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by
Jessica Fenlon Thomas
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Very
Cherry
I
rescued this yarn from a miserable failure
of a knitting project. After unraveling
the failure & recycling the yarn [see
Bonne
Marie's column in the Knitty archives
for instructions] I designed Very Cherry.
This
midnight-snack of a sweater is a top-down
shell knit in the round. Good for circular-knitting
virgins, you don't need to sew any seams
to finish. Instead, the knitter casts
on at the upper [shoulder] edge and knits
a tube, binding off at the sleeve and
casting on a few underarm stitches.
It's
flirty and fun, styled with a waist that'll
make someone very happy [or jealous]. |
 
Cherry
Twist
Here's
the variation of "Very Cherry"
I created using the method described in
my column
this month. I like this sleeveless, off-the-shoulder,
tightly-fitted shell shape.
"Very
Cherry" is a little fancier than
everyday wear with its chi-chi yarn and
long line. "Cherry Twist" wears
well with jeans, and the twisted ribbing
for which it's named adds interest at
shoulder and waistline.
The
yarns carried together are heavenly soft,
and the color ranges of both match up
nicely for carrying the two together.
Just a few skeins of each yarn are needed
for this delicious attention-getter. Enjoy!
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model:
Jessica Fenlon Thomas
photo: Shane |
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Very
Cherry
SIZE |
S
[M, L, XL, XXL]
To Fit: 31-34[35-38, 39-42, 43-46, 47-50] inch
chest |
| |
| FINISHED
MEASUREMENTS |
| Chest:
27[32, 35, 39, 43] inches
Length: 18[19, 20, 22, 22] inches from center
neck
Garment
shown size XL |
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| MATERIALS |
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Colinette Point 5 [handdyed 100% wool; 54 yards
per 50g skein]; color: Cherry; 6[7, 8, 8, 9]
skeins
1 24 inch US #13/9mm circular needle
stitch markers |
| GAUGE |
| 8
sts /12 rnds = 4 inches in circular stockinette
stitch |
| DIRECTIONS |
 Yoke
[Cast on at upper [shoulder] edge.]
CO 58[68, 74, 84, 92] sts.
Join into rnd without twisting sts.
Place marker at beg of rnd.
Work in k1,p1 rib until piece measures 3[3.5,
3.5, 4, 4] inches.
Armholes
Next rnd: *BO 12[13, 14, 16, 17] sts,
k 17[21, 23, 26, 29] sts* twice. 34[42, 46,
52, 58] sts left on needles in two groups.
Remove rnd marker.
Cast on underarm stitches and mark points
of shaping.
Next rnd, *between the 2 sets of sts, CO 5[5,
6, 6, 7] place marker, CO 5[6, 6, 7, 7] k
17[21, 23, 26, 29] sts* twice. 54[64, 70,
78, 86] sts joined in the round. First marker
marks beg of rnd.
Body
Work in St st until piece measures
3[3.5, 3.5, 4, 4] inches.
Decrease for waist shaping
Rnd 1 [dec rnd]: *k1, k2tog, k to
2 sts before next marker, k2tog, slip marker*
twice. 50[60, 66, 74, 82] sts.
Rnd 2-4[5, 6, 7, 7]: cont in St st.
Repeat the prev 4[5, 6, 7, 7] rnds once more
- 46[56, 62, 70, 78] sts on needle.
Increase
for hip shaping
Rnd 1[inc rnd]: [k1, M1, k to next
marker, M1, slip marker] twice. - 50[60, 66,
74, 82] sts.
Rnd 2-5[6, 6, 7, 7]:cont in St st.
Repeat the prev 5[6, 6, 7, 7] rnds twice more
- 58[68, 74, 82, 90] sts.
Lower
body ribbing
Switch to k1p1 rib until ribbing measures
4[4.5, 4.5, 5,5] inches.
BO in rib.
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| FINISHING |
| Sew
in ends.
To block: Pin sweater out to measurements &
steam
OR
wash, press with towel until damp, pin out to
measurements and allow to dry.
Tips
Point 5 is 100% wool and as such readily
felts.
Be careful when steaming or washing.
Join the new ball of yarn using the spit-splice
method.
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Cherry
Twist
SIZE |
S[M,
L, XL, XXL]
To Fit: 32-34[35-37, 38-40, 42-44, 46-48] inch
chest |
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| FINISHED
MEASUREMENTS |
| Chest:
27[30, 33 ,37, 41]* inches
*Length 15[16, 17, 19, 19] inches from center
neck
*Very
close-fitting garment - length will stretch
& convert to width upon wearing.
