Knitting: Overview of Sweater Construction, part 3: Shaping of a Basic Neckline

[@bejai1962]

This video is like 'Short Rows for Dummies'. It's the most thorough explanation of short rows I have found ANYWHERE! Your visuals make learning easy. I love that you don't waste time with a bunch of unnecessary blah blah at the beginning. I've made several sweaters, top down is my preference, without the short rows because I just didn't get it. I feel more confident that I can make a sweater that is not 'choking me' because the front neck is too high. I'm spending my Saturday watching the whole series. Thank you so much!!!

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Thanks for watching, and glad I could help!

[@babynataliya]

you're the best, thank you so much! i'm sure your videos deserve much more attention, love the series about sweater construction, please keep going 🥺

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

I will as I am able! :) ❤️

[@kevinorr6880]

I never started a sweater because I was afraid of spending so much time on a garment would not fit. Your explanations and artistic skills are greatly appreciated. I will dive into all your videos. Thank you.

[@tinanguyen4376]

You are such an amazing teacher! Love the diagrams and explanations. Great content 😍

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Thanks Tina! Glad you found it helpful :)

[@user-hi6cw2ul3u]

"knowing what's going on gives you the confidence to do it", that sentence actually made me tear up a bit. I had only ever knitted Flax by Tin Can Knits and was looking for a bit more complicated raglan, but I was getting overwhelmed looking at ravelry patterns because I didn't understand how they were being constructed. Thanks so much for this explanation, I'm going to go look again actually knowing why the pattern calls for only casting on the back but it's supposed to be a seamless raglan!

[@sannefridolin]

This is so helpful! Exactly the information I have been looking for! I knitted my first top down raglan sweater, bu used the basic neckline with no shaping. For my next sweater I want to try a vneck. Most of the patterns I have seen just give the written instructions but no visual clue at all. You make it visually accessible. Thank you!

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

So glad I can help :) . This video more applies to a crew neck, for a v neck often the shaping has to happen before or after you work in the round, but short row shaping can still help lift the back up higher 🤔🤔🤔

[@Patriciahill1]

Thanks for giving me a clear understanding of how short rows work. I am ready for my first raglan. 🎉

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

You’re very welcome, glad to help-Have fun!

[@queenofpixels5458]

You cleared up so much confusion for me. The pattern I was looking at had the short to long short rows and the prior video I looked at had the long short rows and I couldn't get my mind wrapped around it. Thanks for the long explanation and the fact that there are options.

[@WillyGKnitter]

Thanks for the really helpful whiteboard summary of different approaches to short row shaping. I often use recipe-style patterns, but they may only discuss one approach or two. Seeing them side-by-side is great, particularly for how far around the short rows reach.

[@magicalumbrella7151]

Thank you for your very informative videos. Have you considered choosing colours for yourself based on your skin colour? I think you will find that the colour analysis autumn colours willl look really wonderful on you. If you look at the colours of the background quilt in this video and how well they suit you in comparison the the green you are wearing you may see what i mean. Imagine that sweater in an olive, tan or ochres would look so good.

[@deakandrea8786]

Hi, this video is that I was looking for the most to start my next project. I am designing a shirt/top that starts with crochet around (top down), but I was thinking a lot on how to do the back a little bit higher. With the crochet pattern, would be really hard to do the back short row, but at the end of the video you have just shown the green sweater and made my life easy. The whole thing can be done later on... Thank you!

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Glad I could help! I also just worked on a pattern where right before sleeve separation they just added rows only to the back half, and then picked up extra stitches when they did the sleeves….. good luck and enjoy! ❤️❤️❤️

[@iesika7387]

I have done short rows (often VERY short rows) with crochet many times for amigurumi. I am forgetting the name of the stitch, but you can effectively work your crochet stitches backward from the wrong side so that the work appears identical from the right side.

