Knitty: Fall 2007

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by Amy King

This sweater is the companion to my article about spinning a sweater's worth in the summer issue of Knitty. It'll give you something to shoot for.

The sweater has 3/4 sleeves and a cropped body so it's a smaller sweater overall for you to make yarn for. It is meant to be boxy and big so there isn't any shaping, although the slight ribbing in the boxed pattern will give you a bit of shaping effect.

If you're not a spinner, or really not ready to spin for a sweater, you can replace the yarn with any yarn that you can meet gauge with. Try Noro Silk Garden, Cotton Ease, Wool Ease, Paton's Classic Merino, Cascade 220. My list could go on. There are a million yarns that I get 5 sts to the inch with.

Have fun and knit happy.

model & photos: Amy King

SIZE

S[M, L, XL, 2X]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 38.5[42, 45.5, 49.25, 54] inches
Length: 19[19.5, 22, 22.5, 25] inches

MATERIALS

800[900, 1000, 1100, 1200]yd/732[823, 915, 1006, 1097]m worsted-weight wool yarn; 13 WPI
1.25[1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.25]lb/570[680, 790, 900, 1010]gr
Note: Fiber used in sample sweater is Merino wool, 22 microns

1 set US #6/4mm double-point needles

1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 24 inches (for smaller sizes) or 32 inches (for larger sizes) long
OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

US G/6 [4mm] crochet hook

Stitch marker

Stitch holders

Safety pin or split ring marker (optional)

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

20 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Box Pattern (Worked in the round over a multiple of 6 sts):
Rounds 1-4: [K4, p2] to end.
Rounds 5 & 6: P all sts.
Repeat Rounds 1-6 for Box Pattern.

Three-Needle Bind Off
Hold both pieces of knitting with right sides together.
Insert needle into first st on front needle and first st on back needle, and knit them together. *Repeat this for the next st on the front and back needles. Draw the first st worked over the second st.*
Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off. Break yarn and draw through remaining st.

Instructions for single crochet can be found here.

PATTERN

LOWER BODY
Using circular needle, CO 192[210, 228, 246, 270] sts.

Place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.
Work Rounds 1-6 of Box Pattern 14 times.

Work in stockinette st until work measures 10[10, 12, 12, 14] inches or desired length to underarm, stopping work 5[5, 6, 6, 7] sts before end of round.

Divide for Armholes:
Next Round: BO 10[10, 12, 12, 14] sts, k85[94, 101, 110, 120] (86[95, 102, 111, 121] sts after bound-off sts) and place these sts on st holder; BO 10[10, 12, 12, 14] sts, k to end. 86[95, 102, 111, 121] sts on needle.

UPPER BACK
The upper back is worked back and forth.
BO 2 sts at beginning of next 4 rows. 78[87, 94, 103, 113] sts.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 2[5, 6, 8, 12] times more. 72[75, 80, 85, 87] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until work measures 8.25[8.75, 9.25, 9.75, 10.25] inches from initial armhole BO, ending with a WS row.

Shape Back Neckline:
Next Row [RS]: K19[19, 21, 23, 23] and place these sts on hold on double-point needle for right shoulder, k34[37, 38, 39, 41] and place these sts on st holder for back neck, k to end. 19[19, 21, 23, 23] sts on needle.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: K1, ssk, k to end. 18[18, 20, 22, 22] sts.
Work 2 rows in stockinette st. Break yarn and place sts on st holder.

Rejoin yarn to held sts of right shoulder with WS facing. Sts may be worked directly from needle on which they are held.
P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work 2 rows in stockinette st. Break yarn and place sts on st holder.

UPPER FRONT
Replace held sts of upper front on needle and rejoin yarn with WS facing.
BO 2 sts at beginning of next 4 rows. 78[87, 94, 103, 113] sts.

Next Row [WS]: P39[43, 47, 51, 56], place marker, p39[44, 47, 52, 57].

Shape armholes as for Upper Back, and AT THE SAME TIME, shape neckline as follows:
Work 6[6, 6, 8, 8] rows in stockinette st, working armhole shaping as set.

Next Row [RS]: Maintaining armhole shaping as set, k to 3[4, 3, 4, 4] sts before marker, k2tog, k1[2, 1, 2, 2]. Place remaining sts on hold for right front and turn work.

Sizes S, L Only:
P 1 row.

Sizes M, 1X, 2X Only:
Next Row [WS]: BO 1 st, p to end.

All Sizes:
Next Row [RS]: Maintaining armhole shaping as set, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
P 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows 15[16, 17, 17, 18] times more. 19[19, 21, 23, 23] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until work measures same as back to shoulder.
Join sts on needle to held sts of back left shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.
Replace held sts of right front on needle and rejoin yarn with RS facing.

Next Row [RS]: K1, ssk, k to end, maintaining armhole shaping as set.
P 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows 16[17, 18, 18, 19] times more. 19[19, 21, 23, 23] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until work measures same as back to shoulder.
Join sts on needle to held sts of back right shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.

SLEEVES (Make 2)
Using double-point needles, CO 54[60, 60, 66, 66] sts. Divide sts between needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. If desired, once several rounds have been worked, place a safety pin or split ring marker in work to indicate beginning of round.
Work Rounds 1-6 of Box Pattern 8 times.

Increase Round: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
K 5[5, 3, 3, 3] rounds.
Repeat these 6[6, 4, 4, 4] rounds 8[9, 11, 11, 13] times more. 72[80, 84, 90, 94] sts.
Continue in stockinette st until work measures 18 inches or desired length to underarm, stopping work 5[5, 6, 6, 7] sts before end of round.

Shape Sleeve Cap:
Next Round: BO 10[10, 12, 12, 14] sts, k to end. 62[70, 72, 78, 80] sts.
From this point, the sleeve cap is worked back and forth.
BO 2 sts at beginning of next 4 rows. 54[62, 64, 70, 72] sts.

Sizes 1X, 2X Only:
Work 3 rows in stockinette st, beginning with a WS row.
Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Repeat these 4 rows -[-, -, 1, 3] times more. -[-, -, 66, 64] sts.

All Sizes:
P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 11[12, 13, 11, 10] times more. 30[36, 36, 42, 42] sts.
BO 2 sts at beginning of next 6 rows. 18[24, 24, 30, 30] sts.
BO 3 sts at beginning of next 4[6, 6, 8, 8] rows.
BO remaining 6 sts.

FINISHING

Work 1 row single crochet around neckline.
Weave in ends.
Block as desired.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy King is a crazy homeschooling mom by day, whacked-out dye maven by night.

All her exploits can be found here.