# Help with Bottom Up No Seam Raglan Sweater



## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

I am knitting the bottom up raglan no seam baby cardigan titled "Keep On Trucking" by Elizabeth Smith. It is a free download. I have knit the two sleeves separately and the body of the sweater on circular needles as stated. I have no idea how to attach the sleeve to the body. I've never done a bottom up sweater before. Does anyone know how to attach Raglan sleeves to the body of the sweater? If so, please help or direct me to a site that can help me. I've searched You Tube for a demo and came up with nothing. Thanks ever so much! Totally frustrated. I wrote to Elizabeth and have heard nothing.

Alegar


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## Dreamweaver (Feb 1, 2011)

Where is this free pattern located? Is this a person on Ravelry? Are the sleeves bound off and the armholes of body bound off so that you need to sew them in or do you have live stitches that would need to be grafted together?


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Assuming this is the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/keep-on-truckin-baby-cardigan , at the top of page three of the pattern, it explains very clearly how to join the sleeves and body.


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

It is not clear to me as I have never done such a sleeve before. Do I knit the entire sleeve on the needle or do I knit the six stitches on the body and the six sleeve stitches together? When I put all the stitches on the needles there is no opening for the arm to fit through. Very confusing for me. 

Thank you


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Nothing is bound off. That is why it is so confusing. Sleeves are knit on the round and somehow attached to the body. I have never knitted a bottom up sweater. The truck is finished and everything looks great except how to attach the sleeve. I've matched the six stitches from the sleeve to the six stitches on the body. Do I knit them together and then knit the other stitches? I looked on YOU Tube for a visual and nothing was available.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/keep-on-truckin-baby-cardigan

Thank you so much!


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## deemail (Jan 25, 2011)

http://www.vogueknitting.com/magazine/article_archive/jared_flood_going_seamless.aspx

here is the best explanation i have seen and the one i had bookmarked for this 'method-i-haven't-done-yet-but-plan-to-someday'.... i love the freedom this gives you for intricate patterning so am interested in trying it...i hope this helps....


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

*Attaching Sleeves:*
1) (working on body stitches)k to 3 sts before first marker

2) *Sleeve Set-Up:* Using tapestry needle, slip these 3 sts as if to purl onto scrap yarn - "these 3 sts" being the three stitches remaining before the first marker

3) remove marker, slip next 3 sts as if to
purl onto scrap yarn

4)Pick up one of the sleeves (doesnt matter which one) and holding it in front of the sweater, match the underarm sts (on scrap yarn) to underarm sts of the body. Your right hand is holding the main yarn and body of sweater and your left hand is holding the needle that the sleeve sts are on

5) PM (PM = place marker) on RN (RN = right needle), insert RN into first st on the sleeve needle (this first st is the first st to the left of the underarm sts on scrap yarn),
k the rest of the sleeve sts onto sweater body needle, pm

6) k across back sts, continuing truck picture (if not complete yet), to 3 sts before second marker

7) Repeat Sleeve Set-Up steps as instructed above, then k to the end of the row

Does this break-down help any?


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you Jessica-Jean, 

I am still doing something wrong. It is Step #4 and Step #5 that I do not understand. I've done this three times. There is now no opening in the top of the arm. What do I do with the six stitches let on the body of the sweater? 
Step 4 says to match them 
Step 5 does not say knit them together so they are still on the scrap yarn hanging below the needles while the entire sleeve is crammed on the body sweater circular needles. 

It is Greek to me. 

You sound like a very experienced knitter. I am a relatively new knitter.


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## kiwiannie (Jul 30, 2011)

read page 3 of the pattern it shows you very clearly what to do good luck


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

OK, this obviously is appearing very clear to most of you very experienced knitters. Here is my question. 

1. I have the six stitches on the underarm and six stitches on the sleeve both on scrap yarn. 

2. When I knit the underarms together what do I do with the rest of the stitches on the sleeve needle. There are 42 stitches remaining. 

