In my knitting life, I am a die-hard sweater knitter; I love bodies and things that adorn their forms. Until the moment when my wheel magically appears and I can finally spin 200g of fibre in one sitting, I need to placate the sweater-beast. Whiteleaf is my offering.
Worked with a commercial fingering weight yarn, I can achieve my dream of turning my meagre spindle-spun yarn into (part of) a whole, wearable sweater. The 2-ply Shetland wool was chosen for its woodsy, wintery color that evokes my magical Christmas-time walks in the Oxfordshire countryside when paired with the delicate frosted shades of this Ice Queen fibre.
If you don't yet spin or just don't want to use your handspun in this way, substitute it with another fingering weight yarn. If you do spin, I highly recommend Countess Ablaze's indulgent fibre blends for adding some bling to your life.
Commercial Yarn Alternative [CC] Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift [100% Shetland wool; 115yd/11G per 25g ball]; color: 180 Mist; 1 ball
Recommended needle size [always use a needle size that
gives you the gauge listed below --
every knitter's gauge is unique] 16-inch US #3/3.25mm circular needle 24[24, 36, 36, 36//36, 36, 36, 36///36, 36, 36, 40////40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40]-inch US #3/3.25mm circular needle 1 set US #3/3.25mm double-point needles (optional) 1 set US #2/2.75mm double-point needles (optional) 16-inch US #2/2.75mm circular needle 24-inch US #2/2.75mm circular needle
Tools stitch markers stitch holders or waste yarn yarn
needle
GAUGE
26 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in St st on larger needles
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
In spite of a short colorwork section, the long floats make this yoke trickier for beginners. In general, you will want to catch the stranding yarn in the working yarn (known as weaving) when stranding it more than 5 stitches in a row. Using a stickier, rustic style of pure wool (such as the shetland in the sample) will allow longer floats than a smooth yarn (such as superwash wool).
K2, p2 rib: Rnd 1: (K2, p2) around.
Rep this rnd for patt.
Yoke
With larger 16-inch circular needle and MC, CO 112[112, 126, 126, 140//140, 140, 154, 154///154, 168, 168, 168////182, 182, 196, 196, 196, 196] sts using a stretchy cast-on method of your choice (such as the long-tail cast on).
Join to work in the rnd, taking care not to twist sts. Pm for beg of rnd.
Next rnd: Knit to end of rnd
Rnd 1: Work 14-st repeat of Rnd 1 of chart 8[8, 9, 9, 10//10, 10, 11, 11///11, 12, 12, 12////13, 13, 14, 14, 14, 14] times around.
Continue working in set patt, increasing as designated by chart, until Rnd 20 of chart has been completed. Switch to longer circular needle when needed.
176[176, 198, 198, 220//220, 220, 242, 242///242, 264, 264, 264////286, 286, 308, 308, 308, 308] sts when chart has been completed
Size A Only: *K88, m1; repeat from * once more.
Size B Only: *(K14, m1) twice, (k15, m1) four times; rep from * once more. Size C Only: *K19, m1, (k20, m1) four times; rep from * once more.
Size D Only: *K11, m1, rep from * 17 times more.
Size E Only: *K11, m1; rep from * 19 times more.
Size F Only: *(K7, m1) twice, (k8, m1) 12 times; rep from * once more.
Size G Only: *(K5, m1) four times, (k6, m1) 15 times; rep from * once more. Size H Only: *K8, m1; rep from * 29 times more , k2. Size I Only: *(K7, m1) 7 times, (k6, m1) 12 times; rep from * once more. Size J Only: *K5, m1, k6, m1; rep from * 21 times more. Size K Only: *K6, m1; rep from * 43 times more. Size L Only: *(K5, m1) 6 times, (k6, m1) 17 times; rep from * once more. Size M Only: *K4, m1, (k5, m1) 8 times; rep from * 5 times more. Size N Only: *K5, m1; rep from * 55 times more, k6. Size O Only: *(K5, m1) 15 times, (k4, m1) 17 times; rep from * once more. Size P Only: *(K5, m1) 14 times, (k4, m1) 21 times; rep from * once more. Size Q Only: *(K5, m1) six times, (k4, m1) 31 times; rep from * once more. Size R Only: *(K3, m1) three times, (k4, m1) 17 times; rep from * three times more. Size S Only: *(K3, m1) 18 times, (k4, m1) 25 times; rep from * once more.
