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Archive entry for February 2012

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February 2012

For Weekend Rambles...

Sara-the-Mermaid.jpg

Sara, playing her part again as the ultimate 1950's sweater-girl. Unlike the original model (I'm guessing) Sara knitted this elegant creation herself. It's another shapely close-fitting design and has a deep twisted-rib welt which extends flatteringly high over the waist before the cable pattern begins.

Instructions

Instructions for medium size in round brackets thus (). Large size in square brackets thus []. Where one set of figures is given, this applies to all sizes.

Front:

Using No 11 needles, cast on 84 (88) [96] sts and work 6 inches k2, p2 rib. Change to No 10 needles and work a further 2 inches in rib, increasing (6) [8] sts. evenly across on last row of medium and large sizes only. {84 (94) [104] sts}
Change to No 8 needles and pattern.

1st row (right side facing): * k4, p2; then "twist 2" by knitting into front of 2nd stitch on left needle, and then into front of 1st stitch and slipping both sts off needle together; p2; repeat from * to last 4 sts, k4.

2nd row: * p 4, k2, p2, k2; repeat from * to last 4 sts; p4.
3rd row: As first row
4th row: As second row
5th row: As first row
6th row: As second row
7th row: * p1, twist 2, p2, k4, p1; repeat from * to last 4 sts; p1, twist 2, p1.
8th row: * k1, p2, k2, p4, k1; repeat from * to last 4 sts; k1, p2, k1.
9th row: As seventh row.
10th row: As eighth row

These 10 rows form the pattern.

Continue in pattern, shaping sides by increasing 1stitch at each end of the next and every following 4th row until there are 96 (106) [116] sts, and incorporating the increased sts into the pattern as you go.

Work straight until front measures 13½ (14) [14] inches at centre.

With right side facing, shape armholes by casting off 6 (6) [6] sts at beginning of the next 2 rows, then k2tog at each end of the next and every following alternate row until 76 (82) [90] sts remain. Workstraight until front measures 18½ (19) [19½] inches at centre.

With right side facing, divide for neck:

Next row: Pattern 29 (32) [34], k2tog; turn and leave remaining sts on a spare needle. Continue on first 30 (33) [35] sts, decreasing 1 stitch at neck edge on alternate rows until 24 (27) [27] sts remain. Work straight until front measures 21 (21½) [22] inches at centre.

With right side facing, shape shoulder by casting off 8 (9) [9] sts at the beginning of the next and following 2 alternate rows, (this is the armhole edge). Fasten off.

Then return to the remaining sts on the spare needle, and slip the centre 14 (14) [18] sts on to a spare needle or stitch holder; rejoin the wool to the last 31 (34) [36] sts at the neck edge (right side facing), k2tog, pattern to end.
Finish to correspond with first shoulder.

Back:

Work exactly as for front until armhole shapings have been completed: 76 (82) [90] sts Work straight in pattern over all sts until back measures same as front up to the shoulder.
With right side facing, shape shoulders by casting off 8 (9) [9] sts at the beginning of the next 6 rows; leave the remaining sts on a spare needle or stitch holder.

Sleeves:

Using No 11 needles, cast on 52 (52) [56] sts and work 4 inches in k2/p2 rib. Change to No 10 needles and continue in rib until 8 inches have been worked from the start, increasing 2 (2) [8] sts. evenly across on the last row: 54 (54) [64] sts taking increased sts into the pattern as you go.
Work straight until sleeve measures 18 (18) [18] inches.

With right side facing, shape top by casting off 5 (5) [6] sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then k2tog at the beginning of every row until 34 (34) [36] sts remain, then at each end of every row until 24 (24) [24] sts remain.

Cast off.

Neckband:

Join right shoulder seam. With right side facing and No 10 needles, pick up and k. 92 (92) [96] sts all round neck, including those on spare needle at front and back. Work 1 inch k2/p2 rib; change to No 11 needles and work a further inch in rib.

Cast off loosely in rib.

To Make Up

Press parts on wrong side under a damp cloth, taking care not to spoil the pattern. Join side, left shoulder and sleeve seams; insert sleeves. Press seams.

Materials

Original materials called for: 15 (15) [16] ozs. Patons Moorland
Double Knitting in White. A pair each No. 8, No. 10

Example knitted in Posh Yarn Martha DK - just over 4 x 100g skeins.

1 pair each of No 8 (4mm), No 10 (3¼ mm) and No 11 (3mm) needles.

Tension

22sts x 30 rows to 4 ins on No 8 needles, measured over stocking stitch.

Size matters

The instructions are for one size only.

To fit 33-34 (35-36) [37-38] inch bust; length from top of shoulders, 21½ (22) [22½] inches; sleeve seam, 18 (18)
[18] inches.

Abbreviations

twist 2: knit into front of 2nd stitch on left needle, and then into front of 1st stitch and slip both sts off needle together.
k2tog: decrease by knitting 2 sts together.

A word on the wool.

Original yarn was Patons Moorland which is a double knitting, yarn. When substituting with modern yarns you often need to allow more than a straight equivalence of metric to imperial.

16oz is about 9 x 50g balls. A rough guide would say that 10 balls of yarn is enough to make a woman's sweater in DK.

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.

50smodel.jpg

© Christina Coutts 2007

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