Knitty: Fall 2007

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by Cari Luna

Tussie-mussie
(tus-sie-mus-sie). n. 1. A small bouquet of flowers; a nosegay.

Let's imagine someone you love has brought you flowers. Maybe it's your partner, surprising you with daisies just because. Maybe it's your child with a fistful of dandelions from the yard. (A weed is just a flower growing in the wrong place, after all.) These simple, unassuming bouquets would be beautiful to you, wouldn't they?

We usually call the purl side of a garment the wrong side. In this sweater, it's the right side. There's a humble beauty to reverse stockinette, enhanced here with a nosegay stitch pattern.

Designed to be worn over a tank top, camisole, or shell, this close-fitting cardigan adds warmth and style without bulk.

Exactly the right sweater to wear when accepting bouquets of daisies and dandelions. Though I suspect roses would work just as well, in a pinch.

model: Cari Luna photos: Melissa McClain

SIZE

XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches
Length: 18.5[19, 19.5, 21, 21.5, 23, 24] inches

MATERIALS

Rowan Wool Cotton [50% Merino wool, 50% cotton; 123yd/113m per 50g skein]; color: Rich; 7[7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11] skeins

Two 24-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needles

One 36-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle

1 spare circular needle, US #4/3.5mm or smaller

US #6/4mm crochet hook

Cable needle

Stitch markers

Safety pins

Tapestry needle

Waste yarn or stitch holders

18 buttons, 0.5-inch diameter

GAUGE

22 sts/29 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

Instructions for grafting can be found here.

Instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found here.

LT (Left Twist): Bring right needle behind left needle and knit into back of second stitch on left needle without dropping st from needle; knit into front of first stitch on left needle, drop both stitches from left needle.

LPT (Left Purl Twist): Slip 1 st to cable needle and hold to front of work, p1, k1 from cable needle.

RT (Right Twist): K2tog but do not drop sts from left needle, knit again into first st on left needle, drop both stitches from left needle.

RPT (Right Purl Twist): Slip 1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work, k1, p1 from cable needle.

Make Bobble (MB): [K1, p1] twice into next st (1 st increased to 4 sts), turn work, p4, turn work, k4, turn work, [p2tog] twice, turn work, k2tog.

Ssp [Slip, slip, purl 2 together]:
Slip the next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to the right needle, then return them to the left needle. Insert right needle into back loops of both sts and purl them together.

Nosegay Stitch Pattern (from Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book)
Row 1 [RS]: P6, RT, LT, p6.
Row 2 [WS]: K5, LPT, p2, RPT, k5.
Row 3 [RS]: P4, RPT, RT, LT, LPT, p4.
Row 4 [WS]: K3, LPT, k1, p4, k1, RPT, k3.
Row 5 [RS]: P2, RPT, p1, RPT, k2, LPT, p1, LPT, p2.
Row 6 [WS]: [K2, p1] twice, k1, p2, k1, [p1, k2] twice.
Row 7 [RS]: P2, MB, p1, RPT, p1, k2, p1, LPT, p1, MB, p2.
Row 8 [WS]: K4, p1, k2, p2, k2, p1, k4.
Row 9 [RS]: P4, MB, p2, k2, p2, MB, p4.
Row 10 [WS]: K7, p2, k7.
Repeat Rows 1-10 for Nosegay Pattern.

PATTERN

LOWER BODY
Using longer circular needle, cast on 165[187, 209, 231, 253, 275, 297] sts. Do not join; body is worked back and forth.

K 6 rows.

Next Row [RS]: K4, p37[43, 48, 54, 60, 65, 71], place marker, p83[93, 105, 115, 125, 137, 147], place marker, p37[43, 48, 54, 60, 65, 71], k4. This row establishes garter st front borders. Markers indicate placement of side seams.

Work in reverse stockinette st, maintaining garter st borders as set, until work measures 1.5[1.5, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2, 2.25] inches, ending with a RS row.

Note: Read ahead. Stitch pattern directions and shaping directions are worked at the same time.
When placing markers in next row, use markers which are different from side seam markers. The new markers will be referred to as pattern markers.

Set-up Row [WS]: K4, place marker, [k7, p2, k7, place marker] twice, k to end.

The pattern markers delineate two 16-st panels.

Beginning with Row 1, work each of these panels in Nosegay Pattern until 30 rows (three 10-row repeats) have been completed. Continue working all other sts in reverse stockinette st and garter st as set.
AT THE SAME TIME: When work measures 2[2, 2, 2.25, 2.5, 2.5, 2.75] inches, ending with a RS row, shape waist as follows:
Waist Decrease Row [WS]: Work in pattern to 2 sts before first side seam marker, ssk, k1, k2tog, k to 3 sts before second side seam marker, ssk, k1, k2tog, k to end.
Work 7 rows in pattern.
Repeat these 8 rows twice more. 153[175, 197, 219, 241, 263, 285] sts.
AT THE SAME TIME: When 30 rows of Nosegay Pattern are complete, continue as follows:
Next Row [RS]: Work in pattern to first pattern marker, remove marker, p to next pattern marker, work Row 1 of Nosegay Pattern over next 16 sts (to last pattern marker), k4.
Continue working remaining 16-st panel in Nosegay Pattern until 2 more repeats (5 full repeats in total) have been completed, then remove remaining pattern markers and work these sts in reverse stockinette st.
AT THE SAME TIME: When work measures 7[7, 7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.5, 8] inches, ending with a RS row, continue waist shaping as follows:
Waist Increase Row [WS]: Work in pattern to last st before first side marker, [kfb] twice, k to last st before second side marker, [kfb] twice , k to end.
Work 7 rows in pattern.
Repeat these 8 rows twice more. 165[187, 209, 231, 253, 275, 297] sts.