3. According to the picture, all stitches are now on circular needle. 

4. What am I missing? 

Thank you for your patience with me.


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

OK Everyone I finally got it. Somehow, I omitted to see 

1. the Finishing part explains the six stitches from the body and six stitches from the sleeve are grafted. 

2. I am to only knit from the sleeve needle not knit the underarm together. 

3. Underarm gets grafted in the "Finishing" stages. 

That is what I was missing. Thank you everyone for helping me. 
No wonder it was so crystal clear to you experienced knitters.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

And now you are one of us 'experienced' knitters, too!!

Don't worry. Even umpteen years of experience doesn't stop the brain from overthinking a pattern, or mis-reading it, or just skimming past some seemingly useless words that should have been printed in bold face font larger than the rest and highlighted as well.

Welcome to the usual frustrations of knitters-in-a-hurry! :-D


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you Jessica-Jean and Dream Weaver!


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## Dreamweaver (Feb 1, 2011)

Yeah - Sorry I was so slow on the PM's. It is always like reading Greek when you are doing something for the first time. You don't have a frame of reference for it and they don't hand out crystal balls when you get your first pair of knitting needles! Now I'll know just who to come to when I dothat cute little sweater. Sure hope you are going to posta picture so we can see it.


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## Pocahontas (Apr 15, 2011)

Hey Sweetie - so glad your lightbulb came on. This is a perfect example of how very helpful this forum can be. And kudos to you for persevering. Thanks to Jessica-Jean and Dreamweaver and all the experienced knitters here who are so patient with us all.


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## tamarque (Jan 21, 2011)

this is as clear as mud. i dont see how/when the stitches are grafted together. Are you working only one side flat at this point, picking up sleeve stitches as you work the raglan? that is the only way i see being able to to a graft of the armpit stitches at the end?

if that is what is being done, then the process is pretty neat.


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## tamarque (Jan 21, 2011)

this is as clear as mud. i dont see how/when the stitches are grafted together. Are you working only one side flat at this point, picking up sleeve stitches as you work the raglan? that is the only way i see being able to to a graft of the armpit stitches at the end?

if that is what is being done, then the process is pretty neat.


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## AuntKnitty (Apr 10, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> OK Everyone I finally got it. Somehow, I omitted to see
> 
> 1. the Finishing part explains the six stitches from the body and six stitches from the sleeve are grafted.
> 
> ...


alegar...

I cannot tell you how often over the years I've failed to understand knitting instructions because I didn't read the whole pattern *before* I started. Perhaps this was a good lesson after all!


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## MEL2020 (Jul 13, 2011)

I haven't read the pattern but have done a raglan sleeve from the bottom up sweater. The 6 stitches are the underarm stitches and arn't they held on a stitch holder? They will be connected( hand stitched) after you have completed the sweater. You just add the active stitches to the circular needle, assuming you are doing this in the round. I will include the photo of my sweater.


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

YAY!!! happy dance time... don't you love that feeling when it becomes clear.. sometime I just do 1 stitch at a time blindly following the pattern and hope for the best... and even then it takes practice..LOL I'm glad you understand what to do now... I had fun reading how to work this... the ladies where so helpful...


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## btibbs70 (Mar 23, 2011)

MEL2020 said:


> I haven't read the pattern but have done a raglan sleeve from the bottom up sweater. The 6 stitches are the underarm stitches and arn't they held on a stitch holder? They will be connected( hand stitched) after you have completed the sweater. You just add the active stitches to the circular needle, assuming you are doing this in the round. I will include the photo of my sweater.


Wow! That's beautiful. I like the yarn, too. You certainly have a professional-looking project.


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Mel, 

You sweater is elegant! Thank you all for sharing. Such encouragement and humor from so many. 

LOL


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## sylviaelliott (May 11, 2011)

stupid question but what is a bottom up jumper. aren't most things knit from the bottom up?


