Sizes

S (M, L, 1X, 2X)
Finished bust 37 (41, 45, 49, 53)” (94 [104, 114.5, 124.5, 134.5]cm)
Finished length of back 24” (61cm)
Finished length of shortest front 20” (51cm)
Finished length of second front 22” (56cm)

Materials

Approximately 650 (720, 800, 870, 930) yd in one yarn
OR
Approximately 325 (360, 400, 435, 465) yd (297 [329, 365, 397, 424]m) in each of two yarns
OR
Approximately 215 (240, 265, 290, 310) yd (196 [219, 242, 265, 283]m) in each of three yarns

One crochet hook, size H-8 (5mm)
One pair size 10 (6mm) needles
Two stitch markers
3 Buttons ¾ - 1" (19 – 25mm)

Gauge

14½ - 15 stitches and 28 rows = 4” over stitch pattern

Stitch Pattern

Slip all stitches wyif and purlwise: directions will be written ‘wyif sl 1.’

Row 1 (RS) K1, *wyif sl 1, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Rows 2 and 4 Purl.
Row 3 K1, *k1, wyif sl1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

If you are using 1 yarn, work all rows in that yarn.
If you are using 2 yarns, *work 2 rows in A, then 2 rows in B; repeat from *
If you are using 3 yarns, *work 1 row in A, 1 row in B, 1 row in C; repeat from *.
 

Notes

1. If you do not know how to do the crochet cast on, you may use the knitted or cable cast on. But do not use the long-tail.

2. This garment is knit in one piece and lengthwise.

3. Each front is a different length than the back.

4. Because there is no neck shaping, and the sides are vented, the piece takes a slight A-line shape.

5. If the stitch pattern does not say 'wyif,' then just slip without moving the yarn.

6. When you finish knitting, you may decide that you like the "wrong side" better. But for pattern-writing, it’s best to denote a RS—regardless of how you may end up wearing it. 

Right Front

Front neck
With crochet method (see note 1 above), cast on 81 stitches.
    Shorten or lengthen for finished length here by casting on fewer or more than 81 stitches. Keep a record of your choice.
Next row (RS) Replace k1 at beginning of row with sl1, continue with row 1.
Next row (WS) Sl 1, purl to end.
    The slip stitch at the beginning of every row gives the piece a nice edge.
Continue in stitch pattern, with slip stitch at beginnings of all rows, for 4 more rows--6 rows from beginning.
Next row, make buttonholes Work row 3 to 19 stitches on right needle, *yo, k2tog, work 8; repeat from * twice (3 buttonholes made), work to end.
    After each k2tog, restart stitch pattern with k1.
Continue in stitch pattern, with slip stitch at beginning of all rows, to 4½ (5, 5, 5½, 5½)” (11.5 [12.5, 12.5, 14, 14]cm) from beginning. End after working a WS row.

Shoulder shaping
    Discontinue slip stitch at the beginning of RS rows (because this part of the garment will go into a seam). Maintain slip stitch at the             beginning of WS rows for the rest of the piece.
*Decrease row (RS) K1, ssk, work to end in stitch pattern as established.
Work 3 rows even.
Repeat from * 5 times more—75 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Armhole shaping
Next RS row Bind off 19 stitches, work stitch pattern as established to end—56 stitches.
    The number of stitches remaining will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
*Work 1 WS row.
Decrease row (RS) Sl1, ssk, work stitch pattern as established to end.
Repeat from * 5 (6, 8, 9, 11) times more—50 (49, 47, 46, 44) stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
Place marker at end of next WS row to denote end of armhole shaping.

Armhole shaping to side vent 
Continue with slip stitch at beginning of all rows and with stitch pattern as established until piece measures 10 (11½, 12½, 14, 15)” (25.5 [29, 32, 35.5, 38]cm). End after working a WS row.
Next row (RS) Work 32 (31, 29, 28, 26) stitches, bind off remaining 18 stitches. Break yarn.
    If you shortened or lengthened, your number of stitches will be different. But you will still bind off the last 18 stitches.

Back

Side vent to armhole shaping
Next row (WS) Insert crochet hook through first stitch on left needle and with crochet method cast on 26 stitches—58 (57, 55, 54, 52) stitches.
    If you shortened or lengthened, your number of stitches will be different. But you will still cast on 26 stitches.
Beginning with a WS row, work slip stitch at beginning of all rows and stitch pattern as established until piece measures same distance from side vent to end of armhole shaping as marked on Right Front. (Do not remove this marker.) End after working a WS row.

