The Knitting Architect
Basic Charting Principles
Now we begin. We will learn to chart a basic ladies pullover with long set-in sleeves and a round neck. Please understand that if three qualified instructors chart the same sweater for the same person, the three charts may read differently. There may be slight differences between them, but these will not be important. What will matter is the fit. All three sweaters should fit properly. The fit is the key.
The best approach and the easiest approach to charting and knitting a pullover calls for the work to be done in four pieces; the back, the front, and the two sleeves.
We will work with the following sweater measurements:
| Chest | 40 inches |
| Shoulders | 16 inches |
| Length of sweater | 17 inches |
| Length of sleeve | 18 inches |
| Sleeve around upper arm | 15 inches |
| Sleeve around wrist | 10 inches |
| Stitch gauge | 3 sts = 1 inch |
| Row gauge | 4 rows = 1 inch |
| Pattern | stockinette and K1, P1 rib |
| Needles | 8 and 10 1/2 |
The back and the front of the pullover are generally made the same width. Since the whole sweater will measure 40 inches around, then the back must be 40/2 or 20 inches and so must the front (20 + 20 = 40). To obtain the number of stitches to cast on for the back, we simply multiply the stitch gauge by the width of the back.
Stitch gauge x Back
3 x 20 = 60 stitches
So we start as follows:
Cast on 60 stitches.
Since ribbing must be tight, we work it on needles 2 or 3 sizes smaller than needles used for the sweater.
On size 8 needles, rib K1, P1 for 2 1/2 inches. Change to size 10 1/2 needles and stockinette stitch.
We determined that the sweater should be 17 inches long to the underarm.
Work even untill piece measures 17 inches.
"Work even" implies working straight up — no increases or decreases.
At this point we are going to shape the underarm. What we need to do is to reduce the back to the size of the shoulders. The shoulders are 16 inches. That represents 48 stitches (3 times 16). We need to reduce 60 stitches which is what we started with, to 48 stitches which is the size of the shoulders. 60 stitches less 48 stitches leaves 12 stitches to be eliminated. This reduction must be arranged half on one side, half on the other side. We must have symmetry. That means we must eliminate 6 stitches on the right and 6 stitches on the left. But these stitches are not eliminated all at once. We start first with a bind off of several stitches at each side. This first underarm bind off is usually equal to the stitch gauge.
Bind off 3 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows.
Remember that a bind off is always done at the beginning of a row. The other stitches left to eliminate will be reduced one at a time in an effort to create a slope instead of a right angle.
Decrease 1 stitch each end every other row 3 times.
We now refer to our constants. A 40 inch chest has an 8 inch armhole. Work even until armhole is 8 inches.
The back of the sweater is now finished. We have reduced it to 48 stitches, the size of the shoulders (60 sts. less 2 bind off of 3 sts. each = 54 sts. less 2 sets of decreases of 3 sts. each = 48 sts). We must now shape the shoulders and the back of neck.
We know that the back of neck is 7 inches which is the constant for size 40. 7 inches times gauge (3) = 21 stitches. The total number of stitches left on the needle is 48 sts. The difference between the total number of stitches left on the needle and the number of stitches needed for the back of neck represents the number of stitches to be worked in the shaping of the shoulders. 48 stitches less 21 stitches = 27 stitches This number must be divisible by 2, 1/2 for the right shoulder and 1/2 for the left shoulder. Since each shoulder must be identical to the other, remember symmetry, and since 27 does not divide equally by tw( we are forced to add or to eliminate 1 stitch from the number of stitches needed the the shoulder shaping. Whether you add or subtract is entirely your choice. In most cases it will make no difference. But t be safe, look at your customer and determine if she or he has a wide or narrow neck. For a wide neck, add a stitch to the back of neck and subtract from shoulders. A narrow neck, subtract from neck and add to shoulders.
