You spend hours, I mean HOURS, knitting a sweater and finally try it on and realize it's too big! What to do? Fix it!
Over Thanksgiving break I knitted my first sweater for myself. A beautiful orange cardigan style one with a fancy lace pattern down the front only to try it on and realize it was too big. I would have tried it on as I knit it but I left the sleeves for last and they were cinched up in circular needles so I couldn't until I was done. I toyed with trying to cinch the back, corset style and I even knitted a rectangular piece with a button on each end to sew on the back and cinch it. After I pinned it I realized it just didn't look right and was very bulky in back. I refused to give up. I mean all that work! And it was my very first sweater for myself. I usually knit things as gifts or to sell on etsy. I ended up taking it in under the arms and it really worked! I would suggest using a sewing machine rather than hand stitching it because it really needs to hold it well so it does not unravel.
Here is what I did:
First, turn the sweater inside out and put it on. Then pin it under the arms and at the waist until it fits comfortably. You may need help with this part because as you twist to put the pins in you may not end up with a straight line down. You could also lie it flat, pin it, then carefully try it on. This sweater was knitted almost in the round so there were no seams to go from but it still worked out great.
Next, use a basting stitch (set the sewing machine on the largest stitch possible) and follow your pinned lines. Turn it inside out and try it on again just to make absolutely sure it fits. There's no going back after this point!
Then, switch your machine back to a standard stitch size and stitch a little bit inside your baste stitch. And after that, do it again right next to that one so you end up with a double stitched line. Then, you are going to stitch it again (see why it would be crazy to hand stitch it) on the other side of the baste line. Now the scary part: cut the seam!
You should have 3 seams and it should look like the photo above. Two side by side and then one on the other side of the baste line.
Perfect Fit!