Armhole shaping
Increase row (RS) Sl1, increase 1, work stitch pattern as established to end.
Work 1 WS row.
Repeat from * 5 (6, 8, 9, 11) times more—64 stitches. End after working a WS row.
    The number of stitches on your needle will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
Next row (RS) With crochet method, cast on 19 stitches—83 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Shoulder shaping
Beginning with a RS row, but without working slip stitch at beginning of RS rows, work 2 rows even and in stitch pattern as established.
    You may have to look back, beyond the cast-on, to determine how to establish your stitch pattern.
Increase row (RS) K1, increase 1, work stitch pattern as established to end.
Work 3 rows even.
Repeat from * 4 times more—88 stitches.
Repeat increase row plus 1 WS row--89 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
Place marker at end of final WS row.

Back neck
*Decrease row (RS) Sl1, ssk, work stitch pattern as established to end.
Work 1 WS row.
Repeat from * twice more—86 stitches.
    The number of stitches remaining will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
Work even, with slip stitch at beginning of all rows, until piece measures 6½” (16.5cm) from marker. Remove marker.
*Increase row (RS) Sl1, increase 1, work stitch pattern as established to end.
Work 1 WS row.
Repeat from * twice more—89 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Shoulder shaping
*Decrease row (RS) K1, ssk, work to end.
Without working slip stitch at beginning of RS rows, work 3 rows even.
Repeat from * 5 times more—83 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Armhole shaping
Next RS row Bind off 19 stitches, work to end—64 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
*Work 1 WS row.
Decrease row (RS) Sl1, ssk, work to end.
Repeat from * 5 (6, 8, 9, 11) times more—58 (57, 55, 54, 52) stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Armhole shaping to side vent
Continue with slip stitch at beginning of all rows and with stitch pattern as established until piece measures same distance as Right Front from end of armhole shaping to side vent. End after working a WS row.
Next row (RS) Work 32 (31, 29, 28, 26) stitches, bind off remaining 26 stitches. Break yarn.
    If you shortened or lengthened, your number of stitches will be different. But you will still bind off the last 26 stitches.

Left Front

Side vent to armhole shaping
Next row (WS) Insert crochet hook through first stitch on left needle and with crochet method cast on 10 stitches—42 (41, 39, 38, 36) stitches.
    If you shortened or lengthened, your number of stitches will be different. But you will still cast on 10 stitches.
Beginning with a WS row, work slip stitch at beginning of all rows and stitch pattern as established until piece measures same distance from side vent to end of armhole shaping as marked on Right Front. Remove marker. End after working a WS row.

Shape armhole
Increase row (RS) Sl1, increase 1, work to end.
Work 1 WS row.
Repeat from * 5 (6, 8, 9, 11) times more—48 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.
Next row (RS) With crochet method, cast on 19 stitches—67 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Shape shoulder
Beginning with a RS row, but without working slip stitch at beginning of RS rows, work 2 rows even and in stitch pattern as established.
    You may have to look back, beyond the cast-on, to determine how to establish your stitch pattern.
*Increase row (RS) K1, increase in next stitch, work to end.
Work 3 rows even.
Repeat from * 4 times more—72 stitches.
Repeat increase row plus 1 WS row--73 stitches.
    The number of stitches will be different if you shortened or lengthened.

Front Neck
Next row (RS) Replace k1 at beginning of row with sl1, continue with stitch pattern as established.
Next row (WS) Sl 1, purl to end.
Work even, with slip stitch at beginning of all rows, until piece measures 10 (11½, 12½, 14, 15)” (25.5 [29, 32, 35.5, 38]cm) from side vent. End after working a WS row.
Next row Bind off.

Finishing

Determine which side of fabric you prefer as the 'right side.'
    If you turn it to the ‘wrong side,’ the buttonholes will end up on the left instead of the right.
Sew shoulder seams.
Sew buttons to match placement of buttonholes.

