When last the Lazy Knitter reported, the retained armhole stitches were waiting to become sleeves. Today I have 2 sleeve caps that each look like this:
[pretty freaking perfect, if you ask me.]
I joined on and worked each stitch (concealing wraps as in Cat Bordhi's latest book) and picking up stitches to a total of 106 (the final stitch count for my size). I then worked in short rows, starting with 32 centre stitches, increasing one on each row until all stitches had been incorporated. Now it's just a matter of working in the round to the wrist, reversing the shapings. I love this method and its effect.
The only change I would have made would be to centre the pattern on the body of the sweater. It's not written this way, as the intent is for a row of Os in the pattern to serve as buttonholes. Once I opted to add a button band instead of doing this, having Os on the buttonhole edge became less important. The knits of half-cable on the edges would have made a cleaner canvas for picking up stitches, but I think I did pretty darned well with the purl background.
Speaking of facings and buttons and all good things, check these out:
I. Love. Them.
True to form, once the hardest parts of the sweater were done, I set it aside to work some other projects. Lots of them.
A felted purse for my niece:
The beginnings of a pair of socks for my nephew:
More clogs, just because they're quick and fun...
And a completed and blocked Swallowtail for a draw prize at an upcoming charity luncheon. (Click for bigger.)
I'm Toronto-bound in the morning, hoping to do a run-by visit at Lettuce Knit for Knit Night before having a sleepover with a dear, dear friend. Have a happy hump day!
Wow! The green sweater looks awesome. I have so much trouble with sweater sleeves. Yours look great. Oh, and I love the buttons!
Posted by: Shea | March 25, 2008 at 09:19 PM
So.... When you gonna write up a step-by-step tutorial on how to do set-in sleeves from the top-down? I hate seaming. HATE.
Posted by: Beverly | March 26, 2008 at 12:28 AM
You're the last person in the world that should be calling herself a lazy knitter.
Posted by: turtlegirl76 | March 26, 2008 at 08:44 AM
lovely job on the sleeves.
Definitely a way to do it (I normally knit in the round, shortrow the caps leaving all the edge stitches live and then pop them through to the back before doing the bind off on the inside.
Also avoids the issue of sewing in, but your way allows for some variation in arm hole size
cool!
Posted by: Holly | March 26, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Where are the photos of knit night?
Posted by: Lestersmama | March 27, 2008 at 01:12 PM
Love your sweater! Pretty colour. I am wondering if the short rows were explained in the pattern or if you added that part. Very cool.
Posted by: Aline | March 30, 2008 at 02:48 PM