If a four-inch-by-four-inch square of knitted fabric can’t tell us everything we need to know to knit a perfect sweater in one go, how are we supposed to plan? On gauge, the mirage of perfection, and embracing process.

Worried you’ll run out of yarn? Try knitting your set-in sleeves from the top down, with short rows shaping the sleeve cap. This tutorial walks you through the planning math and provides illustrations, directions, and photos for shaping the sleeve cap.