Sewing sleeves into knitted jumper

Hi Miamellor. I think posting your request on ONE conversation would have been enough - you have gone in for overkill, posting the same thing on 7 threads!

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Jalima you're right there except I have other temptations!

It stops the evening munchies

Of course, you may not be tempted!

After this discussion, I think I'll have to take up knitting again. (I do know 1plain 1 purl etc.)

I was trying to remember when I did that and it was on a cardigan for DGD which just had straight shoulders, rather than casting some off, knitting then casting off the rest iyswim.

I did three needle bindoffs on the soles of baby's bootees once. It really did give a lovely neat finish. Definitely not too much wear on these

I have done three needle bindoffs on the shoulders of a tiny jumper - it was very good, enjoyable and gave a neat finish. However, I read that on a garment which may get a lot of wear (eg for a man!) it may not be tough enough. I would have to look it up if I did it again though.

Have you looked on Ravelry, Allfreeknitting or other sites for free patterns Nelliemoser?

One of my knitting group friends does amazing things like three needle bind offs which give a very neat finish.
I would love to be able to do that . One day I will practice it.
Setting in sleves is harder in knitting that in sewing.

I have never mastered that. I do now use mattress stitch.
One thing about being in a knitting group you can get to learn a lot of skills from more experienced knitters.
Enjoy.

Does anyone have a pattern for a cowl neck sweater?

Oops, never mind. It might help someone else.

mrsmopp she has finished sewing the jumper up now - she mentioned that upthread...

Type in 'How to seam set in sleeves' into YouTube for a demo video clip. Worth a look?

Sew the sleeves into the shoulder and press with an iron using a damp cloth between jumper (wrong side)and iron. that way the sleeve will sit well. Actually if you have cast of 8 sts on the sides you should have cast off 8 sts on both sides of the sleeve as well.
Can't help that now but next time......

It makes a very neat seam on the outside , well, in fact, the garment can look seamless if done carefully. And it is easier to match up the ribs because you are working on the right sides of the garment.

I'd never heard of mattress stitch, but just watched a video showing how to do it - looks good!
I must tell my friend who does a lot of knitting.

Finished

I like mattress stitch but not for sewing up the inner arms of sleeves. The side seams are quite easy to do in mattress stitch as they are generally straighter.

Yes, lunch-time

Well, the sleeves are now in and it's looking good. I used mattress stitch as most of you suggested - I only learned that stitch last year and love it.

Just the side and sleeve seams to sew up now. I will probably use back stitch for that, as I find it fiddly at this stage to keep those right sides lined up and accessible for mattress stitch especially on the sleeve seams.

Anyway, lunch first.

Thanks again, everyone,

If you mattress stitch it in then you can 'ease' it in, instead of gathering it first (which you could do of course) then you can pick up two stitches on the sleeve head to one on the body of the sweater every so often - evenly spaced - and keep checking.

Or perhaps the seam is easier Nonnie?

or even seems easier!

Another one who would sew in the sleeve top before sewing up the side seams. No idea why, it is just what I have always done. Seem seasier.

That's how I would do it too (though I'm a sewer rather than a knitter.)
If the top of the sleeve is longer than the armhole, run a gathering thread in the parts you want shorter, either the top of the shoulder, or underarm.

I do it as Bathsheba suggests.
Join shoulders, lay them out flat, I use loose knitting safety pins to join the two pieces occasionally, then I mattress stitch the sleeves in, you can ease the sleeve in then and not be left with a bit at the end.

Then sew up the underarm seams and the side seams.

Thank you Bathshaba. Yes, that makes a lot of sense.

Iam64. Google is usually great, and I tried it before posting, but couldn't find anything that really helped me. Some sites show the sleeves being sewn in before side seams are joined, and others after. Also, probably because I couldn't think of the right key words to use, I couldn't find an answer to my second question. Of course, now I know what to do, I am sure to find lots of tutorials showing exactly what I wanted!