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

sylviaelliott said:


> stupid question but what is a bottom up jumper. aren't most things knit from the bottom up?


Yes, but not usually in one seamless piece. And usually the words 'seamless' and 'top-down' are coupled, not 'seamless' and 'bottom-up'.

*There are no stupid questions!* If you never ask, you'll never know. That goes with, "You'll never learn any younger", and, "Only the unasked question is stupid".


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Jessica-Jean, 

Are you a teacher by profession. Your comments regarding stupid questions sound something a teacher might say. :-} 

Thank you!


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## SylviaC (Aug 14, 2011)

MEL2020 said:


> I haven't read the pattern but have done a raglan sleeve from the bottom up sweater. The 6 stitches are the underarm stitches and arn't they held on a stitch holder? They will be connected( hand stitched) after you have completed the sweater. You just add the active stitches to the circular needle, assuming you are doing this in the round. I will include the photo of my sweater.


And headband and socks to match!!! That is a great sweater, I love the yarn colour, looks like Ragg yarn.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> Jessica-Jean,
> 
> Are you a teacher by profession. Your comments regarding stupid questions sound something a teacher might say. :-}
> 
> Thank you!


Heaven forfend!!! No, not a chance. I was the big, awkward, slow, literal, girl at the back of the class who always asked the wrong question at the wrong time and was told she was stupid a bazillion times - if not verbally, then by body language, which may be stronger anyway. Being an undiagnosed dyslexic didn't help a bit either. I wasn't even a square peg in a round hole; I was the odd one out _all_ the time.

Over the last ~45 years, I've come to see that the female of the human species too often puts herself down by stating that she's asking a stupid question, or that she has made a stupid mistake. Have you _ever_ heard a *male* say that? It's past time we stop being everyone's doormat and stand up on our own. We are as capable as anyone of anything - when we're not more capable. We must stop underestimating ourselves!

Enough of the soap box.

Go knit something new!! Go try a new stitch!! Ignore the suggestion that something is difficult, beyond your abilities just now, etc. If our grandparents (male as well as female) were expected to knit their own socks beginning in first grade, who the h**l are we to say it's too hard?????


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## RockyMtnLady (May 7, 2011)

Jessica - I sure wish there were a thumbs up button on this forum! I really dislike the fact that I get "scared" or anxious is perhaps a better word when I come to something I'm not familar with in knitting ... We were expected to just "get it" or so I thought. Much later in life my father said to me - I'm sorry I wasn't a good teacher when you needed help - I simply didn't know how to teach you, I just knew the answer but I didn't know how to explain it. I'm sorry you had to experience such hell - I think that happens alot unfortunately. Perhaps though, that is why you are so good at explaining to others and why I really try to do the same or just state I don't know but maybe we can figure it out together. I guess those Old feelings hang around too long. I know alot of people view many posts but feel uncomfortable asking questions ... Please consider asking and posting. There are so many considerate and talented people here who sincerely want to see us succeed and be comfortable with our passion for knitting!


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

RockyMtnLady said:


> Jessica - I sure wish there were a thumbs up button on this forum!
> 
> 
> > There is! :thumbup: , but only if you use 'Quote Reply' or 'Reply', not if you use 'Quick Reply'; although, if you can remembe that a colon+thumbup+colon=:thumbup: , you can even type it in there!
> ...


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## RockyMtnLady (May 7, 2011)

Jessica-Jean said:


> RockyMtnLady said:
> 
> 
> > Jessica - I sure wish there were a thumbs up button on this forum!
> ...