So I wore my red sweater for a while . . . but not as often as I should have. While the color is wonderful, there was something wrong with the style. Because I was cold, I was wearing it at a retreat in California (where I had taken it for my Emergency Measures class—to show how something could be rescued with over-dyeing), when I looked at—and wondered about—those rather large and loose sleeves. I thought about a favourite jacket—whose wonderful large and loose sleeves were only ¾ length—and I determined to do something similar with the sleeves of this red sweater. I’d cut off about 6” and bring them into a tight cuff—to a kind of a leg-o-mutton look. Everyone loved it and wanted to know how to get the pattern. But there were so many differences between what I was now wearing and the original—which was out-of-print anyway—that the pattern wasn’t available. So I offer this as my first-ever, website freebie. And doesn’t that seem appropriate anyway? To introduce this space by re-interpreting my first-ever published pattern?

Sizes

S (M, L 1X, 2X)
Finished bust 45½ (50½, 55½, 60½, 65½)” / 115.5 (128, 140.5, 154, 166)cm
Finished length 23-4” / 58-60.5cm
Finished sleeve length 26 (26½, 27½, 28, 29½)” / 66 (67, 70, 71, 75)cm

Notes

1. The sizes are generous because this is an over-sized, drop-shoulder.
   
   
2. The garment looks like it has an A-line shape, but this is not built into it: it is accomplished by the garter stitch at the hem, which makes the hem about 4” wider than the bust. Cute!
   
   
3. The length is for someone 5’4” (me!). If you wish to change this, you are told where to do so in the pattern.
   
   
4. The sleeve length as offered is before blousing: the bloused sleeves will actually sit 1½” shorter. They should fall to the slim part of your arm below the elbow, but the cuffs are tight enough to be pushed up the arm and hold.
   
   
5. As you finish the cuff, wrap it around your arm where you want the sleeve to land, and make sure it’s the appropriate size. If not, then begin the cuff again with adjustments to the number of stitches.
   

Materials

1215 (1350, 1485, 1620, 1755) yds / 1095 (1215, 1340, 1460, 1580)m worsted weight yarn [CYCA weight 4]
one pair size 5mm / US 8 needles
one circular size 4mm / US 6 needle, 20” long

Gauge

16 stitches and 22 rows = 4” (10cm) over Front / Back Lace pattern.

Stitch Patterns

Front / Back Lace
(over a multiple of 10 stitches + 3)

       I      10-st repeat       I

Sleeves Lace
(over a multiple of 10 stitches +3)

                                       I        10-st repeat     I

Lace legend

Front and Back

(Make 2 identical pieces)

Edging

With larger needles, cast on 93 (103, 113, 123, 133) stitches.
I like the long-tail cast-on for this.
Knit 5 rows.

Body

Chart Row 1 (RS) K1 (as shown at right edge of chart), work 10-stitch repeat to last 2 stitches, k2 (as shown at left edge of chart).

Continue to work from chart as established—working WS rows from left to right and RS rows from right to left, with 1 stockinette stitch at each edge, with 8-row lace pattern worked 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) times across each row—until piece measures approximately 20” / 50.5cm from beginning. End after working Row 8.

If your row gauge matches mine, this will be 13 8-row repeats of the lace pattern.
SHORTEN OR LENGTHEN HERE by working fewer or more 8-row repeats.

Bind off all stitches loosely.

Right Sleeve

Edging

With smaller needles, cast on 38 (38, 42, 42, 46) stitches. I like the cable cast-on for this.

Work 2X2 rib—beginning and ending all RS rows with k2 and all WS rows with p2—until cuff measures 2” / 5cm from beginning. End after working a RS row.

Next (increase) row Purl across, increasing in each third (third, second and third, second and third, third) stitch, until you know you will end with 50 (50, 60, 60, 60) stitches.

Body

Sizes S (M), Chart Row 1 (RS) K5, work 10-stitch repeat 4 times, k5.
Sizes L (1Xm 2X), Chart Row 1 (RS) Work to10-stitch repeat 6 times.
All sizes Continue to work from chart as established for 3 more rows.

Next (increase) row (RS) K1, increase one in next stitch, work from chart as established to last 2 stitches, increase 1 in next stitch, k1.

Repeat the last 4 rows 12 times more—76 (76, 86, 86, 86) stitches.

Maintain lace pattern through increases: work additional stitches in stockinette until there are enough stitches for all the yo’s and decreases of the next motif.

Work even until piece measures 14½ (14, 13½, 13, 13)” / 36.5 (35.5, 34, 33, 335)cm. End after working a WS row.

SHORTEN OR LENGTHEN HERE.

Saddle

Bind off 25 (25, 30, 30, 30) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows—26 stitches.

Next row (RS) K3, work 10-stitch repeat twice, k3.

