Top down raglan

Before Christmas I decided it was about time I used up some yarn I purchased in last years sale at Knit Nottingham.  I had ummed and ahhhed for a very long time (nearly a year) about whether the yarn was actually me as I did purchase it as a bit of an impulse.  I figured I had it so it was a good practice and if I didn't like the finished article I could frog it and use it for something else.

I started by discussing how to make a top down with Eleanor Knit Nottingham and Verity Truly Hooked.  Verity said a top down raglan is very easy if you can divide by six, something I was certain even my mathematically challenged brain could manage.  I took this advice on card and thought about.  My conclusion looked something like this.

I didn't end up using this method in the end because I was informed of an easier method that didn't involve so much maths and thinking.  

I started with a length of chains to the length I wanted my neck line to be.  I then made a double crochet in each chain, joined and made a round of trebles.  The next row I put two trebles in each treble and from there on put one treble in each.

I continued like this until the top was the length I wanted before making arm holes.  I did add one or two raglan increases before joining the armholes but in hindsight I did not need them.

When it came to the arm holes I laid the top of the garment flat and by eye chose the points for the armholes, i counted the number of chains on one side and made sure it was the same for the other three points.  I marked these points and when making my round on that time I joined the two points with a length of chains.

I then kept crocheting in the round picking up the stitches in the chains for the armholes.  Once the jumper had reached my bust I started decreasing.  I put these in darts at the side of the jumper front and back.  All in all 4 decreases every row.  I then just continued until the jumper was long enough.  I hindsight I should have increased again because it is a bit small at my hips.  When I got to the right length I added 6 rows of treble rib in a complementary colour.

As for the arms, I picked up around the arm holes and worked in rounds again.  I made one decrease every other row until the arms were the right width.  I worked both arms at the same time to make sure they matched, I'm pleased I did because I would not have remembered what I had done.  Again I continued until they were right length and added six rows of treble rib in the same complementary colour.

At this pint I thought I had finished but I out the jumper on and the neck line was far too wide.  Again I picked up the stitches and crocheted in rounds making decreases until the neckline was just right.

I am so happy with this jumper, I already wear it often and I have received a number of compliments, it's great!