm holes. That's always a little delicate. I like to use a pattern that worked for me, either one already made or one I made myself for a previous garment. I am going to try and give an idea of how to come up with the binding off pattern for armholes. Essentially, we have a starting number of stitches (e.g. 78) and we want to get down to a smaller number of stitches, dictated by H6.
In my case, H6 = 33 cm, or 66 stitches. That means I need to bind off a total of 12 stitches. But that's divided between two sides, so that's 6 stitches on each side. Then you want to do this in a nice curve. The first decrease is the largest, followed by a smaller one, and then a few smaller ones. With only 6 stitches, a good way to round the bend is to do 3+2+1. Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows, then 2 stitches at the beginning of the 2 rows after that. Then wait for the next RS row and decrease the last stitch on each side.
Then we go even on our 66 stitches until the armhole measures (V8-V6) from the first armhole bindoff row. Next time, we are going to work out the decreases for the neck and shoulders.
Increases for chest
Work out the number of stitches you need to have when you reach the widest of the back (H5). For me, H5 = 39 cm. This translates to 78 stitches. Finishing the waistband, I have 64 stitches on the needles. This means I will have to increase 14 stitches, or 7 on each side. Over how many rows? This is where V5 comes in. For me, V5 = 8 cm, or 21 rows. This makes it easy: it means one increase row (+1 stitch on each side) every 3 rows. But since I want to work all my increase rows on the WS, where I am in stockinette stitch (it's easier and neater that way), I need to increase every even number of rows (every 2 or every 4 rows). So I do my first increase row after 2 rows, the second one 4 rows after that, and then alternate between 2 and 4, until I have increased 7 stitches on each side. This brings me roughly to V5.
After that, easy. Knit on the 78 stitches until I reach V6 (15 cm from top of waist band).
Shaping the armholes
It's now time to bind off on each side for the arm holes. That's always a little delicate. I like to use a pattern that worked for me, either one already made or one I made myself for a previous garment. I am going to try and give an idea of how to come up with the binding off pattern for armholes. Essentially, we have a starting number of stitches (e.g. 78) and we want to get down to a smaller number of stitches, dictated by H6.
In my case, H6 = 33 cm, or 66 stitches. That means I need to bind off a total of 12 stitches. But that's divided between two sides, so that's 6 stitches on each side. Then you want to do this in a nice curve. The first decrease is the largest, followed by a smaller one, and then a few smaller ones. With only 6 stitches, a good way to round the bend is to do 3+2+1. Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows, then 2 stitches at the beginning of the 2 rows after that. Then wait for the next RS row and decrease the last stitch on each side.
Then we go even on our 66 stitches until the armhole measures (V8-V6) from the first armhole bindoff row. Next time, we are going to work out the decreases for the neck and shoulders.
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