Continue in pattern, working 4 sts at each edge in garter st and all other sts in reverse stockinette st, until work measures 11.5[12, 12, 12.5, 13, 13.5, 14] inches, ending with a RS row.
Next Row [WS]: [K to 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts after marker, place last 14[[14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24] sts worked on st holder or waste yarn, removing marker] twice, k to end.
Do not break yarn. Set lower body aside and work sleeves.

SLEEVES (Make 2)
Using shorter circular needle, CO 36[38, 38, 40, 44, 46, 48] sts. Do not join; lower portion of sleeve is worked back and forth.
K 6 rows.
Next Row [RS]: K4, p to last 4 sts, k4.
This row establishes garter st borders for lower sleeve.

Note: Read ahead. Stitch pattern directions and shaping directions are worked at the same time.
Set-up Row [WS]: K10[11, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16], place marker, k7, p2, k7, place marker, k10[11, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16].
Maintaining garter st borders and working other sts in reverse stockientte st, work sts between markers in Nosegay Pattern until 30 rows (three full repeats) have been worked. Remove markers and work these sts in reverse stockinette st.
AT THE SAME TIME: Beginning on tenth row of Nosegay Pattern, shape sleeve as follows:
Increase Row [WS]: K4, kfb, work in pattern to last 5 sts, kfb, k4.
Work 9 rows in pattern.
Repeat these 10 rows twice more. 42[44, 44, 46, 50, 52, 54] sts.
Next Row [RS]: K4, p to center of row; using second short circular needle, p to last 4 sts, k4. Place marker to denote beginning of round and join to work in the round.
P 8[8, 6, 6, 6, 4, 4] rounds.
Increase Round: Pfb, p to last 2 sts, pfb, p1.
P 9[9, 7, 7, 7, 5, 5] rounds.
Repeat these 10[10, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6] rounds 6[6, 8, 8, 9, 11, 12] times more, then work Increase Round once more. 58[60, 64, 66, 72, 78, 82] sts.
Continue in reverse stockinette st until work measures 16.5[17, 17, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18] inches or desired length to underarm, ending last round 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts before marker.
Place next 14[14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24] sts on st holder or waste yarn, removing marker. Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Slip remaining 44[46, 48, 48, 52, 56, 58] sts to spare circular needle.
When working second sleeve, do not slip remaining sts to spare needle; leave these sts on working needles.

YOKE
Pick up lower body and resume working using ball of yarn attached to right front edge, working all sts onto circular needle as follows:

Joining Row [RS]: K4, p to first set of held sts, place marker, p all sts of one sleeve, place marker, p to next set of held sts, place marker, p all sts of second sleeve, place marker, p to last 4 sts, k4. 225[251, 273, 291, 317, 343, 365] sts.

Work 3 rows in reverse stockinette st, maintaining garter st borders.

Size XS Only:
Next Row [RS]: K4, [p to marker, p2tog, p to 2 sts before next marker, ssp] twice, p to last 4 sts, k4.
K 1 row.

Repeat these 2 rows once more. 217 sts.

Sizes 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Next Row [RS]: K4, [p to 3 sts before marker, ssp, p1, p to next marker, p1, p2tog] twice, p to last 4 sts, k4.

K 1 row.

Repeat these 2 rows -[-, -, -, 1, 3, 4] times more. -[-, -, -, 309, 327, 345] sts.

All Sizes:
Next Row [RS]: K4, [p to 3 sts before marker, ssp, p1, p2tog, p to 2 sts before next marker, ssp, p1, p2tog] twice, p to last 4 sts, k4.

K 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows 18[21, 22, 22, 24, 26, 27] times more. 65[75, 89, 107, 109, 111, 121] sts.

Each front has 15[18, 21, 26, 27, 27, 30] sts, each sleeve has 2 sts, and the back has 31[35, 43, 51, 51, 53, 57] sts.

K 6 rows.

Loosely BO all sts.

FINISHING

Graft held sts of sleeves to hekd sts of body at underarms.
Weave in ends.
Immerse sweater in lukewarm water and soak until saturated. Gently squeeze out water and lay sweater flat, shaping to measurements shown in schematic. Allow to dry completely.

Put on cardigan and use safety pins to mark the locations of 6 button loops along right front edge of cardigan, beginning at the top of your sternum and ending opposite the top of the Nosegay Pattern.

Using crochet hook, attach yarn to right front edge at one of these marked points and ch 5. Break yarn and draw through last ch to fasten, then sew to front edge to form button loop. Repeat for each marked button loop location.
Sew buttons to left front edge, opposite loops.

In the same way, mark and work 6 button loops along front edge of slit at base of each sleeve. Sew buttons opposite loops.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Formerly Brooklyn-based, now Portland-based writer Cari Luna has become quite good at knitting in the dark, as her only knitting time these days comes after her family has gone to sleep.

She blogs about knitting, writing, and parenting at dogsstealyarn.com.