“All that stockinette stitch!” Yes I’m afraid so. Knitting Top Down can involve a lot of stockinette stitch once the excitement of the Yoke is done. What do you do to amuse yourself while you get all that knitting done?
Here is what I’m doing right now. I’m working a stitch pattern down the sides of the body across the underarm cast on stitches.
These are Right Twist stitches which are 2 stitch cables worked without a cable needle. Every 4th round I’m working: P1, work [P1, Twist Right] repeating to last 2 sts, P2. (Twist Right: K2tog and then without taking the stitches off the needle, knit into the first stitch, remove stitches.) This is keeping me engaged as I work down the body.
You could add anything here. Whatever it takes to give you something to keep track of and look forward to knitting. Knit, knit, knit, oh boy it’s the pattern, knit, knit, knit. Yeah, OK, it’s a little hokey but it does make all that body knitting move along quickly.
I realized, as I looked through my Cabin Fever designs, that I have been doing this for some time. The Side Pattern Vest (top down) was the first. There is a lovely lace panel down each side. That will keep you on your toes.
You could add a 2×2 rib down the sides. That works for this Child’s Ribbed Sleeve pullover.
I put one of my favourite stitch patterns in the Squiggle Lace Top . The Squiggle Lace pattern is based on a 2×2 rib where every other round you alternate between [P2tog, YO] and [YO, P2tog] worked in the P2 section of the rib. I’ve used variations of this pattern several times. Here I worked it over the underarm cast on stitches and even worked all the A-line shaping increases into the stitch pattern. Now that definitely gives you something to concentrate on.
You are the boss of your knitting. Make it fun.
Thanks for reading,
Deb
Deb Gemmell’s Any Gauge patterns on ravelry
Cabin Fever patterns on ravelry
Deb Gemmell: Top Down, Gauge Free and more 
I remember that vest with the side patterning very well. I was delighted to see your creativity on Patternfish – 9 years ago. Do you believe it? In 2013 it was Patternfish’s best selling vest.
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Wow that is a while ago and it was exciting to know that the vest was being knit and worn.
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I also knit myself another vest, again in blue, just last year. It still totally works.
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Absolutely! I have found I’ll knit a project faster if there’s a bit of a pattern going on (something simple) than just stockinette. It’s counter-intuitive but it keeps me knitting faster. I usually stick the design on the front but I will have to try the side “seams” method because yours look so good! You are full of good ideas for those of us that like to swerve a bit from the written patterns.
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I also find it all goes faster. I like that you “like to swerve”. That’s an excellent way to put it.
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I totally agree about long stretches of stockinette stitch. When faced with this prospect, I nearly always substitute a textural stitch.
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That also makes all your sweaters uniquely yours!! Fantastic.
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Another tactic I use is to insert a panel of patterned knitting right in the center of the back.
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I quite often put something down the centre front. I’m sure the vertical line makes me look taller, ha, ha.
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So many options, and so little time! But I do like them all and must remember to put them into practice ☺
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If you don’t remember you can count on me to keep reminding you!! ha, ha.
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That’s a fantastic idea! I’m relatively new to sweater knitting and the two I’ve made were bottom-up with fair isle at the yoke, so I didn’t need more interest, but when I cast on a top-down, I’ll be sure to implement this. Thanks for the tip!
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Terrific. I’d love to see you use this idea.
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