Haiku
by Kristi Porter

A boxy, cropped cardigan for little girls and boys. Haiku is an easy project for novice knitters.

It is worked side to side, mainly in garter stitch, and requires very little finishing work.

The pattern is called Haiku because my initial inspiration came from an adult sweater with a poetic name that was knit side to side. Haiku, however, is smaller, simpler, and stripped-down.

Further, the first time I wrote down the idea for the pattern, it looked like this:
co 11", k 3.5", co 2", k5",
bo 6", k 1", co 6", k 15", bo 6", k 1", co 6",
k 5", bo 2", k 3.5", co all.

  model: Ella Bleicher        photo: Kristi Porter

SIZES
Directions are given for size 1-2 [size 3-4].
The sizing should fit average children of these ages, however the pattern is easily altered to accomodate longer arms or torsos. Just measure a favorite sweater and insert your own measurements.

MATERIALS
Haiku is designed to work with any yarn and the appropriate needles. A chunkier yarn will give you a quick knit and a bulkier sweater; a finer gauge yarn will yield a more elegant sweater. The model is knit with worsted weight 100% cotton yarn.
For the smaller size, you will need approximately 400 yds of worsted weight yarn.
For the larger size, you will need approximately 550 yds of worsted weight yarn.
Read the following section on gauge carefully.

GAUGE
Simply knit a swatch in garter st to obtain your gauge and copy it into the spaces provided within the pattern. Then, do the math to obtain the appropriate number of sts for your size and gauge. Write these numbers into the "sts" spaces provided.

GAUGE = _____ sts per inch.

STITCHES USED
Garter Stitch: Knit all rows
Box Stitch: Rows 1 and 4: * k2, p2*, Rows 2 and 3: *p2, k2*

DIRECTIONS
RIGHT FRONT
Cast on gauge_____ x 9 (12) =_____ sts.
Knit in garter st for 3 (3.5) inches.
Cast on an additional gauge_____x 1.5 (2) = _____ sts at neck edge.
Work in box st [see above] for 2 inches.
Switch back to garter st for 2 (3) inches.

RIGHT ARMHOLE
BO gauge_____ x 4.5 (6) =_____ sts, beg at neck edge.
Work in garter st for 1 inch.
Cast on gauge_____ x 4.5 (6) = _____ sts.

BACK
K in garter st for 2 (3) inches.
Work in box st for 2 inches.
Bind off gauge_____ x 1 sts at neck edge.
K in garter st for 4 (5) inches.
Cast on gauge_____ x 1 sts at neck edge.
Work in box st for 2 inches.
Switch back to garter st for 2 (3) inches.

LEFT ARMHOLE
BO gauge_____ x 4.5 (6) =_____ sts, beg at neck edge.
Work in garter st for 1 inch.
CO gauge_____ x 4.5 (6) = _____ sts.

LEFT FRONT
Knit 2 [3] inches in garter st.
Knit 2 inches in box st.
BO gauge _____ x 1.5 (2) = _____ sts at neck edge.
Knit in garter st for 2.5 (3) inches.

Beg 2 sts from neck edge, work 4 or 5 buttonholes evenly spaced along row. For each buttonhole, BO 2 sts; on next row, CO 2 sts above the bound-off sts.

Continue knitting until piece measures 3 (3.5) inches from last dec.

BO all sts.

SLEEVES [Make 2]
CO gauge_____ x 6.5 (8) = _____ sts.

Work in garter st, except for 10 sts at center of sleeve which are worked in box st.
[Example:
Take the number of sts in your first row and subtract 10.
Divide the result in half.
K the resulting number of sts, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, k to end of row.
Row 2: K to center 10 sts, work them in box st, k to end of row, etc.]

Continue to work sleeve in this manner, inc 1 st at beg and end of row every 6th row until you have gauge_____ x 10 (13) _______sts.
Continue until sleeve measures 7 (10) inches.
BO all sts.

FINISHING
Sew shoulder seams together. Sew sleeve seam together. Sew sleeves to body with seam at bottom of armhole. Sew on buttons opposite buttonholes.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Kristi is a long-time knitter and is particularly drawn to designing bold, bright and simple projects. She maintains a website at domesticsphere.blogspot.com that chronicles her adventures in all things domestic.

Kristi makes her home in San Diego, California.

Pattern & images © Kristi Porter. Contact Kristi.