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> I am knitting the bottom up raglan no seam baby cardigan titled "Keep On Trucking" by Elizabeth Smith. It is a free download. I have knit the two sleeves separately and the body of the sweater on circular needles as stated. I have no idea how to attach the sleeve to the body. I've never done a bottom up sweater before. Does anyone know how to attach Raglan sleeves to the body of the sweater? If so, please help or direct me to a site that can help me. I've searched You Tube for a demo and came up with nothing. Thanks ever so much! Totally frustrated. I wrote to Elizabeth and have heard nothing.
> 
> Alegar


I've done quite a few. You will attach the sleeves to the body at the beginning of the yoke. You will have been told to bind off stitches, maybe about eight on each side of the body and on each sleeve and then knit sleeve stitches in the area where the bound off stitches of the body are. But I have a BIG suggestion. There is hardly room to put the sleeve stitches, so I don't bind off any. I just take them off on a waste piece of yarn. That gives you more flexibility in the area and makes it easier to knit the first few rows. Then you can use a three needle bindoff to deal with those stitches at the end, attaching the under arm of the sleeve to the underarm of the body. I've recently been kitchenering these, but three-needle works fine. Good instructions are in Ann Budd's book http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Sweater-Patterns/dp/1931499438/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316889691&sr=1-3 which has kind of become my bible for a variety of sweaters, including this.


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> It is not clear to me as I have never done such a sleeve before. Do I knit the entire sleeve on the needle or do I knit the six stitches on the body and the six sleeve stitches together? When I put all the stitches on the needles there is no opening for the arm to fit through. Very confusing for me.
> 
> Thank you


I hope I wrote clear instructions, but if not, just write me and I'll try to explain better.


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## RockyMtnLady (May 7, 2011)

:thumbup: Good grief - I never paid any attention to the smilies on the left of my screen - geeze - brain farts galore.


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> OK, this obviously is appearing very clear to most of you very experienced knitters. Here is my question.
> 
> 1. I have the six stitches on the underarm and six stitches on the sleeve both on scrap yarn.
> 
> ...


You don't do the underarm until the rest is finished. Then you deal with that.


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

sylviaelliott said:


> stupid question but what is a bottom up jumper. aren't most things knit from the bottom up?


Many raglans are kit top down, but I think bottom up raglans are much better from a number of standpoints.


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## SylviaC (Aug 14, 2011)

RockyMtnLady said:


> Jessica-Jean said:
> 
> 
> > RockyMtnLady said:
> ...


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## nancibt (Jun 21, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> Thank you Jessica-Jean,
> 
> I am still doing something wrong. It is Step #4 and Step #5 that I do not understand. I've done this three times. There is now no opening in the top of the arm. What do I do with the six stitches let on the body of the sweater?
> Step 4 says to match them
> ...


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## Dreamweaver (Feb 1, 2011)

It is my experience that enthusiasm can make up for a lack of knowledge. If you *really* are wanting to do something and are excited :-D that momentum will keep you working at it. You can always ask questions :?:, read books, look at video's to glean knowledge :idea:. Not much you can do to create enthusisam. Fool's rush in where angels fear to tread - and that is why they have so much more fun and learn so much more......... :lol:


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## btibbs70 (Mar 23, 2011)

Jessica-Jean said:


> ...No, not a chance. I was the ... We must stop underestimating ourselves!...


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## MEL2020 (Jul 13, 2011)

Raglan sleeve sweaters are usually worked from the top down. Also sweaters that are yoked (like ski type) are often worked from the top down.


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## Nan5 (Jun 15, 2011)

Hi JJ - Was looking at a pattern which gives the measurements and they state they go up to 4 T. What is 4T?
Thanks. Pam


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## Helga82 (Apr 13, 2011)

I have read thru the various questions and answers and
can't see why the sleeves can't be knitted on, as knitting
a top down sweater. Wouldn't that be much easier? At
least that's what I would do, if I was knitting this 
"Bottom-Up" cardigan.


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

Helga82 said:


> I have read thru the various questions and answers and
> can't see why the sleeves can't be knitted on, as knitting
> a top down sweater. Wouldn't that be much easier? At
> least that's what I would do, if I was knitting this
> "Bottom-Up" cardigan.


