by Boadicea Binnerts

I love checks, plaids, tartans in all forms and shapes.

For this fall I picked a checked sweater, to keep in step with all the checks and tartan we're seeing in fashion this year. It's knit with stranded colorwork, worked in the round, bottom-up, with steeks for front, armholes, sleeves and sleeve caps. Steekfest!

Here's how it works: you cast on in the round, work the sweater up to the armpits, then leave the work on a holder to make the sleeves in one big monosleeve. I used this technique because knitting sleeves separately in the round always feels fiddly to me. You work the monosleeve to the armpit, put the sleeve stitches on a separate stitch holder and separate the sleeves by cutting the steeks. Then you join body and sleeves to work the raglans. Another steek is made for the neckline, so you won't have to sew a stitch except for a few inches in the armpits. Once I got over my Fear of Steeking, it was easy as pie.

The sweater is straight, with enough drape to flatter your natural curves.

And the bonus feature is you could wear it inside out. The loops of yarn on the inside of the garment are, to my mind, as pretty as the outside...

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
Shown in size M with 6 inches of ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust Circumference: 30.25[34.5, 38.75, 43, 45.25, 49.5, 53.75] inches
Length: 24.5[25.5, 25.75, 26, 26.25, 26.75, 27] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
The Loopy Ewe Solid Series [100% Superwash merino; 220yd/201m per 56g skein]
[MC] Putty, color no. 16-45; 4[4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6] skeins
[CC] Charcoal, color no. 22-88; 4[4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 30 inches or longer (to accommodate bust circumference)
US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 16 inches long

Notions
10 stitch markers
Yarn needle

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

SSSK: Slip next 3 sts separately k-wise, knit these 3 sts together through the back of the loops.
K3tog: Knit next 3 sts together.

Steek stitches (worked over an odd number of sts):
Round 1: (K1 with MC, k1 with CC) to 1 st before end of steek, k1 with MC.
Round 2: (K1 with CC, k1 with MC) to 1 st before end of steek, k1 with CC.
Rep these 2 rounds for steeks.

Cutting the sleeve steeks:
Instructions for cutting steeks can be found here.

All charts sts are worked in st st.

If you prefer, you can work each sleeve separately without steeks by casting on the sts for one sleeve only (without casting on steek sts). Join the work in the round and shape as for the monosleeve, noting that you will only be working 2 increases (1 at each end of sleeve) during increase rounds.

Neck Decreases:
To decrease 2 sts at each side of neck edge, work as foll, working sssk and k3tog in chart patt:
Work to 3 sts before neck steek, sssk, sl m, work neck steek sts, sl m, k3tog, work as est to end.

To decrease 1 st at each side of neck edge, work as foll, working ssk and k2tog in chart patt:
Work to 2 sts before neck steek, ssk, sl m, work neck steek sts, sl m, k2tog, work as est to end.

Note that all neck decreases fall on raglan decrease rounds.

DIRECTIONS

Round 1: (K1tbl, p1) to end of rnd.
Rep Round 1 13 times more, for a total of 14 rounds. Piece measures approx. 2 inches from cast on.

Join CC and work in Check Pattern over all sts until piece measures 17[17, 16.75, 16.75, 17, 16.5, 16] inches from cast on or desired length to underarm.

Next round: *Pattern to 7[8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17] sts before m, BO 14[16, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34] sts, removing marker; rep from * once more. Leave rem Body sts on spare needle or stitch holder. Make a note of last row of chart worked. Do not break yarn.

SLEEVES
With shorter needle and MC, CO 47[49, 51, 53, 59, 63, 67] sts for first sleeve, pm, CO 5 steek stitches, pm, CO 47[49, 51, 53, 59, 63, 67] sts for second sleeve, pm, then finally cast on final 5 steek sts. Pm and join to work in the rnd.

Cont as foll (working with MC only):
Round 1: *(K1tbl, p1) to 1 st before m, k1tbl, sl m, knit to m, sl m; rep from * once more.

Rep Round 1 13 times more, for a total of 14 rounds.

Piece measures approx. 2 inches from cast on.

Set-up round: Join CC and *starting with st 9[15, 14, 13, 10, 15, 13] of chart, work Check Pattern to m, ending with st 13[7, 8, 9, 12, 7, 9], sl m, work Steek patt (see Pattern Notes), sl m; rep from * once more.

Inc each end of every foll 6[5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3] rounds 12[15, 19, 22, 21, 24, 25] times as foll, working increases into Check Pattern and keeping it centered over round:

Inc round: Patt 1, M1L, patt to 1 st before m, M1R, patt 1, sl m, knit to m, sl m; rep from * once more.
71[79, 89, 97, 101, 111, 117] sts for each sleeve after all increases have been worked.

