Ask the Experts: Why Are My Shoulder Seams Bumpy?
My friend Kathy has made many sweaters. She is an experienced knitter by any measure. But she avoids patterns that require seaming. Why? Every time she has knit a sweater with seams, the shoulder seams turn out lumpy and bumpy.
Image above: The shoulder seam of Sandi’s latest finished sweater, a summer tee in a cotton and linen blend.
Seams are the framework that helps our sweaters keep their shape. Left to its own devices, knitted fabric can stretch and droop, especially if it’s made with plant fibers or superwash wool. Seams, along with bound-off and cast-on edges, provide the boundaries which keep that stretchiness in check.
To create smooth shoulder seams, you need to pay attention to two different things: the edges you’re joining and the way you sew them together.
Smooth Edges Make Smooth Shoulder Seams
Our shoulders slope downward from the neck to the arm. Sweater patterns are often designed with a similar slope, giving you a better fit. The instructions for shoulder shaping might look something like this:
- Bind off 5 stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
If you work a standard chain bind-off, you’ll be left with a series of stair steps along the shoulder. Making a smooth shoulder seam with a stairstep edge is nearly impossible.
Instead of working a standard bind-off, try a Sloped Bind-off. This technique adds a little half-step to each interval, creating a smoother curve.
You could also replace the bind off with a series of short rows. Wrap & turn, German short rows, or yarn over short rows all work well; choose the method you like best. When the short rows are complete, you can either bind off all the stitches in preparation for seaming or replace the seam with a three-needle bind-off.
Mattress Stitch to the Rescue
When it’s time to join those smooth edges, nothing beats mattress stitch. The seam it creates is strong, stable, flexible, and inconspicuous.
If you’re a card-carrying member of the I Never Sew Brigade, your best bet is to shape your shoulders with short rows, then join the pieces with a Three-Needle Bind-off. This will give you not-sewn shoulder seams that are stable and smooth.
What Technique Has Stumped You Lately?
I’d love to help un-stump you. Send an email to knitting[@]goldenpeakmedia.com and put “Ask the Experts” in the subject line. You might see your question answered in an upcoming newsletter!
Sandi Rosner
Technical Content Editor, Yarn
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