Sweater Knitting Pattern – This sweater is worked in two pieces and joined at the center. Beautifully simple decreases and shaping blended into a garter stitch design make an effortless and relaxed summer sweater.
Materials:
- 5, (6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8) balls / 1160, (1392, 1392, 1624, 1856, 1856, 1856) yards of Lion Brand Coboo Yarn (shown in White)
- Two – Size 6 (32” or larger) circular needles Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- Tapestry needle to weave in ends
Gauge: 20 stitches and 40 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
NOTE: This yarn creates a very stretchy fabric with excellent drape. Be sure to test your gauge on a blocked swatch and not to stretch when you are measuring.
Dimensions:
- XS, (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)
- Finished Width at Chest: 18, (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30)
- Finished Chest/Bust Circumference: 36, (40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)
- Finished Length: 24, (25, 25, 25, 26, 26, 26)
- Finished Sleeve Length: 18, (18, 18.5, 18.5, 19, 19, 19)
Pattern is written for smallest size with changes for larger sizes in parenthesis. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. If you are in a section where a particular size will not be worked, that number will be denot- ed with an x. To keep track of your size, you may highlight or circle all numbers for your chosen size before you begin.
Help Choosing Size: Model is 6’ tall with a 34” bust, 36” hips, and is pictured wearing a size small. To find your size, measure your bust and choose the size where the finished measurements are 4-6” larger. For example, if your bust measurement is 42 inches, you would wear a size large. You may add more or less ease for a looser or tighter sweater.
Notes: This sweater will be worked in two pieces beginning at the sleeves and working towards the middle. To join the sweater, you will work a three-needle bind off in the center, creating a unique design element on and otherwise simple sweater.
Abbreviations:
- Beg = beginning
- BO = bind off
- CO = cast on
- k = knit
- k2tog = knit 2 together
- k3tog = knit 3 together
- M1R = make one right. Pick up the bar between the stitch you just knit and the one you are about to knit with your left needle from back to front, knit through the front.
- M1L = make one left. Pick up the bar between the stitch you just knit and the one you are about to knit with your left needle from front to back, knit through the back.
- p = purl
- sl1 = slip one stitch purl-wise
- sl1 k-wise = slip one stitch as if to knit.
- ssk = slip slip knit. Slip the next two stitches one at a time as if to knit. Insert the left needle into the front of these stitches and knit them together. Single decrease.
- sssk = slip slip slip knit. Slip the next three stitches one at a time as if to knit. Insert the left needle into the front of these stitches and knit them together. Two stitches decreased
- stst = stockinette stitch
Additional Notes:
This pattern will use a selvedge stitch called a chain selvedge. This will leave a very nice, clean edge.
To work this, slip each ‘sl1’ purl-wise with the working yarn in front, then move the working yarn to the back to continue working across the row.
Modified Three Needle Bind Off:
This pattern will use a modified three needle bind off which will be flatter than a traditional three needle bind off and will have a nice chain appearance.
To work this bind off, arrange your work so that you have two needles in your left hand, each with one piece of work on it that you are going to join. You will work these two pieces together with a third needle.
With working yarn in back, insert the tip of your right needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit. Then, move your working yarn to the front of your working needle and insert your right needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl.
Wrap your yarn around this needle and pull through allowing the worked stitch to come off the back needle but careful not to let any other stitches come off. Pull this same loop through the stitch on the front needle, allowing the old stitch to come off the left needle.
You will now have joined the two stitches together into one stitch, which is on your right needle. Work the next stitches in this manner so that you have two stitches on your right needle. Pull the first stitch over the second stitch on your right needle to bind off.
Continue in this way joining the two stitches into one stitch and binding off until all stitches on your left needles have been worked. Cut yarn and pull through the last loop to secure.
For help working this bind off, you may search ‘modified three needle bind off’ or ‘finessing the three needle bind off’ online.
PATTERN
Left Sleeve (SIZES XS, S, M ONLY):
With size 6 needles, cast on 52, (54, 54, x, x, x, x) sts using long-tail cast on. Knit 1 row.
Row 1 (RS): sl1, knit across.
2 (WS): sl1, knit across.
3-9: as row 2.
