by Kristi Porter

Sonnet is the grown-up version of a child's sweater, Haiku, I created, published a year ago in Knitty. I've received lots of positive feedback on the pattern -- and lots of requests for an adult version.

This one will fit all sorts of grown-ups. The fit is still boxy with a simple squared neck, but the shoulders are a shaped for a smoother fit. As with its baby sister, Sonnet is knit side to side in garter stitch. This means the body is one piece and leaves little finishing work to do. Plus, it's just plain fun to knit something sideways. It turns usual sweater logic on its head.

Like Haiku, Sonnet offers lots of options for the knitter. It is designed to work with any yarn you choose. After making a gauge swatch, take a few minutes to measure your gauge carefully and copy your gauge per inch into the marked squares. Then work down the pattern, multiplying the number of stitches you need. Round fractions up or down as needed. Whether you round up or down is up to you, but do be consistent!

In a fine gauge yarn in a subtle shade, you've got something perfect for the office. Or go for a wilder, chunky yarn with funky buttons for a great little warmer to wear about town. You can also choose your fit: Since the sideways garter stitch has plenty of stretch, you can opt to make this fairly form fitting. Knit with more ease, you'll have a jacket for layering.

The ambitious or garter-stitch hating [like ace pitch-knitter Lisa McNulty] will substitute moss stitch, remembering to swatch in moss stitch, too! Also, instead of the box stitch detailing, one might substitute some other stitch pattern, like a simple eyelet. Bear in mind that the sleeves are worked bottom to top while the body is knit side to side, so the stitch pattern has to look okay vertically and horizontally -- or you might opt to knit the sleeves plain.

Anyway you do it, your Sonnet will be pure poetry!

[top] model: Kim Devoe photo: Kristi Porter

[bot] model: Diane McNulty photo: Norah Vincent

Small = 38" around and 20" long
Medium = 42" around and 21" long
Large = 46" around and 22" long
Extra Large = 50" around and 23" long

MATERIALS

Sonnet is designed to work with any yarn, though smoother yarns will show
the detailing much better than something furry or fuzzy. How much yarn you
will need depends on your size and gauge.

Kristi's Straw-Colored Sonnet [above] knit at 3 sts/inch:
Filatura di Crosa's Seta-Cotone [40% silk, 60% cotton; 124m/135 yds per 3.5 oz skein]; color:12 Naturali; 6 skeins for size S.

Lisa's greenish-grayish-teal Sonnet [below] knit at 6 sts/inch:
Araucania Nature Wool [100% hand-dyed wool; 242 yds per 5 oz skein]; color
13 Ve 0220; 7 skeins for size L.

Simply knit a swatch in garter stitch to obtain your gauge per inch, then copy it into the spaces provided within the pattern.

_____ stitches per inch.

Garter Stitch: Knit all rows.

Box Stitch [for a multiple of 4 sts]:

Rows 1 and 4: * k2, p2*, Rows 2 and 3: *p2, k2*

[If you are not working on a multiple of four stitches, work the stray couple of stitches as appropriate.]

DIRECTIONS

Right Front

CO gauge _____ x 16[17, 17.5, 18] =_____ sts.

Knit in garter stitch for 4[4.5, 5, 5] inches.

CO an additional gauge _____ x 4 [4, 4.5, 5] = _____ sts at neck edge.

Work in box st [see above] for 2.5 inches.

Switch back to garter st for 2.5[3, 3.5, 4.5] inches.

Right Armhole

BO gauge_____ x 7[7.5, 8, 9] =_____ sts, beginning at neck edge.

Work in garter st for 2 inches.

CO gauge_____ x 7[7.5, 8, 9] = _____ sts.

Back

Knit in garter st for 2.5[3, 3.5, 4.5] inches.

Work in box st for 2.5 inches.

BO gauge_____ x 1 ______sts at neck edge.

Knit in garter st for 7[8, 9, 9] inches.

CO gauge_____ x 1 =_____ sts at neck edge.

Work in box st for 2.5 inches.

Switch back to garter st for 2.5[3, 3.5, 4.5] inches.

Left Armhole

BO gauge_____ x 7[7.5, 8, 9] =_____ sts, beginning at neck edge.

Work in garter st for 2 inches.

CO gauge_____ x 7[7.5, 8, 9] = _____ sts.

Left Front

Knit in garter st for 2.5[3, 3.5, 4.5] inches.

Knit 2.5 inches in box st.

Bind off gauge _____ x 4 [4, 4.5, 5] = _____ sts at neck edge.

Knit in garter st for 3.5[4, 4.5, 4.5] inches.

Work buttonhole row:

Option 1: Beginning 3 sts from neck edge, work 5 buttonholes evenly spaced along row. For each buttonhole, BO 2 sts, on next row, CO 2 sts above the bound off sts.

Option 2: Beginning 3 sts from neck edge, work buttonholes every 2 inches by working a yo, k2tog for each buttonhole.

Continue knitting until piece measures 4[4.5, 5, 5] inches from last decreases.

BO all sts.

Sleeves

Make 2

[For optional turned up cuff, knit an additional 2.5 inches before beginning decreases. Make sleeve length measurements from folded edge -- i.e. add 2.5 inches to given measurements.]

CO gauge_____ x 9[10, 11, 12] = _____ sts. Add 1 st if necessary to get an even number of sts.

Work in garter stitch, except for center 12 sts which are worked in box st.

Continue to work sleeve in this manner, increasing 1 st at beginning and end of row every 8th row until you have gauge_____ x 16[17, 18, 20] =_______sts.

Knit even, maintaining center box st stripe, until piece measures 16.5[16.5, 17.5, 17.5] inches.

Sleeve cap

BO 4 st at the beginning of next 8 rows.
[If you are knitting with a bulky gauge yarn, stop decreasing here.]
BO 6 st at the beginning of next 4 rows
BO remaining stitches.
Knit second sleeve.

Sew shoulder seams together.
Sew sleeve seam together.
Sew sleeves to body with seam at bottom of armhole.
Sew buttons onto button band opposite buttonholes
If desired, crochet a slip stitch edging around neckhole and bottom hem.

Kristi can't stop knitting side-to-side in garter stitch and is now forcing others to do so. Special thanks to Sonnet knitters Lisa McNulty and Anupama Gandhi for their help with this project.

She dreams of moving back into her nearly finished home in San Diego with her husband and two daughters.