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corset

by Karen Stockton

This striking sweater was inspired by the Japanese summer festival kimono, the Yukata. Like festival-bound girls on hot summer nights, you too can hit the streets, summer or winter, in a vividly colored Yukata with bright contrasting sash [well, sort of].

The contrasting "sash" is knit in the round, with other pieces knit flat on circular needles. The long collar/front-trim is attached with backstitching and there's a fair amount of seaming. However, the knitting itself is quite easy.

Exotic yet cozy - how often can you say that!

model: Karen Stockton photo: Ethan Stockton

SIZE

S[M, L, XL]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 34[36, 38, 42]
Length: 13[13.5, 14, 15]
Upper Arm: 16[16.5, 17, 18]

MATERIALS

[CC1] Tahki Cotton Classic [100% mercerized cotton; 108 yards per 50g skein]; color: 3454 [pink]; 2 [2, 3, 3] skeins

[CC2] Tahki Cotton Classic [100% mercerized cotton; 108 yards per 50g skein]; color: 3003 [white]; 1 [1, 1, 1] skein [optional]

[MC] Tahki Cotton Classic [100% mercerized cotton; 108 yards per 50g skein]; color: 3703 [green]; 8 [8, 9, 10] skeins

1 24-inch long US#5/3.75 mm circular needle
Tapestry needle

GAUGE

20 sts/27 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

DIRECTIONS

Double Seed Stitch Pattern:

Row 1 & 2: *k1, p1*
Row 3 & 4: *p1, k1*

Sash

CO 170[180, 190, 210] sts on circular needle. Join together [being careful not to twist] and work double seed stitch pattern for 6[6, 6.5, 7] inches. BO.

[Option: Add white trim or white stripes for decoration. For this design, CO in pink, work one row, work two rows white, then pink to the top. At the last three rows, work two rows white, then BO in pink.]

Back

[Worked back and forth on circular needle]

CO 85[90, 95, 105] sts and work St st 12[12.5, 13, 14] inches, ending with a WS row.

To Shape Shoulders:

BO 10[10, 11, 12] sts at the start of each row 6 times. BO remaining 25[30, 30, 33] sts.

Front Left

CO 42[45, 47, 52] sts.

[Size S] Work St st and dec 1 st at the right-hand edge of the piece [RS facing] every 7th row until 30 sts remain. Work measures approx 12.5 inches.

[Size M] Work St st and dec 1 st at the right-hand edge of the piece [RS facing] every 6th row until 30 sts remain. Work measures approx. 13.5 inches.

[Size L] Work St st and dec 1 st at the right-hand edge of the piece [RS facing] every 7th row until 33 sts remain. Work measures approx. 14.5 inches

[Size XL] Work St st and dec 1 st at the right-hand edge of the piece [RS facing] every 6th and then 7th [alternating] row until 36 sts remain. Work measures approx 15.5 inches.

To Shape Shoulder:

Row 1 [WS]: BO 10[10, 11, 12] sts, purl across.

Row 2 [RS]: Knit across.

Work rows 1 and 2 twice, then BO remaining 10[10, 11, 12] sts.

Front Right

Work the same as for Front Left, but flip-flop, decreasing at the left-hand edge [RS facing], and decreasing for the shoulder accordingly.

Sleeve [make two]

CO 80[82, 86, 88] sts. Work double seed st pattern 1.5 inches. Continue in St st until piece measures 16[16.5, 17, 17.5] inches. BO.

FINISHING

Block pieces to pattern measurements.

Seam shoulders.

Attach sleeves [careful here - center them against the entire side, end-to-end, not against the shoulder seam].

Seam sleeves and sides.

Attach Back to Sash [attach with CC1, stitching the top edge of the sash into the back of the CO edge of Back].

Attach Front to Sash.[Front tips of FL and FR should meet, not overlap].

Collar and Front Trim

CO 160[175, 185, 198] sts. Work first row in double seed st pattern across, then continue pattern while decreasing 1 st at each end of every 5th row three times [6 sts total]. 154[169, 179, 192] sts remain.

Starting at the bottom right tip of Front Left, attach collar with backstitching. The collar/trim will finish tucked behind itself, left over right, at the point where the collar/trim naturally crosses itself. Tack down both ends of the collar/trim and loosely secure all overlapping edges in front.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Karen lives in Kyoto, Japan, with her husband and cats, where she teaches high school English, and frets over her tatami-mat flooring (how impractical!).

She will be back in Seattle soon enough.

Pattern & images © 2003 Karen Stockton. Contact Karen.