[@pattyjones657]

30:17 I started a sweater two weeks ago and have done nothing but knitting and ripping apart because I couldn’t master on how to do German short rows and increases after my collar ribbing I have watched so many tutorials with no luck. You are an absolutely FANTASTIC instructor. I now know how to do it with the bonus of having written instructions that you provided. Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate it. May be you can help me with my other dilemma that I’ve been trying to learn by asking multiple instructors but have had no success. I love to knit sweaters in the round top down. I have so many beautiful design stich patterns that are in different multiple stitches and rows. My problem is how do I put them into a sweater pattern so they will be symmetrical through out the entire sweater including the sleeves? How would I do the calculations for this to fit in my pattern of the sweater, etc.? If you can guide me on how to do this, the sky is the limit. I then can knit anything of my choice. I thank you so very much, and if you have an answer for me, please let me know. ❤️🌺🧶🌸

[@ewakraft5770]

Thanks, your explanations are so interesting and not boring! 🤩 New Supscriber here.

[@luciaoperosa2239]

Thank you !!!! I’ve been trying to figure out the logic of SR for a looong time, this is exactly the overview I was looking for !! 👏🏻👏🏻 I keep hearing that topdown seamless makes the sweater stretch because of the weight .. I am a big size and I wonder if slipped stitches may counterbalance the stretching, does it make sense? Thank you for your wonderful drawings, your pleasant attitude, generosity with information.. your costumers are the luckiest !!! Thank you for your time 🤗🤗🤗

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Thanks for the feedback and the compliments! I always hope the videos are helpful. ❤️ Slipped stitches where, at the turns for short rows? A concern would be that they might stretch, I suppose, though they would have less bulk/weight than other w&t or German short rows in theory…., I have no experience to share on that one! Almost all the sweaters I’ve been making lately are too down, I like their ease of construction. I suppose a seamed sweater could have more stability because of the seams, but I would think it also has more weight. I’ve heard adding a collar after by picking up stitches can give you a tighter collar, a lot of the stretch may depend on fiber and twist content and weight of the yarn. There are a lot of what ifs? ❤️❤️❤️

[@ngafrook5556]

I learn a lot from your video.

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Awesome, glad I can help!

[@lizrogers5618]

So much wonderful info!❤️

[@carolineroberts8490]

Thank you so much! Maybe I can do this.

[@lauramartens5516]

Excellent! Thank you SO much!

[@TheGoforgirl]

you are such a good teacher! i need some help please! I've just come to the end of my top down circular yoke motif and i am still 66 stitches less than the pattern suggests! The yoke fits around my shoulders a bit snugly but i'm loathe to unpick everything. can i just carry on and just increase before the german short rows. I so, how do i do that. The yoke called for me to M1L every 7 stitches on 2 of the rows

[@suelloyd2894]

Thank you for your great videos and instructions! I wonder if you would be able to demonstrate attaching and knitting a turtle or high neck collar to a down-up pieced sweater with straight dropped shoulders? Unless you have already done one? Thank you again.

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Hi Sue- I haven't done this yet- when I'm at the right point I may go over picking up stitches on a neckline of a top-down sweater, sometimes it is the same. I have videos on picking up stitches, I believe. Not sure if a drop shoulder sweater or a different type of shoulder would make too much difference in the neckline, that often depends on the pattern writer 🤔🤔

[@suelloyd2894]

@@SunDragonTipsTricks thanks so much for your reply. I imagine a loose roll top collar for this the first sweater I've ever made, but am not sure how to calculate the decreases and or increases for a collar and cannot find instructions or a pattern anywhere. I will definitely check out your video on picking up stitches to start with. Thank you again 😊 xx

[@pushplatasingh7329]

The sweater you r wearing is wonderful.

[@MoreTisha]

Best description! lol

[@MATHMARILU]

Thank you so much for sharing.

[@shohrehsarem9571]

Thanks 4 sharing ❤️

[@Fran-yh8vy]

Thank you for this video, I now understand the differences between staggering the stitches the traditional way and short rows. Can you direct me to any good references where the math calculations are explained on how to calculate the stitches, step by step, to design a top down raglan using the traditional method?

