Sleeves & Body (+ Neckline)
After completing the worksheet, Julie knit the body until she reached the end of a skein. She then put the body stitches on hold while she worked the neckline ribbing. This step is typically done in the “Finishing” section of the Mabel pattern. However, by knitting the neckline ribbing at this point, she was able to get a better idea of the overall fit and avoid any potential yarn chicken with the body and sleeves.
She picked up 76 stitches around the neckline and decreased to 60 stitches, as the pattern calls for. Going down to a US 8 (5 mm) needle, she knit the collar to about 2 inches in 2x2 ribbing. She then went up to a US 10 (6 mm) needle and bound off in pattern, using this trick to neaten up the edge.
Julie returned to the body, joining in her new skein by wet felting the ends together, sometimes called “spit splicing.” Typically she’ll knit her sleeves first, but this time she finished the body at about 19” from neck to bottom edge, and then knit her sleeves. Like the collar, she also used a US 8 (5 mm) needle for the cuffs and body ribbing. When she tried on her Mabel, she decided the body was more cropped than she wanted - so she ripped back the body ribbing, added 2 inches of stockinette (10 inches total after sleeve separation), then re-knit the 3 inch / 7.5 cm of 2x2 ribbing. A super quick fix with chunky weight yarn! Click here to watch her try it on.
And just like that, her knitting is done! Now on to the finishing touches…next week!
TIP: The easiest way to pick up stitches around a neckline (or anywhere!) is to use a super skinny needle. Julie prefers to use a size US 0 (2 mm) 40'' (100 cm) circular needle. You can watch her demonstrate this here.
Resources & Tutorials:
Comments
Hi Kelly, Have you had a chance to look at Julie’s Mabel Videos on the YouTube play list, linked at the end of each update above? If not, you will probably find videos 28-35 really helpful for these questions. If you still have questions after viewing them, please email us at knit@cocoknits.com. We are happy to help!
Hi Julie, This is my first Cocoknits sweater and Im making Mabel. Im having difficulty with picking up the stitches for the collar. My selvage edge is a bit loose and not super neat. Am I picking up the right leg of the selvage V or am I working with the stitch adjacent? Is there a stitch ratio for the collar? Thank you for your help.
Hi Shirley, No need to rip! Julie ends up with slightly different stitch counts all the time. Since you know the extra stitches are between the yellow and red markers, just decrease 2 stitches evenly over the neckline. Choose where they won’t be obvious, maybe 1 near each marker. One of the great things about the Cocoknits Method is you can often adjust as you go along and rip less. Feel free to email us at knit@cocoknits.com if you have more questions. Enjoy your Mabel!
Somehow I ended up with 2 extra stitches in my neckline (between the red and yellow markers) for a total of 202 (size L) stitches for the yoke. How will that affect my neck ribbing? Do I need to rip back and figure out where I messed up? thanks
Hi Mary, Unfortunately, it sounds like you missed doing Round 4 on p. 9. It is a plain knit round after the Backward-Loop CO. That gives a purl bump for the SWSRs. It’s probably possible to do some kind of work around, but ripping back and doing Rnd 4 is probably your best bet. Hope you are back on track soon! Feel free to email us at knit@cocoknits.com with more questions.
I am having trouble understanding how to do the shadow wrap on the backward cast on for the neck. There is no purl bump to lift, just the yarn wrapped around for the backwards cast on. What should I be lifting up?
Hi Susie, You are welcome to knit-a-long on any Cocoknits Method sweater you like.
I would love to participate, but I live in Florida. I just can’t see me getting much use from a bulky knit. Suggestions? Maybe I should wait until next time
Hi Susie,
Julie doesn’t usually like to recommend ease because it is such an individual choice. We don’t ask our models their bust measurements, but this model is small—maybe 32-34” and she is wearing a size Large (44” bust) so there is approximately 10-12” of ease.
As always, it is a good idea to base the size you knit on a garment that you like the fit of.
Enjoy!
Just wondering what the recommended ease is and what is the ease if the sweater on the model. Thank you
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