10: sl1, k1, M1L, k to last 2, M1R, k2. [54, (56, 56, x, x, x, x) sts].
Repeat rows 1-10 14, (15, 17, x, x, x, x) more times. [82, (86, 90, x, x, x, x) sts total for left sleeve]. Work even (repeating rows 1-2) until sleeve measures 18, (18, 18.5, x, x, x, x)” from CO edge, ending with a WS row.
Next row: bind off 6, (6, 6, x, x, x, x) sts, knit to end of row.
Next row: bind off 6, (6, 6, x, x, x, x) sts, knit to end of row. [70, (74, 78, x, x, x, x) sts].
Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside on stitch holder or scrap yarn to begin working side body panels.
Left Sleeve (SIZES L, XL, 2X, 3X, ONLY):
With size 6 needles, cast on x, (x, x, 56, 56, 58, 58) sts using long-tail cast on. Knit 1 row.
Row 1 (RS): sl1, knit across.
2 (WS): sl1, knit across.
3-7: as row 2.
8 (WS): sl1, k1, M1L, k to last 2, M1R, k2. [x, (x, x, 58, 58, 60, 60) sts].
Repeat rows 1-8 x, (x, x, 18, 20, 20, 20) more times. [x, (x, x, 94, 98, 100, 100) sts total for left sleeve]. Work even (repeating rows 1-2) until sleeve measures x, (x, x, 18.5, 19, 19, 19)” from CO edge, ending with a WS row.
Next row: bind off x, (x, x, 6, 8, 8, 8) sts, knit to end of row. Turn
Next row: bind off x, (x, x, 6, 8, 8, 8) sts, knit to end of row. [x, (x, x, 82, 82, 84, 84) sts].
Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside on stitch holder or scrap yarn to begin working side body panels.
Left Side Body Panel:
Cast on 85, (88, 86, 84, 89, 88, 88) sts using long-tail cast on. Knit 1 row.
1: sl1, knit to end of row.
Repeat row 1 8, (8, 8, 8, 12, 12, 12) more times.
Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside on stitch holder or scrap yarn to begin working a second side body panel.
Repeat once more so that you have two left side body panel pieces. Do not cut yarn on the second body panel.
Join for Body:
Now, you will join the two body panels and the sleeve to form one row with 240, (250, 250, 250, 260, 260, 260) sts.
1 (RS): On the body panel you just completed, sl1 p-wise, knit across, continuing the same row knit across the 70, (74, 78, 82, 82, 84, 84) sts that were set aside for sleeve, then, knit across the 85, (88, 86, 84, 89, 88, 88) sts for body panel that was set aside. [240, (250, 250, 250, 260, 260, 260) sts].
2 (WS): sl1, knit across.
Work even (repeating row 2) until piece measures 4, (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)” from the body panel cast on edge. Be sure to end with a WS row.
Separate for Front and Back (Left side ONLY):
1 (RS): sl1, k 119, (124, 124, 124, 129, 129, 129) BO 15, (20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20) sts, k to end of row.
You will now have 120, (125, 125, 125, 130, 130, 130) sts for the back and 105, (105, 105, 105, 110, 110, 110) sts for the front.
You will now work flat across the 105, (105, 105, 105, 110, 110, 110) sts for the left front.
Left Front:
2 (WS): sl1, k to last 3 sts, k3tog. [103, (103, 103, 103, 108, 108, 108) sts].
3 (RS): sl1, k across.
4-9: repeat rows 2-3 three more times. [97, (97, 97, 97, 102, 102, 102) sts].
10 (WS): sl1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. [96, (96, 96, 96, 101, 101, 101) sts].
11 (RS): sl1, k to end of row.
12-49: Repeat rows 10-11 19 more times. [77, (77, 77, 77, 82, 82, 82) sts].
Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside (you may leave on your circular needle), begin working left back.
Left Back: Rearrange needles to begin working the 120, (125, 125, 125, 130, 130, 130) sts set aside for left back. Begin working with WS facing you, starting the first row at the neckline edge.
2 (WS): sl1, sl1 k-wise, sl1 k-wise, insert your left needle into the front of the three stitches slipped and knit together as if to sssk, knit to end of row. [118, (123, 123, 123, 128, 128, 128) sts].
