Cotton seamless sweater

Comments on using cotton (worsted weight) yarn for a seamless sweater, please. Thinking about stability. Is it more likely to stretch out of shape? Does a false seam (as in a Guernsey sweater) add any stability? Thanks, all.

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I’ve done a lot of sleeveless cotton in the round. Full sweaters I have done in pieces. That said, cotton will hold its shape better in texture or seed stitch rather than plain stockinette. That said, my husband doesn’t love wool, I made a fisherman’s style sweater for him in cotton. He loves it, but it is HEAVY!

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Excellent. Your mention of texture adding to stability is great. Don’t think I have enough yarn for all over texture, but perhaps seed stitch where there would normally be seams would help stabilize things. Thank you.

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I would say that and maybe at hems? I did this one in bamboo (similar shape issues—though different than cotton) and it has held up well over the years.

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Also excellent. Like the way the seed stitch is framed with (I think) reverse stockinette.

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You are correct

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I’ve not done it, but adding a faux seam, like a slip stitch or twisted stitch in the line of knit stitches where a seam would be is also a trick I read about. I’ll find the book and see If it has a fuller explanation than that - it might be it was more a visual thing than a stabilizing thing…

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Cotton knits tend to shrink shorter but not so much narrower. If cotton is not preshrunk can totally change finished item. I find cotton seams tend to be stiffer than more elastic fibers so a simple clean join causes less bulky distortion. Your idea of stabilizing in pattern would most likely give best outcome.

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Thank you, Karen. This is heartening.

I’ve not knit one yet, but Guernseys/Ganseys are knit in the round from the bottom up to the under arm with faux seams of a narrow column of knit-purl pattern, sometimes, I think just seed stitch. I’ll have to look at some patterns to get specifics before I start. I like the twisted stich idea too. Thank you.

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Found it :smiley:

fauxseam

Not a ton of info but a few options…

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Perfect. You are so fine. Thanks ever so…

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