Pattern of the Month

Instructions

3 sizes - larger sizes are given between brackets -
eg Small (Medium, Large).

[Editor's note: If you are not familiar with fisherman rib stitch or brioche worked with two colours, it should be quite easy to pick up from the instructions below, once you understand that you do two rows with right side facing (one in each colour) and then two wrong side rows (one in each colour) - hence the need for double-pointed needles.
There is however a big BUT - which is that you do have to careful when increasing and decreasing, so it might be a good idea to practise a little before you start. On the other hand, by the time you get to the shaping, you should be adept enough to see and understand the way the stitches are formed - just make sure by counting a couple of times that you have actually decreased the stitches where required.]

Striped Fisherman Rib Pattern

The two-colour brioche pattern has to be worked on needles or circular with points at both ends.

1st row (wrong side): With A, k1; * p1, slip1pw, yrn; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p1, k1.
Return to opposite end of row.

2nd row (wrong side): With B, k1; yft, slip1pw, * yon, knit the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row, yft, slip1pw; repeat from * to last stitch, yon, k1.
3rd row (right side): With A, k1, knit the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row, * yft, slip1pw, yon, knit the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row; repeat from * to the last stitch, k1.
Return to opposite end of row.

4th row (right side): With B, k1, yft, * slip1pw, yrn, purl the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row; repeat from * to the last 2 stitches, slip1pw, yon, k1.
5th row (wrong side): With A, k1, yft, purl the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row, * slip1pw, yrn, purl the next stitch together with the loop made on the previous row; repeat from * to the last stitch, k1.
Return to opposite end of row.

The last 4 rows from 2nd to 5th inclusive, form the pattern.

Important notes on the brioche pattern:

• When counting the number of stitches, do not count the "made" loops as stitches, as they will be knitted together with the adjacent stitch.
• When counting rows, each knit rib which you can see counts as 2 rows.
• When casting off stitches at the top of the back and centre front, take care to cast off loosely in single rib as the stitches appear and either knit or purl the "made" loop together with the correct stitch as usual, but do not make any fresh loops.

Back

Using No 11 (3mm) needles, and main colour A, cast on 103 (107, 111) stitches and work in single rib:

1st row (right side): K1; * p1, k1; repeat from * to end.
2nd row: P1; * k1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Repeat these two rows until work measures 3 inches from the beginning, ending with 1st rib row.

Change to No 9 (3¾mm) needles, join in contrast B, and work in fisherman rib pattern as given above.

Continue without shaping until work measures 15½ (16, 17) inches from the beginning, ending with a wrong side row.

Raglan Shaping:

Decrease 1 stitch at both ends of every alternate row 9 (8, 8) times, then at both ends of every following 4th row 28 (30, 31) times.

Cast off remaining 29 (31, 33) stitches for back neck.

Right Front

Using No 11 needles, and main colour A, cast on 53 (55, 57) stitches and work in rib as on back welt for the same number of rows.

Change to No 9 needles, join in contrast B, and work in fisherman rib pattern; continue until work measures the same as the back to the beginning of the armhole shaping ending with the same pattern row.

Raglan and Front Shaping:
Decrease 1 stitch at the side edge - either at end of a right-side row or at the beginning of a wrong-side row - on every alternate row 9 (8, 8) times, then on every following 4th row 28 (30, 31) times; at the same time, after 16 rows have been worked from the beginning of the raglan, decrease 1 stitch at the front edge on the next row, then every following 8th row 13 (13, 12) times, then every following 6th row 0 (1, 3) times.
After the last raglan decrease, cast off the remaining 2 stitches.

Left Front

Work as for Right Front reversing all shapings.

Sleeves

Using No 11 needles, and main colour A, cast on 51 (53, 55) stitches and work in rib for one row less than the back welt.

Increase row (right side): Rib 7, [double increase, rib 11 (9, 7)] 3 (4, 5) times, double increase, rib 7 (5, 7). [59 (63, 67) sts]

Change to No 9 needles, and work in pattern, but increase 1 stitch at both ends of every following 10th row 9 (13, 18) times, then every following 8th row 9 (5, 0) times, working the extra stitches into the pattern.

Continue on 95 (99, 103) stitches until work measures 16½ (17, 18) inches from the beginning, ending with a wrong side row.

Raglan Shaping:

Work exactly as for the Back raglan, and after the last decrease row, cast off the remaining 21 (23, 25) stitches.

Front Border

Using No 11 needles, and main colour A, cast on 13 stitches, and work in rib as follows:

1st row (right side): K2; [p1, k1] 5 times; k1.
2nd row: [K1, p1] 6 times; k1.
Repeat these two rows twice more, then make buttonhole.

Next row: Rib 5, cast off 3, rib to end.
On the following row cast on 3 stitches over the buttonhole.
Continue in the same rib making 4 more buttonholes, each 3¾ (4, 4¼) inches above cast-off edge of previous one then continue until the border - when slightly stretched - fits along both front edges and across the sleeve tops and the back neck; leave stitches on a safety pin without cutting the yarn.

Make Up

Join the raglan seams, taking care to match the vertical stripes.
Join side and sleeve seams.
Pin the front border in place with buttonholes to the right front, and stretching it slightly around the neckline so that it fits well. Adjust the length if necessary, then cast off ribwise.
Sew the border in place as pinned, then sew on the buttons to correspond with the buttonholes.

You should not press or iron any of the single or fisherman rib.

Materials

Double Knitting yarn, 50g balls:
7 (8, 9) in main colour A - bright teal;
6 (7, 8) in contrast colour B - purple.

One pair of No 11 (3mm) needles, and two (long) double pointed needles or circular, No 9 (3¾mm) for working the pattern.

5 buttons.

Tension

20 sts x 50 rows to 4 inches measured over pattern; work a sample on 25 stitches beginning with 2 rows of rib in contrast A then continue in pattern.

Size matters

To fit chest 32-34, (36, 38-40)
actual measurement
shown on diagram in cm.

Abbreviations:

k/p: knit/purl
double increase: into next stitch, purl into front, then knit into back, then purl again into front of same stitch.
slip1pw: slip the next stitch inserting needle into it as if it were a purl.
yft: yarn to front.
yon: yarn over needle.
yrn: yarn round needle.

A Word on the Wool

The original yarn was a standard double knitting wool (50% ) mix, with acrylic (40%) and mohair (10%). The quoted yardage was 125 meters, (137 yds), per 50g ball.

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.