Some of you may have noticed that there is a free pattern link here on my blog for a Five Hour Baby Sweater. This is a pattern that I adapted from this version of the original when I was a relatively new knitter. At the time, I found the math involved in making this sweater bigger to be tedious and exhausting, so I decided to publish my work in the side bar of my blog. If it hadn't been for Ravelry, chances are no one would know about my bigger Five Hour Baby Sweater pattern, but there are currently 102 projects on Ravelry, so I guess people are knitting it.
Guess what? There is a mistake in the pattern. It's not really a mistake, but a wildly unclear instruction. As I mentioned, when I first rewrote the pattern, I was a clueless newbie knitter and I thought that the unclear instruction was just something I didn't know about yet, so I skipped it when knitting the sweater myself, but for some reason I included it in the pattern. Now I get a lot of email and blog comments from people saying "How the hell does that work???," so I thought I'd address the situation.
I put the correction in the pattern notes on Ravelry a long time ago, but aparently there are still some knitters who aren't on Ravelry. I know I should just fix the pdf, but who knows how to do that? Not me. The pdf was made for me and emailed to me by some kind, knitting stranger and as such, I can't make corrections, nor would I know where to start if I could. Someday I will get Bob to help me write a new pdf, but until then, here's the news you can use...
When the pattern says "Bind off leaving the last stitch on the needle, " don't do it! Just bind off all of the stitches, sew up the sleeve and continue on your merry way. If anyone has any clue what the leaving the last stitch on the needle business is all about, let me know. I've never been able to figure it out and now that I know what I'm doing, I know that it's not just me. Hopefully this simple correction will find its way to those in need of a little help.
I have made the sweater twice and I could never figure out what that part was all about so I just ignored it. Just thought it was due to my inexperience :)
Posted by: Re | August 14, 2009 at 01:49 PM
i've always left the stitch on the needle so that i can crochet up the sleeves and just work right on through without having to break the yarn at all - somewhere i found a version of the sweater that explained how to do it in a way that was clear to me, so when i knit these, i just end up with a piece to sew in at the top, and one at the bottom.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 25, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Your pattern is brilliant, I think you are a very talented pattern writer! What a treat to find a pattern that didn't make me feel like I was missing crucial vocabulary. And the final result is beyond adorable. THANK YOU!
Posted by: laurie | August 25, 2009 at 08:04 PM
Love the brown/blue color combination of your 5hour sweater. You did a great job!
Posted by: Lori | October 22, 2009 at 02:16 PM
"Place the last stitch on the left hand needle. Knit 2 tog and knit across the back of the sweater to the next marker"
I suspect that the reason for leaving the last stitch on & then knitting it together with the 1st back stitch is to help avoid the hole that often forms at that spot. Not necessary for the construction of the sweater but a nicer finishing touch.
Posted by: mwknitter | July 30, 2010 at 03:06 PM
I can't fine the pattern. Ravelry's link sends me to your great blog. Please help, having my first grandbaby in Dec
THANKS
Rose
Posted by: Rose | October 20, 2010 at 07:52 PM