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by Mary Neal Meador

I love knitting for my 21-year-old son. He looks like a Nautica model: tall, thin, big shoulders. Knits look great on him. The only trouble is, he's a college student who lives off campus with three other guys, so attention to detail in the laundry department is completely missing. I decided to make him a pullover in one of the washable cottons so that if he treated it badly, it would only look better and better. He was taken by the idea of organically grown colored cotton, so we chose Pakucho.

I design most of my knits myself, and I like to create contemporary variations on very traditional garments. I like to feel connected to all the people who, over centuries, came up with these ingenious thing we call knits. Here, it's a fisherman's gansey knitted in one piece from the bottom up, made longer and ribbed, with closely fitting sleeves, but no underarm gusset. The shoulders are slightly dropped, and the sleeves are square at the top. This sweater will work for those of us who are not models, too. Made in cotton and laid flat to dry, it will act more like a tunic.

model: James Meador photos: Clifton Meador
SIZE
S (34-38), M-L (40-46), XL-XXL (48-54) Shown in S

Because the pattern is ribbed all over, sizes have a lot of latitude. It shouldn't be unattractively clingy if the wearer is at the upper end of the size range, especially if laid flat to dry after the initial shrinking in the dryer.
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest (after shrinkng): 40 [48, 56] inches
Length (after shrinking): 26 [28.5, 31.75] inches

MATERIALS

Pakucho Organic Cotton [95yd/87m per 1.75oz/50g skein]; color: Cafe; 17[22, 27] skeins
Other appropriate yarns:
Rowan Denim, Elann's Den-M-Knit Pure Indigo Cotton, Texere Freedom Denim

1 29-inch (for size S) or 36-inch (for size M to XXL) US #4/3.5mm circular needle
1 29-inch (for size S) or 36-inch (for size M to XXL) US #1/2.25mm circular needle
1 set #4/3.5mm double-point needles
Stitch markers
6 large stitch holders
Tapestry needle
GAUGE

19 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch before shrinking
19 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch after shrinking
PATTERN NOTES

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

This pattern is written assuming that the yarn will be unmercerized cotton, and that the length will shrink about 15%. It will work in any worsted weight yarn, if the lower body, armholes, and sleeves are all made 15% shorter.

Sewn Bind Off
Break yarn, leaving a tail at least 3 times longer than the edge you are binding off. Thread yarn tail on a tapestry needle, and work as follows:

*Draw tapestry needle through first 2 sts on knitting needle purlwise, bring tapestry needle around front of second st on knitting needle and draw back through first st knitwise, drop first st from knitting needle. Repeat from * until all sts are bound off.

Excellent photos of this process can be found here.

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.

1x1 Rib (Worked in the round over an even number of sts)
Round 1: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat this round for 1x1 Rib.
DIRECTIONS

Using larger circular needle, CO 190[228, 266] sts. Place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. When working first round, place marker after first 95[114, 133] sts to mark side "seam" position.

Round 1: [P2, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p2] around. This round sets Rib Pattern.

Work in Rib Pattern until work measures 17.5[19.5, 22.5] inches.

Next Round: [P1, m1, work in patt to last st before marker, m1, p1] twice.
Work 1 round in patt as set.
Repeat these 2 rounds once more. 198[236, 274] sts.

Work Sideways Stitch
[shown at right]:
Round 1: Using smaller needle, work in pattern as set, EXCEPT when working each st, wrap yarn around needle in opposite direction, so that each st is backward on the needle. (The yarn on the right side of the stitch will sit behind the needle, and the yarn on the left will sit in front.)

Turn work so WS is facing you. (You may find it helpful to turn your work inside out.)

Round 2: Knit into front and back of first stitch, [slip last st on right needle to left needle, k into back of second st on left needle, k into back of first st on left needle, drop both sts from left needle] to end of round.

Next Round: K2tog, k to end.

Upper Front
Using larger needle, work first 99[118, 137] sts of next round following Chart, repeating highlighted section (sts 3-21) 5[6, 7] times. Leave rem 99[118, 137] sts on hold on smaller needle.

Work back and forth, following Chart, until work measures 10.5[11, 13] inches from Sideways Stitch row, ending with a WS row.

Shape Front Neckline:
Next Row [RS]: Work 43[52, 61] sts in patt, place rem sts on st holder.
Next Row [WS]: BO 3 sts, work in patt to end.

Next Row [RS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Work 1 row in patt.
Repeat these 2 rows 6[8, 8] times more. 33[40, 49] sts rem.

