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Archive entry for August 2007

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August 2007

Yacht Club Chic

YachtingSweater.jpg

Casual sailing sweater, (designed in Italy, apparently), for that 1950s holiday mood. I think this is an outfit for the boathouse, or for the yacht where the chap does all the sailing stuff! I can't say how it would look covered in a life jacket, but it really is a delightful little sweater. The fit (smaller size) is excellent on me (a chubby UK size 12, US size 6), and it looks great despite the rules about short people and horizontal striping.

Instructions

Back and front are mainly knitted alike, but there is some additional detail on the welt at the front.
[Editor's note: So make sure you read the welt instructions for the front before just casting on the same as for the back.... and then have frog it and start again - as I did!].

Back

With No. 12 needles, cast on 112 (120) stitches in navy, and work 2 inches (20 rows) in k1, p1 rib.

**
Change to stocking stitch (1 row knit, 1 row purl), starting with a knit row, and work straight until back measures 5 inches from start, ending with a purl row (30 rows st st).

Join in white and continue in st st stripes as follows:

Row 1: right side facing, knit in white. Do not turn the work, but slip the sts back to other end of the needle.
Row 2: right side facing, knit in navy. Turn the work as normal.
Row 3: wrong side facing, purl in navy. Do not turn the work, but slip the sts back to other end of the needle.
Row 4: wrong side facing, purl in white. Turn the work as normal.
Row 5: right side facing, knit in navy. Turn the work as normal.
Row 6: wrong side facing, purl in navy. Turn the work as normal.

Continue in the striped pattern, and shape the sides by increasing 1 st at each end of the next and every following 6th row, until there are 134 (142) sts.
Meanwhile, when 17 navy stripes have been completed, continue in the striped pattern but use red instead of navy.
When the increasings are complete, continue in red and white until back measures 13 (13) inches down centre from the start.

Shape armholes as follows:
With right side facing, and continuing with red and white striped pattern, cast off 3 (4) sts at the beginning of the next two rows. Then, k2tog at each end of the next and every following 6th row until 122 (128) sts remain.
Work straight in striped sequence until 18 red stripes have been done in all, and ending with a white stripe, (right side facing for the next row).
Change to st st in navy and work straight for 16 rows. With right side facing, shape the armhole outwards, now, by increasing 1st at each end of the next and every following 6th row until there are 132 (138) sts. Change to number 11 (or the larger) needles and work 5 rows in k1, p1 rib.

Shape shoulder as follows (right side facing):
[Editor's note: At this point for the front, I adapted the front neck to give it some additional shaping. See "Adapting the Front Neck" section]
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 4 sts, turn; rib to the last 4 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 8 sts, turn; rib to the last 8 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 12 sts, turn; rib to the last 12 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 16 sts, turn; rib to the last 16 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 20 sts, turn; rib to the last 20 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 24 sts, turn; rib to the last 24 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 28 sts, turn; rib to the last 28 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 32 sts, turn; rib to the last 32 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 36 sts, turn; rib to the last 36 sts, turn.

Next row: Rib to end, picking up loop where row was turned each time and knitting it together with the the next st to avoid a hole
Next row: Rib back across all sts, picking up loop where row was turned each time and knitting it together with the the next st as before.

Cast off right across very loosely in rib.

Front

With No. 12 needles, cast on 140 (148) stitches in navy, and work 2 inches (20 rows) in k1, p1 rib.
Next row: Rib first 14 (14) sts and slip onto a safety pin; rib to the last 14 (14) sts, turn, slipping the last 14 (14) sts onto another safety pin. Continue on the centre 112 (120) sts.

Work as for back from ** to **.

[Editor's note: I adapted the front neck to give it some additional shaping. See "Adapting the Front Neck" section]

To make up

Press parts carefully on wrong side under a damp cloth. With navy wool and number 12 needles, continue in rib on each of the sets of 14 sts on safety pins until piece measures 5 inches from start. Cast off in rib. Join these ribbed pieces to sides of front.
Now join sides of main work, leaving ribbed pieces free to fold over to back, then sew in position with 2 large pearl buttons, as shown in the photograph. Catch down overlaps to main work along lower edge.
Face armholes on wrong side with bias binding.

[Editor's note: This is to stop the edges of the armholes from curling over, as there is no additional knitted edging.]

