How To Join Underarms Neatly

 Both my Top-Down and Bottom-Up cardigans are very popular with knitters all around the world. The ease of knitting, and the fact that they require very little seaming is a big bonus. 

But joining the underarm area gives some knitters problems. So I thought I would add some tips and photos to help you. 

Bottom-Up Cardigans and Sweaters

How To Join the Underarm ~

• Join the sleeve seam first - from the cuff upwards to the top of the sleeve
• There are 3 cast off stitches at each side of the sleeve seam - join these 6  stitches in a straight line with the 6 cast off stitches at the underarm of the main body part by oversewing (I used a contrast colour in some of the photos below to guide you where to go)
• Darn away the tail of yarn down the sleeve seam for a few inches, and cut off the yarn 

How to Neatly Join the Underarm of Bottom-Up Sweaters

 

Top-Down Cardigans and Sweaters

How To Join the Underarm ~

•  Join the sleeve seam first - from the cuff upwards
•  When you get to the underarm gap - run the needle and yarn in and out around the gap (I used a contrast colour in some of the photos below to guide you where to go)
•  Pull gently to gather the underarm area together
•  Darn away the tail of yarn down the sleeve seam for a few inches, and cut off the yarn

    

How to Neatly Join the Underarm of Top-Down Sweaters

 I am happy for you to use my patterns for your own use or for charity donations.  

In addition:  You can gift or sell any finished items you make from my patterns.    

However, please do not copy my patterns

Copyright © 2021 ‘made by marianna’       All Rights Reserved

This pattern (the information and photos) may not be copied 

or reproduced or republished on any other webpage or website.   

How To Join Seams Neatly Using a Flat Seam

I know that many of you feel that your work is sometimes spoiled because your sewing up or joining is not as neat as it could be.

So, I thought I would show you how I do it.

There is often no right or wrong way in knitting – and perhaps you use a different method. That’s fine!

All I can say is, this is the way I was taught and it works for me.

 

Flat Seam                                 

If you knit my patterns regularly you will know that I slip the first stitch of each row knitwise, and knit the last stitch of every row.

There are only 2 exceptions to slipping the first stitch of a row –

1.     After a cast on row – the first stitch is knitted, not slipped

2.     When joining in a new colour – again, the first stitch is knitted, not slipped

By slipping the first stitch and knitting the last stitch, you will have a stable edge and a little ‘bump’ at the row edges. One ‘bump’ for every 2 rows worked.

When it comes to joining together two parts or sewing a seam, it is easy to join the ‘bumps’ and this keeps the seam neat and even.

 

How To make a flat seam ~

·        Place the two knitted pieces evenly on top of each other, with the right sides together

·        Use the tail from the cast on or cast off, and thread it on to a tapestry needle  – or if you are using a new length of yarn, leave a 3” tail for darning in later

·        Insert the needle from back to front through the first 2 ‘bumps’, and pull the yarn through

·        Insert the needle from back to front through the next 2 ‘bumps’, and pull it through (don’t pull too tightly or you will pucker the seam)

·        Continue in the same way until the entire seam has been joined

·        Cut the yarn, leaving a 3” tail - weave in this tail, plus the tail you left at the beginning of the seam

 

I hope these photos help ~ sometimes it is easier to see, than to picture in your head! 

I have used a contrasting colour of yarn to show you more clearly how it looks.

Garter Stitch

 

Stocking Stitch

 

Of course you don’t use a contrasting colour to join !

This is how my seam looks joined with the yarn I used to knit the pieces ~

I use this method for 95% of my makes. It looks good, and does not leave a bulky seam, which is important for baby garments in particular.

This type of flat seaming is also known as whipstitching.

If you are joining 2 pieces of different sizes (for example – for a frill), place safety pins at regular intervals along the seam and spread the extra evenly, to ease in the extra length equally along the join.

 

But, there are times when this method just does not work.

It is not suitable for stripes, Intarsia or Fair Isle patterns which use several different colours of yarn. For this type of work I really recommend that you use mattress stitch. It is a little tricky to master at first – but the results are well worth your efforts.  The are a few good tutorials for mattress stitch on YouTube.

Please let me know if you have found this ‘How To’ useful. 

 I am happy for you to use my patterns for your own use or for charity donations.  

In addition:  You can gift or sell any finished items you make from my patterns.    

However, please do not copy my patterns

Copyright © 2021 ‘made by marianna’       All Rights Reserved

This pattern (the information and photos) may not be copied or reproduced

or republished on any other webpage or website.