Yes, according to two popular designers and YouTubers. I watched their video as I was interested in what they had to say. Although there has been plenty of disagreement with what they had to say, early into the video they say “if it has been badly constructed”. But not enough was said throughout the video that not all knitted from the top down garments are created equal. I agree that the myth that top down sweaters are easier to try on for fit is just as much nonsense as toe up socks are easier to try on for fit.
Firstly, an unfinished garment does not have the same fit as a finished one and a top down garment will lack the weight of the finished item to judge fit. With either construction you can try on to see if it is too small or too big but the just right factor will be a little more elusive. I disagree that short rows are not necessary – as the back of the sweater will automatically adjust to be higher – this doesn’t happen. Is it a female thing? Anyway, there is nothing wrong with adding short rows to produce a good fitting garment.
The video goes on to explain the problems with top down sweaters, especially around the armholes but didn’t explain what the problem really is – hint – top down sweaters aren’t to blame.
The issue could be with the designer or knitter or both. Yes, dear knitter, it could be you. What happens if you get stitch gauge but not row gauge? Ignore it and carry on. That’s fine for patterns with no shaping and say work to a certain length but what about those items with regular increases or decreases? Suddenly your item is a weird shape. So with a raglan sleeve where the designer has decided that the increases should be every inch and the gauge is 28 rows, the increases would be carried out every 7 rows but if your gauge is 24 rows and you increased every seventh row, your increases would be more than 1-inch apart and your increase area would be longer.
Did you swatch? Truthfully? And you soaked and blocked it? So how on earth do you know if you’re anywhere near gauge or if you like the fabric? Are you prepared to rip out and start again? Having said that, gauge swatches do not tell the full story.
You’ve done your work, has the designer done theirs? How does the item look in pattern photos? Any areas covered up, model standing in a strange way, some parts not shown? These will hide a poorly fitting garment. Look closely, is this a style you will wear or do you just want to knit it or think it will be fine once it’s finished? There is nothing wrong with knitting something just because, just know that in advance.
Surely if the pattern has been published it must be OK. Um, no. How many patterns are there for oversized sweaters? Whether slightly loose or really baggy or the designs where you raise your arm and the body of the sweater rides up. Is this intentional or lazy designing. I feel that there are too many patterns out there that are written by knitters not designers. They understand their own body but cannot adapt for other sizes.
Also a published pattern does not mean a well written pattern. Has it been test knitted or tech edited.
So, no, sweaters knitted from the top down are not inherently bad but poor design is.
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