Alterations needed on a knit sweater
lynrob
| Posted in Knitting and Crochet on
I have a beautiful red mohair knit sweater with a cowl neck that is tunic style but way too long for style and my petite size. I would like to “save it’s life” and shorten it to long hip length. It can be left boxy at the bottom and I think would look great with jeans. My questions have to do with: how do I go about unraveling, top stitching, edge finishing. I can knit & crochet, and I do some sewing on a machine with stretch stitch capabilites. The sweater is loose and ribbed along the bottom. HELP. Looking for tried and true suggestions.
Replies
I belong to a knitting group and I've been watching our fearless leader for the past two weeks doing exactly what you want to accomplish. Her sweater, however, is a smoother knit which may make a difference. She very carefully undid the seams and then, when she decided the right length, she cut one thread at the seam line and picked it out, one stitch at a time, until the bottom part was free. She had faith it wouldn't unravel upwards but if it were me, I'd run a thread or a circular needle through the sticthes. Then she unraveled the free bottom part. You should wind it in a loose skein, tie it loosely in two or three places and gently wash it to remove the kinks. When it's dry, wind it up and knit some ribbing or stockinette stitch if you want a turned hem. I think the only problem that would arise is if the sweater material had been knit in a flat piece and cut(!) before sewing. Hers had not so she could unravel back and forth. If your sweater had cut edges, I'd still remove the bottom part but then find a good match in some slighter thinner yarn, knit a hem and fold it up. Hope this gives you some good ideas to work on. rjf
Thanks for your encouraging words. I am anxious to get started since it is already getting chilly here in NE. I am pretty confident I have the skill level....All I have to do is stay CALM, have patience and get "knit" picking!! Here goes!
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