I'm There

I think I've got it. My experiments seem to have come to a successful system I can use.

I have a system where the neckband is worked first and then short rows are worked to lower the front by working more rows across the back of the neck.

I've used this neck shaping system in several books: Button Up Your Top Down, Baby V, Hoodies and Pullovers and any "Kid's" pattern leaflets from these books. It totally works and I have several sweaters that I wear using this system. It's straight forward and easy to work once you get your head around short rows in general. You may have worked with it already.

It looks great along the edge of the neckband.

It makes a lovely dropped front of neck.

I want to take it one step further and lower the front of neck a little further, to a full 3"/7.5cm, and still have stitches left open on the Front to work a stitch pattern.

My first experiment was to work an extra SSK row. It lowered the front sufficiently but is messy.

Next I tried using German Short Rows and took out the SSK decrease which didn't work so well. The short rows turns are worked on every stitch: work short row treatment from last row, work short row turn on next stitch. This leaves slight holes along the neckband.

But I like the general idea of using the short rows. So this time I separated the short row turns by one stitch: work short row treatment from previous row, K1, work short row turn. I used Short Rows with Twin Stitches which are easy to work and look great.

This is working very well. Nice smooth raglan line and the short rows look good against the neckband.

Yahoo. I'm excited. Now to get down to crunching numbers. I really need a new sweater so am anxious to get started on the real thing.

Deb