Neckline
The neckline is the shape and size of the opening around the neck of a sweater, usually shaped with decreases or short rows for a good fit.
Explanation
The neckline determines how a sweater or cardigan looks and feels around the neck, and comes in many styles: crew neck, V-neck, boat neck, and turtleneck are among the most common. In top-down knitting, the neckline is often shaped early in the project, frequently using short rows to lower the front slightly relative to the back, while in bottom-up knitting the neckline is shaped with decreases near the end, right before the shoulders. Getting the depth and width of the neckline right is essential for the garment to fit comfortably and look balanced.
Also known as: Neck opening
The shaping
A neckline is shaped by binding off stitches at the center front and then decreasing gradually toward each side, so the opening is wider at the top than at the bottom. The back neck is shaped far less — often just a few stitches — because the nape is nearly straight.
That asymmetry is why a neckline sits correctly: most of the depth belongs at the front.
The edge
The neckband is picked up at the end and worked in ribbing. It has to be elastic enough to pass over the head, and this is where an ordinary bind-off most often ruins an otherwise finished garment.
Always measure the opening stretched against your head circumference before binding off.
Common mistakes
- Binding off the neckband too tightly.
- Shaping the back neck as deeply as the front, so the neckline sits too low at the nape.
Keywords
- neckline
- sweater neck
- neck shaping
Frequently asked questions
How deep should a neckline be?
For a standard crew neck: 2 to 3 inches at the front and about 1 inch at the back. The pattern gives measurements for each size.
Why will my sweater not go over my head?
Almost always a bind-off that is too tight at the neckband. Rip it out and redo it with an elastic variant.