Garment shown size XL with crocheted underarm
finishing. |
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| MATERIALS |
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Classic Elite WATERSPUN [100% merino wool; 138yds/123m
per 50 gram skein]; color #5005 Cherry; 3[3,
3, 3, 4] skeins
Berroco MOHAIR CLASSIC [78% mohair, 13% wool,
9% nylon; 93yds/85m per 43 gram skein]; color
#1488; 3[3, 3, 4, 4] skeins
1 24 inch size US #11/8mm circular needle
1 size C/2.75mm crochet hook
OR 1 set US #6/4mm 10 inch straight knitting
needles
stitch markers |
| GAUGE |
| 12
sts/14 rows = 4"in circular St st
NOTE:
project is made carrying both yarns together
as one yarn throughout. |
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| DIRECTIONS |
 Yoke
Using
24 inch US #11/8mm circular needle and both
yarns held together, CO 84[96, 106, 120, 132]
sts.
Join into rnd, taking care not to twist sts.
Place marker at beg of rnd.
Begin Twisted Rib: *k1tbl, p1...rep from *
to end of rnd
Work in Twisted Rib until piece measures 4[4,
4.5, 5, 5] inches.
Armholes
Next rnd: *BO 18[21, 22, 24, 25] sts,
k 24[27, 31, 36, 41] sts* twice. 48[54, 62,
72, 82] sts in two sections.
Remove beg-of-rnd marker.
Underarm
Next rnd: *CO 6[7 ,8, 8, 9] place
marker, CO 7[8, 9, 9, 10] k 24[27, 31, 36,
41]* twice.
74[84, 96, 106, 120] sts in round.
The first marker placed is the new rnd marker
and a shaping marker. The second marker is
the other shaping marker. All garment shaping
happens at the side "seams", the
points running down the garment body at the
underarm where a non-circular garment would
be sewn together.
Switch to St st.
K all stitches until body measures 2.5[2.5,
3, 3.5, 3.5] inches.
Waist
Shaping
Dec rnd: *k1, k2tog, k to 2 sts before
marker, k2tog, slip marker* twice.
K 2 rnds.
Rep the previous 3 rnds 1[1, 2, 2, 2] times
more.
Rep dec rnd 0[0, 1, 1, 1] time more.
K 0[0,0,1,1] rnd.
XL,XXL ONLY: work dec rnd twice more.
Waist
62[72, 80, 88, 102] sts on needle.
K 3 rnds.
Hip
Shaping
Inc rnd: *k1, m1, k to next marker,
m1, slip marker* twice. Ð 66[76, 84, 92, 106]
sts.
K 1 rnd.
Rep prev 2 rnds 4[5, 6, 7, 7] times more.
Work
2[2,0,0,0] rnds even -- 82[92, 108, 120, 134]
sts.
Twisted
Ribbing
Next: Switch back to Twisted Rib until
lower ribbing measures 3[3, 3.5, 4, 4] inches.
BO in ribbing.
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| FINISHING |
| Sew
in ends.
Finishing
underarms
Using crochet hook and WATERSPUN, work
a row of single crochet along sts cast on for
underarm. Turn work.
Next row: *skip single crochet, slip stitch
into next SC, rep from * to end of row.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Repeat for other underarm edge.
OR
Using
size US #6/4mm knitting needles and WATERSPUN,
with right side facing pick up and knit 13[15,
17, 17, 19] sts along cast on edge at underarm.
Turn.
Row 1: *k2tog* across row.
Row 2: BO all.
Repeat for other underarm edge.
Blocking:
pin out garment to measurements and steam lightly
to even out sts.
TIPS
1. To bring out the halo [fuzziness] of the
mohair yarn, use a hairbrush and gently brush
garment.
2.
To make one chest size but a different length:
Cast on for the chest size, but follow the row
count directions for the length of the size
that you want: Follow the shaping directions
[stitch count] for your chest size, but the
number of rows for the length-size.
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| ABOUT
THE DESIGNER |
| Artist/knitter/writer
Jessica Fenlon Thomas lives in Pittsburgh, PA.
She worked with Lily M. Chin as the Boston contributor
to Lily's book, The Urban Knitter [2002]. Her
artwork was featured in Interweave Knits Summer
2002 issue. She encourages visitors to Pittsburgh
to patronize the Beehive coffee shop in the South
Side. It's her favorite java joint - with a copy
shop down the street. |
| Pattern
& images © 2003 Jessica Fenlon Thomas.
Contact Jessica. |
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