3 (RS): sl1, k to last 3, move working yarn to front, sl3 p-wise.
4: sssk, k to end of row. [116, (121, 121, 121, 126, 126, 126) sts].
5: sl1, k to last 2, move working yarn to front, sl2 p-wise.
6: ssk, k to end of row. [115, (120, 120, 120, 125, 125, 125) sts].
7-14: repeat rows 5-6 four more times. [111, (116, 116, 116, 121, 121, 121) sts].
15-16: sl1, k to end of row.
17: sl1, k to last 2, move working yarn to front, sl2 p-wise.
18: ssk, k to end of row. [110, (115, 115, 115, 120, 120, 120) sts].
19-48: sl1, k to end of row.
Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside (you may leave both left front and left back pieces on your current circular needle, you will work the right side with your second needle). Move on to work right side.
Right Side:
Repeat as done for left sleeve, left body panels, and body join.
Separate for Front and Back (Right side ONLY):
1 (RS): sl1, k 104, (104, 104, 104, 109, 109, 109), BO 15, (20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20) sts, k to end of row.
You will now have 120, (125, 125, 125, 130, 130, 130) sts for the back and 105, (105, 105, 105, 110, 110, 110) sts for the front.
You will now work flat across the 120, (125, 125, 125, 130, 130, 130) sts for the right back.
Right Back:
2 (WS): sl1, k to last 3 sts, k3tog. [118, (123, 123, 123, 128, 128, 128) sts].
3 (RS): sl1, k across.
4-5: repeat 2-3 once more. [116, (121, 121, 121, 126, 126, 126) sts].
6: sl1, k to last 2, k2tog. [115, (120, 120, 120, 125, 125, 125) sts].
7: sl1, k across.
8-15: repeat rows 6-7 four more times. [111, (116, 116, 116, 121, 121, 121) sts].
16-18: sl1, k across.
19: as row 6. [110, (115, 115, 115, 120, 120, 120) sts].
20-49: sl1, k across. Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Set aside (you may leave on your current circular needle),
Right Front:
Rearrange needles to begin working the 105, (105, 105, 105, 110, 110, 110) sts set aside for right front. Begin working with WS facing you, starting the first row at the neckline edge.
2 (WS): sl1, sl1 k-wise, sl1 k-wise, insert your left needle into the front of the three stitches slipped and knit together as if to sssk, knit to end of row. [103, (103, 103, 103, 108, 108, 108) sts].
3 (RS): sl1, k to last 3, move working yarn to front, sl3 p-wise.
4: sssk, k to end of row. [101, (101, 101, 101, 106, 106, 106) sts].
5-8: Repeat rows 3-4 twice more. [97, (97, 97, 97, 102, 102, 102) sts].
9: sl1, k to last 2, move working yarn to front, sl2 p-wise.
10: ssk, k to end of row. [96, (96, 96, 96, 101, 101, 101) sts].
11-48: repeat rows 9-10 19 more times. [77, (77, 77, 77, 82, 82, 82) sts]. Cut yarn leaving a tail to be woven in later. Continue to front bind off.
Front Bind Off
To join the sides of the work together, you will bind off using a modified three-needle bind off (descrip- tion of how to do this can be found in the abbreviations section).
To begin, arrange your work so that the right front is laying on the bottom, wrong-side up, and the left front is laying on the top, wrong-side down.
Needles should be arranged so that you will begin to work at the neckline edge. Beginning at the neckline edge, work a modified three-needle bind off across the 77, (77, 77, 77, 82, 82, 82) sts that were worked for each front.
Back Bind Off
To join the back sides of the work together, you will bind off using a modified three-needle bind off as done for the front. To begin, arrange your work so that the left back is laying on the bottom,
wrong-side up, and the right back is laying on the top, wrong-side down. Needles should be arranged so that you will begin to work at the neckline edge.
Beginning at the neckline edge, work a modified three-needle bind off across the 110, (115, 115, 115, 120, 120, 120) sts that were worked for each back.
Finishing
Seam sides of body to connect front and back pieces. Seam sleeves closed and underarm cast of sts to the top side body panel pieces. Weave in all ends to secure. Block by soaking in warm water and lay flat to dry.