In this instance, we are working with a narrow neck. We will subtract 1 stitch from the 21 stitches of back of neck to make it 20 stitches. We will add this one stitch to the 27 stitches of shoulders making them 28 stitches. Remember that no matter what you do, the original 48 stitches you were left with does not change. 21 + 27 = 48 and 20 + 28 = 48.
To shape the shoulders, we must bind off the 28 stitches we allocated to them. We must bind off 1/2 or 14 stitches for the right side and 14 stitches for the left side leaving 20 stitches for the back of neck in the middle. But we do not wish to bind off alt 14 stitches at one time. We want to create a slope to match the natural shape of our shoulders. In order to do this, we break the bind off into several steps.
At this point we introduce another constant. It applies to the number of steps in which one will bind off at the shoulders.
Stitch gauge under 4 stitches, bind off each shoulder in 2 steps.
Stitch gauge of 4-6 stitches, bind off each shoulder in 3 steps.
Stitch gauge of more than 6 stitches, bind off each shoulder in 4 steps.
Our stitch gauge is 3. We fall into the first category so: Bind off 7 stitches at beginning of next 4 rows.
This represents two rows at the right and two rows at the left. This is two bind off on each side.
The shoulders are now done. We are left with 20 stitches for the back of neck. Here we have a choice.
We can bind off these 20 stitches
We can place them on a holder
My preference is to bind off. This will create a firmer frame that will prevent the shoulders and back from stretching.
Bind off 20 stitches for back of neck.
The back is now all done.
Front
We are now ready to begin the front. The front is identical to the back up to the point where the neck starts (for a pullover) so:
Cast on 60 stitches on size 8 needles and rib K1, P1 for 2 1/2 inches. Change to 10 1/2 needles and stockinette stitch. Work even until piece measures 17 inches. Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Decrease 1 stitch each end every other row 3 times.
At this point, we must establish another new constant. This one is for the round neck shaping on the front of sweaters.
Size 20-25, neck starts 1" short of top of armhole.
Size 26-30, neck starts 1 1/2" short of top of armhole.
Size 31-42, neck starts 2" short of top of armhole.
Size 43-52, neck starts 2 1/2" short of top of armhole.
The armhole constant is 8 inches for size 40. The neck starts 2 inches below that. 8 less 2 = 6 inches. So we continue.
Work even until armhole is 6 inches.
We have allowed 20 stitches for the back of neck. We must allow the same number for the front of neck in the sweater. These 20 stitches for the front must be rounded off. We will bind off a center portion of these 20 stitches in one step and then we will round off the corners by decreasing a stitch at each end every other row until the balance of the 20 stitches of neck is used up. The question is how many stitches do we first bind off in the center?
The one rule we use is to take the number of stitches for the back of neck and deduct from it two times the gauge. Should the gauge not be a whole number, it must first be rounded to its next whole number. So we take 20 stitches less (2x3) = 14 stitches to be bound off in the center of row.
At this point, we have 48 stitches, 14 of which we must bind off in the center. To determine where the bind off should start, we use the following formula.
Total number of stitches (48) — Stitches to be bound off (14) divided by 2.
(48 - 14)/2 = 17 stitches
This number (17) tells me that there will be 17 stitches on either side of the 14 stitches to be bound off in center of row. So we continue:
Work 17 stitches.
Now we want to bind off 14 center stitches and create the separation in the front for each side to be worked up. To create this separation and work both sides up simultaneously we must introduce a second ball of yarn, one for each side. By working both sides simultaneously we make sure to work the same number of rows on both sides. We continue:
With a second ball of yarn, bind off 14 stitches and work remaining 17 stitches.
The 17 stitches represent 14 stitches of the shoulder plus the 3 stitches of gauge taken from the center of neck on each side. To round off the front of the neck, it is these 3 stitches that we must eliminate gradually and on each side. It follows:
Decrease 1 stitch each neck edge every other row 3 times.