The sleeves are knitted up to the armpit, basically, and then joined with the body and the sweater continues with the yoke and decreasing to the neck.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Nan5 said:


> Hi JJ - Was looking at a pattern which gives the measurements and they state they go up to 4 T. What is 4T?
> Thanks. Pam


4T = four-year-old Toddler? That's my best guess. I haven't made baby clothes in decades, and even then it was for newborns, not rough-and-tumble toddlers.


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## JillF (Feb 17, 2011)

Yes, 4 toddler, which is a little smaller than a regular size 4, for children.


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## Nan5 (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks you for that. You are in demand, aren't you? That is experience for you. :lol:


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## GroodleMom (Feb 27, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> Nothing is bound off. That is why it is so confusing. Sleeves are knit on the round and somehow attached to the body. I have never knitted a bottom up sweater. The truck is finished and everything looks great except how to attach the sleeve. I've matched the six stitches from the sleeve to the six stitches on the body. Do I knit them together and then knit the other stitches? I looked on YOU Tube for a visual and nothing was available.
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/keep-on-truckin-baby-cardigan
> 
> Thank you so much!


You pick up the sleeve stitches that are held on the scrap yarn.


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> I am knitting the bottom up raglan no seam baby cardigan titled "Keep On Trucking" by Elizabeth Smith. It is a free download. I have knit the two sleeves separately and the body of the sweater on circular needles as stated. I have no idea how to attach the sleeve to the body. I've never done a bottom up sweater before. Does anyone know how to attach Raglan sleeves to the body of the sweater? If so, please help or direct me to a site that can help me. I've searched You Tube for a demo and came up with nothing. Thanks ever so much! Totally frustrated. I wrote to Elizabeth and have heard nothing.
> 
> Alegar


You hold the underarm sleeve stitches and the body underarm on their separate waste yarn and then when the body is done deal with getting those together. One way is to do a three-needle bindoff with them.


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## Della (Jun 17, 2011)

alegar75 said:


> I am knitting the bottom up raglan no seam baby cardigan titled "Keep On Trucking" by Elizabeth Smith. It is a free download. I have knit the two sleeves separately and the body of the sweater on circular needles as stated. I have no idea how to attach the sleeve to the body. I've never done a bottom up sweater before. Does anyone know how to attach Raglan sleeves to the body of the sweater?
> 
> You leave the 6 stitches that you put on waste yarn alone, forget them, knit across to where a sleeve should be on your sweater, then start knitting live stitches from top of sleeve (last row you made) and knit across this sleeve, knit across back or front (whichever is next), pick second sleeve and knit across this one. You now have sleeves in place, follow instructions as to decreases at markers, everything comes together. It is hard to work these first stitches from body to sleeves then to body again for several rows. I have used dpn and more needles to get thru those first few rows, but once you have done it, it is neat. The only seam you make is the 6 stitches under each arm.
> 
> ...


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## mjs (Mar 3, 2011)

Della said:


> alegar75 said:
> 
> 
> > I am knitting the bottom up raglan no seam baby cardigan titled "Keep On Trucking" by Elizabeth Smith. It is a free download. I have knit the two sleeves separately and the body of the sweater on circular needles as stated. I have no idea how to attach the sleeve to the body. I've never done a bottom up sweater before. Does anyone know how to attach Raglan sleeves to the body of the sweater?
> ...


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## alegar75 (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you,

I did not make myself clear. The underarm seams are done. It is the border and button band that is tricky. I pick up stitches do a ribbing for a few rows, bind off THEN pick up again for the button band.

My question is on the finishing of the neck and button bands. Can pick-up stitches all in one step without binding off and picking up again? Picking up stitches, binding off stitches and picking up again just seems redundant.

Thank you! Not sure I will make this one again or if I do, will make sure to have the button band etc., included in the body from the beginning.

http://thebrownstitch.com/2009/04/keep-on-truckin-baby-cardigan.html
Many thanks for the help that this wonderful group provides.


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