Knit to finish by Pamela Molloy
Good finishing of a garment depends on good preparation.  Just like painting a wall, if the correct preparation has been done the actual work and finishing is easier.  I will try and explain how I go about finishing a jumper.  Presuming the correct body measurements have been taken, the pieces have been knitted ready to assemble.  The pieces should fit together as planned.

I knit the back first and remove the shoulders on waste.  The neck is either cast off, on waste or ready for cut and sew.  The different methods for the neckline, depends on a number of factors … patterning, shape etc.  When the front of the jumper is knitted I remove one shoulder to waste and the other is to be joined to the back.  The usual method for this is as follows.  Turn the work with garter bar (or waste).  Back is placed onto machine RSF, push stitches behind latches (needles are forward in HOLD position).  Place stitches of front WSF onto same needles in front of latches.  With a ruler or similar against needle butts push needles back to WORK position, this knits front stitches through the back.  Cast off behind gate pegs.  If garment is knitted using a TUCK stitch, double wrap for more ease.   That is, wrap once behind latch and again in front of latch and then knit through stitches.

Next step is to knit the neckband.  “Guesstimate” the number of stitches required by placing the neck area (slightly stretched) to the machine.  I prefer a single 1x1 neckband. (A stocking stitch neckband would be folded.)  All my neckbands are generally around 10 to 12 rows in a 4ply, on a standard gauge machine.  The band tension is gradually increased one dot a row, thus using tension to flair out the band to fit without gathers to the body of garment.  By the time the depth of band is knitted it is about main rib tension plus 2.  My neckband does not always match the lower band and cuffs.  Divide neck of garment in half and then quarters for even pick up over band.  Place garment to machine WSF knit one row at main tension plus, for appropriate ease over head.  Cast off behind latches.

Join second shoulder as first.  Knit sleeves, join with machine if straight or drop shoulder.  When a shaped sleeve is preferred, I cast off sleeve and sew together after dividing into 4 easing any excess that may be in sleeve into top of shoulder. Difficult to handle or tricky fabrics I use the linker to put them together.  This way I can ease the whole of the armhole and head of sleeve together before linking.  I measure around the armhole on the linker to make sure both armholes are joined over the same distance.  Ribs are always flat seamed. The body of garment is mattress stitched or linked.  (P.Molloy)