Quick fix: Rip out the bind-off, place the live stitches on a needle, and continue knitting downward until you reach the correct length. Then re-work the cuff.
What you are seeing
You bind off the sleeve, try it on, and the cuff sits well above the wrist. The sleeve needs more length. Unlike a sleeve that's too long, a short sleeve requires adding new rows — which means working from the bound-off edge.
Why it happens
- Binding off too early without checking against the wearer's arm
- Gauge running slightly tighter than the swatch, giving fewer rows per centimeter
- Not accounting for the cuff ribbing pulling in the length
Fix it now
- Rip out the bind-off row completely: snip a stitch in the middle of the bind-off and carefully pull both ends to unravel the whole row. Pick up all live stitches on a needle — the same number as your sleeve stitch count.
- Continue knitting in the sleeve pattern (usually stockinette or a simple stitch) for the additional length needed.
- If you need to add more than a cuff's worth: knit the extra sleeve length first in stockinette, then add the cuff ribbing at the correct length.
- Match the yarn — if your sleeve is complete, use the same yarn and try to match tension. A short section in a slightly different lot may still be visible; position it at the inner arm if possible.
- Bind off loosely at the new cuff edge.
Prevent it next time
- Before binding off any cuff: hold the sleeve against the wearer's arm to check length
- Knit the cuff last — it's the easiest section to adjust
- Work 1–2 extra inches of sleeve before the cuff as a buffer you can remove if needed