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How to customize and knit your raglan with the
help of DAK
and a master raglan shape
Download your shape file
The files below are in Designaknit Shape format, if you don't have Designaknit,
you can't use them, sorry
SIZE
40 SIZE
44 SIZE 48
SIZE 50
Ive given you 4 shape files, size 40, size 44, and 50. Pick the one closest to your size and you should be able to change the width to fit yourself. If you change the width of the sweater, dont change the neckline width or depth. If you change width of the initial armhole decrease on the body, remember to change it on the sleeves. When you are finished customizing your shape, right click on the sleeve and drag it over onto the body. Line up the raglan slant and make sure they remain the same length and that the diagonal line still matches.
The basic shape has no built in ease. I knitted a 2" rib at bottom and cuff that isn't figured on the basic shape file. The neckline is wider and shallower to accommodate a mock-turtle neck. You can do any decorative stitches you want with the raglan decreases but I will show you (below) how to figure a 3 stitch decrease which is what I used. The same formula will work with a 2-stitch decrease , just change your numbers from 3 to 2.
If you decide to further customize or change anything in the shape file, keep the following in mind.
You have a 2" rib at cuffs and bottom of sweater that isn't figured in length from hem to underarm or on the sleeves your DAK shape.
2. If you change the neck width, keep in mind that the width at the sleeve top is part of the neckline width.
Once you've customized your shape file to fit you personally, print it out using the GO option. You will have a basic garment outline with no figures written in. Your job will be to make a swatch and plug in your own personal gauge. Once you have that done, you can go to Knit From Screen to make some notes on your printed outline.
Armed with your printed outlines a pencil and a calculator--write in the following figures.
Go to DAKs KFS (knit from screen) and get the following figures:
Stitches to cast on.
This wont be in the KFS section but figure out how many rows to knit for ribbing and jot it down.
Arrow up to the armhole and pencil in on your paper, row count and # of stitches to decrease.
After the first 2 armhole decreases you will set your row counter back to 0 and follow the chart you figure below for your raglan decreases. On your paper, write down the new row count # for the top of the garment. i.e. if armhole is at row count 150 and top of sleeve is at 250, subtract 150 from 250, new row count at top of garment is 100.Arrow up to neckline and write in row count where neckline starts. (remembering we started back at 0 at the row above the first armhole decrease). Go ahead and write in the neckline decrease formula unless you want to knit from screen when you get to the neck (keeping in mind that your raglan decreases and row count #'s will be different than DAK's if you knit from screen).
Jot down the total number of stitches at the neckline of front and back and on the top of the sleeves after the decreases. (This is the number of stitches you'll need for your mock turtle neck)
Get your BACK outline and repeat 1 to 6 above.
Get the sleeve outline only this time print it out using the GN option so that you'll have the lower sleeve increase formula written in for you (unless you want to knit from screen.
Now figure your raglan decreases for the 3 pieces using the formula belowits possible your sleeve decreases will be different than the body, thats OK, it really doesnt seem to show when youre done.
HOW TO FIGURE A 3 STITCH DECREASE FOR YOUR RAGLAN SLANT
Adapted from the book: A Time To Knit Raglans by Baas & Godlewski
For the Math Impaired the book says:
"As Mother would say, "you dont need to understand the spacing formula. Just use it."
Figure out how many stitches to be decreased (after your initial armhole decreases).
Figure out how many rows are in the raglan slant (after your initial armhole decreases) Subtract that number by 4. (I like 4 plain rows after the last decrease)
Divide stitches to be decreased above by 3. The answer is how many decrease actions you will have to perform.
Divide # of rows by # of actions - *add 1 if you end up with a remainder. (your answer is # of rows between decreases.
Example:
I have 79 rows from U/A to neck less 4 = 75
I have 50 stitches to be decreased
75 divided by 3 = 25 (actions)
75 divided by 25 = 3 I will decrease 3 sts every 3 rows 25 times. Knit 4 rows plain
PROVE YOUR FORMULA: 3 stitches every 3 rows 25 times will take me to row 75.
WHAT IF I HAVE AN ODD # IN MY FORMULA?
Example:
Do this on paper like you used to do a division problem:
1. I have 77 rows from U/A to neck less 4 rows = 73
2. I have 50 stitches to be decreased
50 divided by 3 = 16 (actions)
73 divided by 16 = 4.5
73 divided by 16 = 4 4 X 16 = 64. Subtract 64 from 73, remainder is 9.
Add 1 to 4, answer is 5 Your division problem will look like this:
Decrease
every 4 rows 12 times then every 5 rows 5 times
PROVE YOUR FORMULA: 4 x 12 = 48; 5 x 5 = 25; 48 + 25 = 73 rows Knit 4 rows plain.
Once you've knitted the front, back and sleeves, start sewing. Sew all but 1 of the raglan slants. It's probably best to leave one of the back seams so that your mock turtle neck will have it's seam in the back as well.
MOCK TURTLE NECK: This is actually just a doubled crew neck but wider.
From your outlines, get your total number of neckline (and top of sleeve) stitches. Add them all up and bring that number of needles forward.
Knit 60 rows 1x1 rib by casting on at tension 4/4 II, knit 10 rows. *Increase tension 1 click and knit 2 rows, increase tension 1 click and knit 2 rows, continue from * to row 20. You should be at tension 6/6, continue ribbing to row 40. Now begin decreasing the carriage tension --at row 40 **decrease tension by 1 click and knit 2 rows, decrease by 1 click and knit 2 rows, continue from **. Transfer ribber stitches to main bed and take off on garter bar or scrap.
With right side facing you, hang entire sweater neckline on same needles and push all the way back on the needles behind the latches. Rehang ribbing from garter bar or scrap keeping the rib stitches in the latches. Carefully run a card or ruler across the needles closing all the latches (I've found an index card works well for this job). Now take your cast on comb or back side of garter bar and quickly push the needles all the way back as far as they will go.
This should have pulled the open ribber stitches to the back of the sweater.
Hang the bottom end of the ribbing on the same needles.
Latch tool bind off around 2 gate pegs.
Sew up your last raglan seam and side seams. Your raglan should be finished!
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Copyright © Rosalind Porter, Piney Mnt., 1996-2008