These 6 stitches plus the 14 stitches bound off represent the same opening in front as we have in back. We now have 14 stitches remaining on each side for the shoulders. The shoulder bind off in the front must match the shoulder bind off in the back. So we continue:
Work even until armhole measures 8 inches.
Armhole for back and front must match.
Bind off 7 stitches at the beginning of next 4 rows.
This is the same thing we did for back. Now the front is finished.
Sleeve
Since both sleeves are the same, we only need to chart one. We multiply the wrist measurement by the gauge to obtain the cast on number of stitches. Wrist is 10 inches, gauge is 3, so 10 times 3 = 30 stitches. It follows:
Cast on 30 stitches on size 8 needles. Rib K1, P1 for 2 1/2 inches.
From this point we must progressively increase the width of the sleeve. We must go from 10 inches around the wrist to 15 inches around the upper arm. 15 inches represents 45 stitches. We must add 45 less 30 = 15 stitches to the width of the sleeve. These increases must be made equally on both sides. The sleeve must be symmetrical. Since 15 is not divisible by 2, we must even up or even down this number in order to be able to divide by 2. We must use our judgment. A thin arm, even down. A heavy arm, even up. In this instance, we will even down. We will increase 14 stitches, 7 on each side, progressively.
The sleeve length is 18 inches. We already used 2 1/2 inches for the ribbed cuff. 18 less 2 1/2 = 15 1/2 inches left. As a rule, all the increases on a long sleeve must be finished at least 3 inches before the armhole bind off on adults and 2 inches before the armhole bind off on children.
For our sweater sleeve, we started with an 18 inch sleeve. We reduced that by 2 1/2 inches for the cuff, and we now reduce it by 3 inches (see above rule). 18 less 2 1/2 = 15 1/2 less 3 =12 1/2. We have 12 1/2 inches in which to make our 7 increases on each side. 12 1/2 inches times the row gauge represents 12 1/2 times 4 = 50 rows. We must increase 14 stitches, that is, 2 stitches, one at each end 7 times. These increases must be spaced equally in the 12 1/2 inches of sleeve immediately above the cuff. Every so many rows we must increase. The question is how many rows?
To figure this, we take the number of rows in the the 12 1/2 inches (50) and divide it by the number of times we must increase (7). 50/7 = 7.14. We round it down to the nearest whole number which is 7. We must increase every 7 rows. It follows:
Change to 10 1/2 needles and stockinette stitch. Increase 1 stitch each end, every 7 rows, 7 times. Continue to work even until sleeve measures 18 inches.
In order to successfully shape and fit the parts of the sweater together, the bind offs and decreases of the front and back must match those of the sleeves. For a set in sleeve, the cap is shaped by binding off gauge on each side and decreasing 1 stitch each and every other row until cap is (refer to following constant):
Size 20-26 2 inches less than armhole.
Size 27-31 2 1/2 inches less than armhole.
Size 32-40 3 inches less than armhole.
Size 41-48 3 1/2 inches less than armhole.
Above 48 4 inches less than armhole.
All caps are not shaped the same way. Since the bind offs and decreases of back and front must match that of sleeves, we start as follows.
Bind off 3 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows. Decrease 1 stitch each end every other row 3 times.
Since this is a set in sleeve cap, we continue as follows.
Decrease 1 stitch each end, every other row, until cap is 5 inches (3 inches less than armhole). Bind off all remaining stitches.
Start over for second sleeve.
Finishing
The main work is finished. The four pieces are done. They must be put together as follows.
Back stitch (he front and back together at the shoulders and at the sides. Fit in the sleeves by matching the bind offs and back stitch all around armhole.
To finish the neck, we will rib 3/4 inch all around. To determine the number of stitches to be picked up, we measure around the neck, we measure around the neck of the sweater. We multiply this number by gauge. 18 inches times 3 = 54 stitches. It follows:
Pick up 54 stitches evenly around the neck on circular or double pointed needles and rib K1, P1 for 3/4 inch or desired Length. Bind off loosely or sweater wont go on.