Now fold neck edge of front over to back along shoulder edges by ½ inch. Sew two buttons on each shoulder through double thickness to secure shoulders. Press seams.

Materials

Original pattern calls for 4oz of 3ply in light navy and 1 oz each in lipstick red and white.
Example shown is knitted in 3 x 50g balls of navy 4ply cotton and 1 ball each of red and white.

One pair of No 12 double pointed needles (or a circular needle) and one pair No 11 needles.

8 large pearl buttons and bias binding.

Tension

32st and 40 rows to 4 inches (10cm) on No 12 (2½ mm) needles, using the 4 ply wool. (original pattern calls for No 11 needles and 3ply).

Size matters

Instructions for two slim fitting sizes: 34-35 (36-37) inch bust; length from top of shoulders 20½ (20½) inches.

A word on the wool.

For the navy and white I used a vintage Hayfield soft cotton 4ply, and for the red I used Jaeger Sienna (also a pure cotton 4ply). I used 11 and 12 needles which are a size smaller needles than stated in the original pattern, and with these I managed to achieve the required tension.
[Editor's note: I only just had enough wool for this project (smaller size): 3 balls of Navy at 165.5m (181yds), and one of Sienna at 140m (153 yards). It was a VERY close run thing; I had only inches left.]

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.

 

Adapting the front neck

The original pattern is a slash neck, the same at the back as the front. I adapted the front neck to lower it slightly and add shaping. [Editor's note: This adaptation used slightly less wool that the slash neck version where I had only inches left, knitting the smaller size. Adapting the neckline left me with just enough to sew up!]

FrontNeck.jpg

Replace the shoulder shaping section for the front as follows:

Shape shoulder (front adaptation) as follows (right side facing):
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 4 sts, turn; rib to the last 4 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 8 sts, turn; rib to the last 8 sts, turn.
Next 2 rows: Rib to the last 12 sts, turn; rib to the last 12 sts, turn.

Divide for neck as follows:

Next row: Rib 40(42) sts; turn and leaving the rest of the sts on a spare needle. Complete each side of the neck separately.
Next row: K2tog; rib to the last 16 sts, turn.
Next row: Rib to the last 2sts; k2tog; turn.
Next row: K2tog; rib to the last 20sts, turn.
Next row: Rib to the last 2sts; k2tog; turn.
Next row: K2tog; rib to the last 24sts, turn.

Continue thus, turning 4 stitches short of the shoulder edge each time as for the back, and decreasing at neck edge on every row, until you complete the row:
Next row: Rib to the last 36 sts, turn. Then:
Next row: Rib to the last 2sts; k2tog; break wool.

Rejoin the wool to the sts on the spare needle at centre neck. Rib across all sts on spare needle to the last 16 sts, turn.
Next row: Rib 38(40) sts, k2tog; turn, and complete this side of the neck separately, leaving the centre 28 (30) sts on a spare needle.
Next row: K2tog; rib to the last 20sts, turn.
Next row: Rib to the last 2sts; k2tog; turn.
Next row: K2tog; rib to the last 24sts, turn.

Continue thus, turning 4 stitches short of the shoulder edge each time as for the back, and decreasing at neck edge on every row, until you complete the row:
Next row: Rib to the last 36 sts, turn. Then:

Next row: (wrong side facing) rib across right shoulder to the last 2sts; k2tog; do not break wool.

Pick up and rib all sts across the neck: pick up the approximately 12 sts** down right side of neck, rib across centre 28 (30) sts, pick up approximately 12 sts** up left hand side of neck; then rib across all sts of right shoulder, picking up loop where row was turned each time and knitting it together with the the next st to avoid a hole.
[**Editor's note: make sure you pick up the right number of sts down sides of neck to ensure continuity if the k1 p1 rib - that is and even or an odd number.]
Next row: Rib back across all sts, picking up loop where row was turned each time and knitting it together with the the next st as before, across the right shoulder..

Cast off right across very loosely in rib.

Adapting the size

I have not tried this myself, but it seems to me that it would be moderately easy to adapt the size by simply adding stitches. To adjust the length, make additional stripes in the navy and the red striped sections evenly, both above and below the armhole decreasing, as required. To gauge how much to increase, you can use a sleeveless top that fits you well and measure the overall length, as well as the length of the armhole.

© Christina Coutts 2007

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