Nightmarish sleeves

The body of the Amelie cardigan has been finished for some time. The sleeves are giving me a complete nightmare.

Firstly let me say I think the horrible problem I'm having with Amelie's sleeves is me, not the pattern.

It's not that the pattern isn't wrong, it most certainly is, but I emailed WLD and got a very prompt reply from St Joan telling me to do an extra 10 rows before beginning the every other row bind offs.

My armholes must be disproportionately long compared with the pattern size because if I were to add another 10 rows then the sleeve cap part would still be 10 rows or so shy of the lenghth of the armhole. And it isn't wide enough across the upper arm, which is more than likely a gauge issue.

Here is the armhole.



Ordinary looking armhole, wouldn't you think? The seam across the shoulder could probably be angled slightly, but other than that there's no real reason why a sleeve could not be knitted to fit it, non?

Before Joan so kindly emailed me back, I consulted Saint Montse Stanley (signed copy no less). She advised a sleeve shaped thus:



The I consulted Saint Grump, who advised a short-row wrap and turn technique picking up a stitch each side. I began this and whilst it is turning out a well-fitting sleeve, the pickup joins look really really awful. Look.



The body of the cardigan stretches out properly and fits the recipient well, even though it looks very skinny in the picture.

I know I'm going to have to rip it out for about the fifth time.

I'm also going to need two more balls of yarn.

It's getting harder not to start something else.

Grrr.