Knit Talk - Ep 25 - Add A Curved Edge to the Bottom of Your Sweater with Short Rows

In today's episode we take a look at a comment from last weeks video about adding depth to the front of a garment. While this can be accomplished with bust darts (which we'll talk about in a forth-coming video!), we look at an easier option to drop the front hem just a bit without affecting the overall shape of the garment!
If you missed last weeks video about converting W&T to German short rows, check it out here: • Knit Talk - Ep 24 - Co...
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[@MrsAChery]

That was perfect! Simple to understand. I hope to add this to my next top.

[@Ladeedi73]

I can’t believe I understood this even though I don’t know how to do short rows very well! Thank you!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

That's awesome! Good on you! I'd love to know if you give it a try sometime. And if you have more questions about short rows, ask away!

[@lisahamilton3380]

Thank you so much for answering my question!!! This is the second time that you have saved me on this sweater. I hope by now Moo’s tummy has settled and you have recovered. I so appreciate you showing up in the middle of all that❤

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome! I appreciate you coming back to learn with me!! And yes, Moo is doing great this week. Let's hope it stays that way! ;)

[@valgill2474]

Meaghan, you make me smile when you share about your life. What pet owner hasn't had sleepless nights when are 4 legged babies aren't well. Nothing like being late for a meeting because one of your little darlings decide they just need to throw up as you are heading out the door. Great video as always. I was wondering how I could change a flat bottom top into one with a scalloped edge and now I know thanks to your excellent directions. Have a wonderful day.

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Aw, thank you! I never want to over-share but we sure do a lot for our kids (fur-babies included) and sometimes it takes it's toll! At the start of tomorrow's episode I cover one last tip if you're adding a curved bottom edge so be sure to check it out if you want to give it a try!

[@indrev4015]

Perfect! Thanks for this! I've been making patterns for woven garments for years and this is EXACTLY how to make a blouse or a dress pattern when there are no darts. (I noticed that cheap clothes don't add that extra depth, so as to save money when cutting and sewing. Which is probably why cheap clothes don't fit nicely!)

[@karenalbery2773]

Your schematic was extremely helpful thank you

[@karenalbery2773]

How did you know this is what i was looking for as well! Love the look of the curved hem and i have been having trouble finding patterns

[@EvieO1950]

I hadn’t seen this as a method to adapt for the bust. I like this idea!!!!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Awesome! Let me know what you think if you give it a try!

[@jenm4721]

Thanks, that was a very good explanation!

[@louannyoung8434]

Meaghan, I'm eagerly following this topic. I'm not certain how to decide the number of stitches from the edges to end each short row - two stitches, four stiches, more?

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

That’s a great question! When I worked my short rows, I worked them in ever-increasing intervals because I wanted a gentle slope to mine. I’ll pull this directly from my sample. The front half of my sweater is 72 stitches. I started out by dividing that total by 3 so I ended up with 3 sections: 1 short row side, the center where no short row turning points will occur (this will be the deepest point of your short rows), and the other short row side. I ended up with 23, 26, 23 based on my spacing of the short rows and the total number of rows I wanted to work but you could certainly do 24, 24, 24. Next you want to determine how many short rows you need to work to achieve your depth. Just for the purpose of this example, we’ll say you want to work a total of 18 short rows, or 9 turns in each short row side. You’ll divide your 23 “short row side” stitches by 8 (your target turning point minus 1): 23 / 8 = 2.875. You will round down to 2 since you don’t want to use MORE stitches than you have for your short row side. On Short Rows 1 & 2 I worked to 4 sts before the end of the row, and then performed the first W&T (so I have 3 sts unworked) at each edge. This was so I had a 3-stitch garter allowance at the edge. This may vary based on the edging you plan to use. On Short Rows 3, 4, 5 & 6 is where I started to use the base number of 2 (that I calculated above dividing my “short row side sts by 8). I worked to 2 sts before the previous W&T, and worked the W&T (so I had 1 stitch between each W&T). On Short Rows 7, 8, 9 & 10 I increased by 1: I worked to 3 sts before the previous W&T, and then worked the W&T so now three are 2 sts between each W&T. Short Rows 11-14 I worked to 4 sts before the previous W&T. And Short Rows 15-18 I worked to 5 sts before the previous W&T. With all 18 rows complete, I was able to knit to each edge, processing the W&T’s as encountered, back to working the entire row. I hope this helps! Good luck!

[@janettelorimer1444]

Hope your pup feels better soon, poor little guy

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Thanks so much - he's doing great this week! Won't sit still now. :)

[@karenhogue3380]

Hope your puppy recovers quickly!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Thank you! He came around fairly quickly, thank goodness. He's still on a pretty strict diet but he's feeling so much better!

[@acheide]

I love your curved bottom sweater. There is very little info on this topic on line. I want to knit my sweater from the bottom up... would I cast on and knit all of the garter stitches and then reverse the short rows starting from the shorter ones to the longer ones? Would that work?

[@leftycrafter]

Also curious about this

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Yes - that would work really well! You want the shape of the short rows to fit the shape you're looking for so you'd start with the narrower short rows at the bottom center and then make each row a little longer / wider as you go!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

@@leftycrafterI'm not sure if you get notified about a response when I comment on the original, but I've left a response about the short rows. :)

[@acheide]

Also, what pattern did you use for your sweater? Was it your own design, and if so, would you be willing to share it, or do you have it for sale. It is hard to find patterns with curved bottoms.

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

This is a sweater that I just made up for myself so I haven't published it but if there is interest, I can certainly consider it. Thanks so much for watching!

[@ShadowTheFosterCat]

Do you have any thoughts about doing this to sweaters with horizontal stripes? I’m making the Storm Sweater by PetiteKnits (which has no darts or anything to accommodate larger boobs). I’ve reached the bottom of the body and am ready to add the ribbing, but the front is about two inches too short for me, while the back is the perfect length.

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

It's tricky when you've got a fabric that is so graphic, using horizontal lines to make the design. If it were colored stripes, you could work a short row (making each stripe deeper by 2 rows) down the front of the sweater to add extra length, but there isn't really room for that in a pattern like the Storm Sweater. I think, were this me, that I would try to work some short rows into the ribbing only. If you were to look at the front and back of the sweater simultaneously, it would be obvious that the front ribbing is deeper at the hem, but since we're often only viewed from the front OR the back it wouldn't be too noticeable. I'm not sure you'd comfortably get two extra inches of length, but you might be able to squeeze in an inch. I would probably start the short rows at the sides of the garment, and then work them slowly longer into the back of the garment. It'll probably fade out better that way, rather than trying to work them shorter in the front. I hope that makes sense. So, just as an example, Short Rows 1 and 2 can turn at the side seams, then Rows 3 & 4 would be 1 or 2 stitches past the side seam (towards the back). So the Front gets crossed entirely on each row. Good luck! I'm rooting for you!!