Break yarn. Place rem sts on st holder.

Leaving 13[14, 15] center sts on st holder, replace 43[52, 61] sts on needle with RS facing and reattach yarn.
Next Row [RS]: BO 3 sts, work in patt to end.
Work 1 row in patt.

Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, work in patt to end.
Work 1 row in patt.
Repeat these 2 rows 6[8, 8] times more. 33[40, 49] sts rem.

Break yarn. Place rem sts on st holder.

Upper Back
Reattach yarn to sts held on smaller needle and work following Chart, using larger needle, until work measures 12.5[13.75, 15.75] inches, ending with a WS row.

Next Row [RS]: Work 36[43, 52] sts in patt, place rem sts on st holder.
Work 1 row in patt.

Next Row [RS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Work 1 row in patt.
Repeat these 2 rows twice more. 33[40, 49] sts rem.

Break yarn. Place rem sts on st holder.

Leaving 27[32, 33] center sts on st holder, replace 36[43, 52] sts on needle with RS facing and reattach yarn.

Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, work in patt to end.
Work 1 row in patt.
Repeat these 2 rows twice more. 33[40, 49] sts rem.

Break yarn. Place rem sts on st holder.
Turn work inside out and use Three-Needle Bind Off to attach shoulder seams.

Neckband
Using double-point needles, with RS facing and beg at right shoulder, pick up and k 3 sts for every 4 rows and 1 st in each held or bound off st around neckline.

Work 8 rounds in 1x1 Rib. BO using Sewn Bind Off.

Sleeves (Make 2)
Note: As written, the sleeve will be 24 inches long after shrinking. This allows for a generous turned-back cuff, or extra-long sleeves that cover part of the hand.

Using larger circular needle, CO 47[49, 51] sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K1[1, 2], p0[1, 1], k3, [p1, k3, p1, k3, p4, k3, p1, k3] twice, p1, k3, p0[1, 1], k1[1, 2].
Row 2 [WS]: P1[1, 2], k0[1, 1], p3, [k1, p3, k1, p3, k4, p3, k1, p3] twice, k1, p3, k0[1, 1], p1[1, 2].

Work 8[6, 4] more rows in rib as set.

Next Row [RS]: K1, m1, work in patt to last st, m1, k1.
Work 9[7, 5] rows in patt, working new sts into st patt and keeping edge sts in stockinette st.
Repeat these 10[8, 6] rows 8[10, 14] times more. 65[71, 81] sts; 100[96, 96] rows have been worked.

Work Sideways Stitch:
Next Row [WS]: Using smaller needle, work in pattern as set, EXCEPT when working each st, wrap yarn around needle in opposite direction, so that each st is backward on the needle.

Next Row [RS]: Knit into front and back of first stitch, [slip last st on right needle to left needle, k into back of second st on left needle, k into back of first st on left needle, drop both sts from left needle] to end of row.

Next Row [WS]: P1, m1, p to end. 67[73, 83] sts.

Upper Sleeve
Next Row [RS]: Using larger needle, K1, work from stitch 18[15, 10] to stitch 21 of Chart, work highlighted section of Chart three times, work stitch 3 to stitch 6[9, 14] of Chart, k1.

Work 9[7, 5] rows in patt as set.
Next Row [RS]: K1, m1, work in pat to last st, m1, k1.
Repeat these 10[8, 6] rows 5[9, 13] times more, working new sts into st patt and keeping edge sts in stockinette st. 79[93, 111] sts.

Cont in patt until work measures 27.5 inches.

Work 2 rows in garter st, keeping edge sts in stockinette st.

BO all sts.
FINISHING

Make a small skein of 20 yards of yarn. Tie it securely in three places. Put all pieces and the prepared skein in the washing machine on HOT, and let it rip. Dry it on HIGH.

Use the washed and dried yarn to sew the sleeves onto the arm holes, matching center of sleeve to shoulder seam. Sew the sleeve seam and the little bit of side seam.

Weave in the ends. Now you can wash and dry this pullover with impunity. The organic colors of Pakucho cotton will deepen with every wash; denim will fade, just like jeans.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Mary Neal Meador began knitting when she was a little girl and eschewed published patterns almost immediately. She has two handsome sons, 21 and 13, and a husband of 25 years standing, all of whom wear their handknits proudly.

By day, she is a book designer. This is the most colorful thing she has knitted in a long time, since she is attracted to black, grey, and colors that can best be described as "dryer lint." She lives in Chicago.
Pattern & images © 2006 Mary Neal Meador. Contact Mary Neal