[Ellie RD]

I finished knitting the Gramps cardigan (Kate Oates) four years ago and have NEVER worn it! I tried it on recently and realized that I love everything about it except the sleeves are way too long! The raglan sleeves were knit from the ribbing up to the shoulder and then worked into the body. I believe my best option would be to insert a lifeline below one of the cables (red line on photo) and then cut off the sleeves below that point. I would then pick up the live stitches from the lifeline and knit the ribbing downward from there to the correct length.

I would like any suggestions, words of encouragement, alternative solutions, etc. I put a lot of work into this sweater and would hate to ruin it!

 

[Ellie RD]

I appreciate all of these comments as I have a sweater I made a few years ago and don't wear because the sleeves are wayyyyy too long. Now I will have to check since I think my sweater sleeves were done from the top down. It might be easier that the OP's project to shorten them. Thanks for this info. Happy Needling. jberg

Add on: I just found the pix and patterns for the sweater I knitted and I really should make those sleeves shorter. And it should be quite easy as they were done from the top down. Thanks for this post to kick my butt to do this. jberg

jberg, you realize that it took me 4 years to get to this point! Hopefully, all of the helpful suggestions and the video will give me the incentive (aka kick in the butt) that I need. I am in the process of finishing a wrap that I started 2 years ago with yarn that I bought 30 years ago! My plan is to finish it in the next two days and then I am going to get a ball of scrap yarn and start another sleeve using the same Gramps sleeve pattern. I will then "practice" shortening this sleeve before I take on the ones in my sweater!