Continue to work as established until saddle measures 6½ (7½, 8¾, 10, 11½)” / 16.5 (19, 22, 25, 29)cm. End after working a WS row.

Front neck

Work to 13 stitches on right needle. Turn, leaving 13 stitches behind (for back neck).

Working in stockinette, bind off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next WS row, then 3 stitches at the beginning of the next WS row, then 2 stitches at the beginning of the next WS row, then 1 stitch at the beginning of the next 2 WS rows. At the beginning of the next WS row, bind off the remaining 3 stitches.

Back neck

Return to the remaining 13 stitches, RS facing.

Continuing in lace pattern as established, work until back neck measures 5” / 12.5cm. Put stitches on holder.

Left Sleeve

Work as Right Sleeve to front neck.

Front neck

Work to 13 stitches on right needle. Continuing in stockinette, bind off the next 4 stitches—8 stitches remain for front neck. Work 1 WS row over these 8 stitches. Turn, leaving13 stitches behind (for back neck).

Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next RS row, then 2 stitches at the beginning of the next RS row, then 1 stitch at the beginning of the next 2 RS rows. At the beginning of the next RS row, bind off the remaining 3 stitches.

Back neck

Return to the remaining 13 stitches, WS facing.

Continuing in lace pattern as established, work until back neck measures 5” / 12.5cm. Put stitches on holder.

Finishing

Assembly

Match the corner of the Back to the corner of the Right Sleeve as noted by *’s on schematics.

Sew the bind-off edge of the Sleeve down the side of the Back, sewing 5 stitches for every 7 rows.

Sew the saddle of the Sleeve along the top of the Back, sewing 5 stitches for every 7 rows. End at center Back (so add or delete rows of final 13 stitches as needed).

Sew the Left Sleeve to the Back in the same manner.

Graft the Back neck pieces together at center back. (If you do not like your grafting line, pull taut—for a seam with no seam allowance.)

Sew the Right and Left Sleeves to the Fronts in the same manner as for the Back. The front saddle pieces will each end approximately 3” / 7.5cm from center front, leaving 6” / 15cm of the Front bind-off edge for the neck edging to be picked up against.

Sew remaining sides of Fronts and Back together at sides.

Sew Sleeve seams to underarms.

Neck edging

With smaller needle, begin at center back to pick up and knit as follows: 3 stitches for every 4 rows along back neck, 1 stitch for every bind-off stitch and 1 stitch for every 2-row step between bind-off stitches around front neck shaping, 1 stitch for every bind-off stitch along 6” / 15cm of front neck—approximately 88 stitches.

Increase or decrease as needed in next row to a multiple of 4 and something close to this number.

Work 2X2 rib over these stitches, and in rounds, to 2” / 5cm. Bind off.

Vine lace cardigan

This garment was my contribution to A Gathering of Lace, by Meg Swanson and published by XRX. When first asked to contribute to a book on lace, I declined. I didn’t think had anything to offer. But then I was asked again, and I said I would contribute if I could offer a garment with our simplest lace pattern (fagotting, seen on the sleeves) alternated with a non-lace texture. They agreed.

I found a colour I loved in a yarn I loved . . . long since discontinued (actually, discontinued before the book even came out!)—a ropey blend of silk, rayon, and acrylic (Jaegar Java, if you can find it). The rope reminded me of a vine, so I designed the ‘vine + leaf + buds’ stitch pattern that spoke to this. And then, because I didn’t want to add a crocheted edging but did want a lacy edging, I re-developed a scallop edge found in one of the Harmony Guides to Knit Stitches.

Vest-of-Many-Stitches

This vest is probably the oldest piece of knitting I still wear. I made it on a bus trip, chaperoning my now-32-yr-old son’s grade 8 graduation trip to Quebec City. Its inception was a thought: what if I did in textures—all kinds of stitch patterns—what  Kaffe Fasset did with color—introduce many of them, randomly. My tattered drawing led to this vest, then to a class on the subject (which I haven’t taught for 15 years), then to an article on the subject (in Threads, #43, Oct/Nov 1992, reprinted in their book Colorful Sweaters—or something like that), then to the publication of this pattern (in Knitters’, Fall 1997, reprinted in their book Arans and Celtics.)

Cross-Over-Rib Top

This garment’s pattern is my first offering to a website offering a range of individual patterns for sale (some new—as this is—and some vintage): http://www.patternfish.com/patterns/843. I’ll let you read about that garment there. It doesn’t cost anything to look!