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Hi Fran- I don’t have a video or reference specifically for that, I use patterns we have access to, so I can tell my customers how to make theirs. Ann Budd may have a book for reference based on your gauge……❤️

[@ngafrook5556]

I learn at lot from your videos. Can you tell the pattern of the green sweater you are wearing? I love it and you are an amazing knitter. Thsnks

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Thanks Nga! I believe I’m wearing my Sorrel sweater, the pattern is by Wool & Pine: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sorrel-15

[@renatemuller7485]

Is there a specific reason I when use the L-S vs. S-L short row shaping? In both cases I'm adding more material to raise the back. When do I use which method? Is there a difference in between wearing comfort? Thank you so much for explaining the whole thing and how different things work

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

That’s an excellent question, and I’m not really sure if there is a difference, even though I’m on an incredible sweater kick I don’t know if there is a noticeable difference, different pattern writers may just prefer to write them in different ways? As I’ve helped explain patterns to knitters over the years I’ve noticed it being written in different ways, I have not yet noticed a trend as to why. It may be how they learned short row shaping, or there may be a noticeable difference….. if I discover more I’ll update! ❤️

[@kala4499]

Would You be so kind to clarify what would be the difference between working (top down) short rows only on sleeves or only on the front or both on sleeves and the front? How will shape the neckline? I'm trying to figure out how to count short rows to have a more steep neckline in the front, and another one with a v-neck line.

[@rebmedina2835]

It's a pity your 2nd column can't be seen on the screen

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

This may depend on the format with which you are watching it- I edit the videos to stay focused on the part I am talking about, so the 2nd column should be visible when I am drawing on it.

[@tzemoiang6705]

Love the sweater you are wearing! Do you sell the pattern??

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Hi there, apologies for the delayed reply. The sweater I'm wearing in this video is the Sorrel by Wool & Pine, I don't sell it but you can find it on Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sorrel-15

[@estefanimarx2972]

Amaaaaazing vídeo ❤ saved me from panicking on my first challenge of a sweater

[@malabanerjee8424]

Madam I watched your videos. I understand your logic regarding s& l rows clearly. I liked your last two sweaters where people will not understand where I am increasing. I liked it best. I like to have your guidance kindly to knit a sweater of5 years old boy. Your last but one is in multi colour. I think to knit that way. Would you please send me a link of that.

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Hi Mala- most of the sweaters I held up were other people’s patterns; I think I have links in the description for most of them, the multi color one is called Jupiter Crop, but if you want to knit one for a 5 year old, it doesn’t come in that size. My favorite pattern writer for all sizes of sweater is Tin Can Knits. Maybe something like Almanac could work: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/almanac-2 Cartography has colorwork all through it: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cartography If you like their patterns, you can click on their name on Ravelry and see all of their patterns. Hope this helps!❤️

[@ChelleChelly]

Is it possible to do a v neck when working a bottom up sweater in the round? Especially without having to do raglan.

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

Absolutely! I’m about to start Angel’s Envy by Thea Coleman- it is a cardigan rather than a pullover but some of the same ideas. Bottom up in the round one method can be knit in a circle until the armholes, then back and forth on front and back- to make a v neck you would then subdivide again and work on the left side and then the right from the lowest point of the v-neck decreasing evenly as you went up. I would recommend set-in sleeves later, or perhaps picking up stitches off the sides of the front and back to make sleeves if you do not like raglan shoulders. There may be a way to make sleeves and join everything at the armhole and keep working up, perhaps with even “all over” decreases, but I am not as familiar, much more experienced with top down patterns.

[@alexs.226]

I want to knit a raglan cardigan in lace pattern, but I can't wrap my head around how short row shaping could work with this style. I guess it works only with simple flat patterns. Or should I sustain from using raglan design alltogether? I am a beginner and not comfortable with set-in sleeves...

[@SunDragonTipsTricks]

A couple of suggestions- if you wanted to work in the short rows, you may have to adapt where the lacework happens, and that could get off, different lace rows in different parts of the row. The Kordy sweater I recently knit had an interesting solution- when you divide for the sleeves they had you knit 8 more rows on just the back half, back and forth, and then join to work in the round- no short rows. When you start the sleeves you pick up some extra stitches along the edge of the sides created by those rows. If your brain can wrap around that, perhaps a repeat or so of the lace pattern can coordinate with that, so once you join in the round again everything is on the same row? It would man shifting from knitting all the lace in a circle on the right side to knitting back and forth (right side and wrong side) for just a few rows…. ❤️❤️🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@alexs.226]

@@SunDragonTipsTricks Thank you, for your help. It's typical me: being a beginner and still being too ambitious..😉