01 April 2009

Midi Sweater!


Seanphotomidisweater1
Originally uploaded by alaynefreidel
Here ya go, Max Darling! Many many thanks to Elizabeth Zimmermann for inspiration and to Sean for the picture.

GAUGE: 5 to 1"

BODY
You can start straight into garter stitch with the contrasting color (CC), in which case do two ridges of garter stitch and then two rows stockinette CC. OR -

- Using provisional CO, CO 210 stitches in CC, join (at the end of the sweater you can pick up and knit down from this to the desired length)
- K 2 rows total (including CO row) in CC
- Switch to main color (MC) and k 3 rows
- K 2 rows CC, place markers one stitch after join point and at 106 stitches
- Switch to MC and K for 20 stitches, PM and start lace pattern:
LACE PATTERN:
1. K1, YO, K1, sl1, K1, PSSO, K5, K2tog, K1, YO, K1
2. All even rows knit
3. K2, YO, K1, sl1, K1, PSSO, K3, K2tog, K1, YO, K2
5. K3, YO, K1, sl1, K1, PSSO, K1, K2tog, K1, YO, K3
7. K4, YO, K1, sl1, K2tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K4
- Maintain lace pattern throughout body of the sweater
- K to desired length for waist shaping (for me, ~ 9")
- On either side of side markers, decrease (4 stitches decreased)
- K for 1" rows
- Repeat decrease round
- K for 2"
- On either side of side markers, increase one stitch (4 stitches increased)
- K for 1"
- Repeat increase round (garment is ~ 13" long now)
- Continue to desired length ( Mine is 16" long, and I did some short row bust shaping)
- Place body on holders or yarn
SLEEVES
- CO 50 stitches in CC for sleeve (MAKE 2), join
- K 2 ridges of garter stitch in CC
- K 2 rows plain stockinette in CC
- Switch to MC and K 3 rows
- Switch to CC and K 2 rows
- Switch to MC and K 3 rows
- Switch to CC and K 2rows
- Continue in MC, increasing approx every 4 rows till 66 stitches (I increased on the top of the sleeve, instead of underarm, for a bit of interest)
- Continue plain till desired length (mine are ~11")

YOKE
- Join sleeves to body on long needle, leaving 10 stitches for underarm on each sleeve and at appropriate points on body on holders
- K, maintaining lace pattern, for approx half and inch, marking the 4 points where the front and back of sleeves join the body
- Kitchener underarms ( I do it now instead of at the end because it puts less stress on the underarm and it doesn't get all stretched out)
- Decreasing on either side of each point (8 stitches decreased each decrease round) every 3 rows, K until 33 stitches remain at sleeve (half of the number you started with)
- Knit across one sleeve's 33 stitches, joining up to front and back with ssk and p2tog, as appropriate, until saddle is ~ 5 inches.
- K around to the other sleeve and repeat
- Join all stitches on one needle and K 3 rows garter stitch, then bind off!
- Sew in ends.

3 comments:

Max said...

This sweater looks more compelling and fabulous to me every time I look at it. It's kinda 1920s, while being modern; it's elegant while looking comfortable.

Still thinking about all the great color combinations you could do this in. NICE work, Alayne!

Max said...

What yarn did you use, btw?

Alayne said...

Jo sharp dk. But it would also be beautiful in Cascade. I think it needs a real woolie wool.