Sizes - [B, -, -, -//-, -, -, -///-, -, -, M////N, O, P, Q, R, S] only: Short row 5 [RS]: *Knit to m, m1L, sl m, k2, sl m, m1R; rep from * 3 times more, knit to wrapped st, work wrap with wrapped st, k2, w&t. 8 sts inc'd.
Short row 6 [WS]: * Purl to m, sl m; rep from * 7 times more, purl to wrapped st, work wrap with wrapped st, p2, w&t.
Rep last 2 rows 0[0, 0, 0, 0//0, 0, 0, 0///0, 0, 0, 0////2, 2, 6, 5, 5, 6] times more.
Next rnd [RS]: *Knit to m, m1L, sl m, k2, sl m, m1R; rep from * 3 times more, knit to wrapped st, work wrap with wrapped st, k1, pm for new start of rnd. 250[260, 288, 296, 328//336, 362, 376, 384///390, 428, 430, 438////462, 478, 506, 518, 524, 530] sts.
Even rnd: Knit around, working remaining wrap with wrapped st.
Knit 1 rnd.
Inc rnd: *Knit to m, m1L, sl m, k2, sl m, m1R; rep from * 3 times more, knit to end. 8 sts inc'd.
Knit 2 rnds.
Rep the last 3 rnds 3[4, 4, 5, 5//6, 5, 6, 7///8, 7, 7, 9////9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 11] times more, then rep Inc rnd once more. 290[308, 336, 352, 384//400, 418, 440, 456///470, 500, 502, 526////550, 566, 602, 614, 628, 634] sts on needles.
Separate sleeves from body: Next round: *Knit to m, remove m, k1, place next 66[68, 75, 77, 84//86, 88, 93, 95//97, 104, 104, 108////113, 115, 122, 124, 126, 126] sts on holder (removing both markers), CO 3[3, 3, 3, 2//2, 2, 3, 3//4, 3, 6, 5////5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 7] sts using backwards loop method, pm for side seams, CO 3[3, 3, 3, 2//2, 2, 3, 3//4, 3, 6, 5////5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 7] sts using backwards loop method, k1, remove m; rep from * once more, knit to next side seam m for the new beginning of rnd (removing previous beginning of rnd marker).
Body Optional: For a faux side seam, sl 1 st before each side seam m every other rnd.
Work in St st for 3 inches.
Shaping setup rnd: K28[31, 33, 35, 37//39, 41, 44, 46//49, 51, 53, 55////57, 59, 61, 63, 66, 68], pm for first back dart, k28[30, 32, 34, 38//40, 42, 44, 46//48, 50, 52, 54////58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68], pm for second back dart, k to m, k22[23, 25, 27, 28//30, 32, 34, 35//37, 38, 40, 42////43, 45, 47, 48, 50, 52], pm for first front dart, k42[46, 50, 52, 56//58, 62, 66, 70//72, 76, 80, 82////86, 88, 92, 96, 98, 102], pm for second front dart, knit to end of rnd.
Note: Switching between circular needle lengths may be necessary for waist shaping for some sizes.
Dec Rnd: *Knit to 2 sts before m, k2tog, sl m, k to m, sl m, ssk, knit to m, sl m; rep from * once more. 4 sts dec'd.
Knit 5 rnds.
Rep last 6 rnds 8 times more, then rep Dec Rnd once more. 130[144, 158, 170, 184//196, 210, 226, 238///252, 264, 278, 290////304, 316, 330, 342, 356, 370] sts.
Work 18 rnds even.
