Knitting question - is it possible to lengthen a sweater I'm making?

Question

I'm currently knitting a sweater for a friend, and I think it's going to be a bit short for him. I haven't sewn up the sides yet - is it possible for me to take out the ribbing at the bottom, knit some more (it's a simple stockinette stitch), add ribbing and bind off? Would the stitches I add on look upside down, since the sweater was made bottom-up, but the addition would be top-down? This may not even be possible, just wondering. Thanks!

Answer 1

You cannot unravel from the CO edge up.

You can pick up stitches along the cast on edge and add length that way. The upside-down v's probably would not be that noticeable. A way to camouflage the picked up seam would be to use another color and make some stripes, so it looks like it's part of the design and the color change will make the seam less noticeable.

Another way to length would be to cut (scary, but yes, you cut) off where the stockinette meets the ribbing. Then you carefully pick up the remaining loops and knit that way. If you are bothered by the directional change, you can add another stitch pattern, like a seed or double moss stitch, or introduce a new color band, to help hide the change, and then when it's long enough, change to a ribbing, or however you want the bottom of the sweater to be. You can unravel and reuse the yarn you cut off.

Answer 2

My mother used to do it on the sleeves of sweaters we had outgrown.
If you use the same yarn it will be near to invisible.
If you can not get the same yarn, use a contrasting colour.
As you pick up the stitches at the bottom of the loop, if all are knit (or all purl) it does not show.

It is better to take the ribbing off, and knit in the stockinette part that to add to the ribbing, (less visible,) and add the ribbing as last.

If you think the ribbing is a lot of work, you can also safe it, and graft it back on later.
Take one row out of the work, picking up the stitches at both sides.
Add the extra length, and work in a new row of stitches connecting both parts. On these sites you get instructions how to graft.

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/graft.htm
http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer04/FEATtheresasum04.html

Answer 3

I think the easiest way to do this would be to pick up the appropriate number of stitches along the bottom and just add extra ribbing (I've seen lots of sweaters that have 4+ inches of ribbing at the bottom in stores). The v's made will be upside down to the others, but I don't think it would be that noticeable...

Or better yet, pick up the stitches, add more stockinette, then another row of ribbed and just say it was a design element. I think it could be cool!

Answer 4

How about just making the ribbing a few inches longer?

or

Your could try ripping out the ribbing and knit a row or two of a contrasting color and then a row or two of the original color and then back to the contrast color. Alternate this a few times till you get the length you want and then do the same to the sleeves. It should look like it was planned that way.