Inc Rnd: *Knit to 1 st before m, m1L, sl m, k to m, sl m, k1, m1R, knit to m, sl m; rep from * once more. 4 sts inc'd.
Work 2 rnds even.
Repeat last 3 rnds 11 times more, then rep Inc Rnd once more. 182[196, 210, 222, 236//248, 262, 278, 290///304, 316, 330, 342////356, 368, 382, 394, 408, 422] sts.
Work even in St st until body meas 15.5 inches from underarm CO, or approx. 2 inches shorter than total desired length. Remove all four dart markers on last rnd.
Sizes A [-, C, D, -//-, G, H, I//-, -, L, M////-, -, P, Q, -, S] only: Next Rnd: Ssk, knit to side m, sl m, ssk, knit to end of rnd. 2 sts dec.
All sizes:
Change to smaller 24-inch circular and work in K2, P2 rib for 2 inches.
Bind off using tubular bind off.
Sleeves
Transfer the stitches on waste yarn back onto larger dpns or longer circular for Magic Loop.
Starting at center of underarm with MC, pick up and knit 3[3, 3, 3, 2//2, 2, 3, 3///4, 3, 6, 5////5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 7] sts, k66[68, 75, 77, 84//86, 88, 93, 95///97, 104, 104, 108////113, 115, 122, 124, 126, 126] sleeve sts, then pick up and knit 3[3, 3, 3, 2//2, 2, 3, 3///4, 3, 6, 5////5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 7] sts to center of underarm.
Join in the rnd and pm for beg of rnd. 72[74, 81, 83, 88//90, 92, 99, 101///105, 110, 116, 118////123, 125, 128, 132, 136, 140] sts.
Optional: For a faux sleeve seam, sl 1 st before beg of rnd m every other rnd.
Sizes A[B, -, -, E//F, G, -, -///-, K, L, M////-, -, P, Q, R, S] only: Next rnd: Knit.
Sizes -[-, C, D, -//-, -, H, I///J, -, -, -////N, O, -, -, -, -] only: Next rnd: K2tog, k to end.
-[-, 80, 82, -//-, -, 98, 100///104, -, -, -////122, 124, -, -, -, -] sts.
All sizes: Dec Rnd: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work in St st until sleeve measures 14.5[14.75, 14.75, 15.25, 15.25//15.25, 15.25, 15.75, 15.75///15.75, 15.75, 16.25, 16.25////16.25, 16.25, 16.75, 16.75, 16.75, 16.75] inches or 2 inches shorter than desired length from underarm CO.
Change to smaller needles and work in K2, P2 rib for 2 inches.
Bind off using tubular bind off.
Collar
With smaller 16-inch circular needle, MC, with RS facing, and starting at center back of cast on edge, pick up and knit 112[112, 126, 126, 140//140, 140, 154, 154//154, 168, 168, 168////182, 182, 196, 196, 196, 196] sts from yoke cast-on (1 st for each cast on st). Join to work in the rnd and pm for beg of rnd.
Sizes - [-, C, D, -//-, -, H, I///J, -, -, -////N, O, -, -, -, -] only: Next Rnd: K2tog, k-[-, 61, 61, -//-, -, 75, 75//75, -, -, -////89, 89, -, -, -, -], k2tog, knit to end of rnd. 2 sts dec'd.
All sizes:
Change to smaller needles and work in K2, P2 rib for 1 inch. Bind off using tubular bind off.
FINISHING
Wet block the sweater to finished dimensions shown on the schematic. Weave in ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Wool + Bricks is a newbie spinner in Manchester, England, with a love for woolly jumpers, rainy Sundays, long hikes, chana puri, all kinds of bicycles, and epic poetry.
In spite of a short colorwork section, the long floats make this yoke trickier for beginners. In general, you will want to catch the stranding yarn in the working yarn (known as weaving) when stranding it more than 5 stitches in a row. Using a stickier, rustic style of pure wool (such as the shetland in the sample) will allow longer floats than a smooth yarn (such as superwash wool).