Work even in check patt until sleeve measures 14[13.5, 13.5, 13.75, 14, 13.5, 13.25] inches or desired length to armhole, ending 1 round before last round of Check Pattern on Body.

Next round: *Patt to 7[8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17] sts before marker, BO next 19[21, 27, 31, 33, 37, 39] sts, removing markers (14[16, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34] sts for each sleeve plus 5 steek sts); rep from * once more.

Place each set of 57[63, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83] sts rem for each sleeve on separate holders and cut steeks (see Pattern Notes), then seam sleeves from cuff to underarm bind off.

Join Body and Sleeves:
Joining round: With longer needle, return to Body sts and *patt across 84[96, 104, 114, 119, 129, 141] sts of Body to armhole, pm, work across 57[63, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83] sts of one held sleeve, pm; rep from * once more, placing last marker for new beg of round. 282[318, 342, 370, 384, 416, 448] sts.

Raglan decrease round: *K1 in MC, k2tog in patt, patt to 3 sts before m, ssk in patt, k1 in MC, sl m; rep from * three times more. 8 sts dec'd.
Next round: *K1 in MC, patt to 1 st before m, k1 in MC; rep from * three times more.
Rep last 2 rnds 17 times more. 138[174, 198, 226, 240, 272, 304] sts rem; 48[60, 68, 78, 83, 93, 105] sts each in Front and Back and 21[27, 31, 35, 37, 43, 47] sts rem for each sleeve. Piece measures approx. 5.5 inches from joining.

Shape Neck:
Next round: *K1 in MC, k2tog in patt, patt 10[14, 18, 21, 21, 26, 31] sts, BO next 22[26, 26, 30, 35, 35, 37] sts, patt to 3 sts before m, ssk, k1 in MC, sl m, *k1 in MC, k2tog in patt, patt to 3 sts before m, ssk in patt, k1 in MC; rep from * twice more.
Next round: *K1 in MC, patt to center neck bind-off, pm, cast on 7 steek sts in Steek patt, pm, *patt to 1 st before m, k1 in MC, sl m, k1 in MC; rep from * twice more, patt to 1 st before end, k1 in MC.

Note: Read ahead! Neck and raglan shaping are worked at the same time.

Continue to work raglan decreases on following rnd, then every other round as est in Raglan decrease round, AT THE SAME TIME, dec 2 sts at each neck edge (see Pattern Notes) of following round then every other round 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2] times more, then dec 1 st at each neck edge every other round 1[1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4] times, then every 4th round 0[1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4] times.

Neck shaping is now complete. 4[5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] sts rem for each front, 13[15, 13, 15, 17, 17, 15] sts rem for each sleeve, and 40[48, 50, 58, 63, 67, 73] sts rem for back.

Work 1 round even.

Raglan decrease round: K1 in MC, k2tog in patt, patt to m, work steek, *patt to 3 sts before m, ssk in patt, k1 in MC, sl m, k1 in MC, k2tog in patt; rep from * twice more, patt to 3 sts before end, ssk in patt, k1 in MC. 8 sts dec'd.
Next round: K1 in MC, patt to m, work steek, *patt to 1 st before m, k1 in MC, k1 in MC; rep from * twice more, patt to last st, k1 in MC.
Rep last 2 rnds 1[2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1] time(s) more. 2 sts rem for each front.

Next round: Ssk in MC, work steek, k2tog in MC, *k1 in MC, ssk in patt, patt to 3 sts before m, k2tog in patt, k1 in MC; rep from * twice more. 8 sts dec; 1 st rem in each front.
Next round: K1 in MC, work steek, k1 in MC; *k1 in MC, patt to 1 st before m, k1 in MC; rep from * twice more.

Next round: K1 in MC, bind off steek sts, sl1, remove m, slip last sl st back to LH ndl and k2tog with MC, ssk, patt to 3 sts before m, k2tog, *k1 in MC, sl m, k1 in MC, ssk, patt to 3 sts before m, k2tog, rep from * once more, ssk last st of round tog with first st of foll rnd with MC.

No sts rem for either side of front; 5[5, 5, 7, 9, 9, 7] sts rem for each Sleeve and 32[38, 42, 50, 55, 59, 65] sts rem for Back. Armhole measures approx. 7.5[8.5, 9, 9.25, 9.25, 10.25, 11] inches.

Do not break yarn.

FINISHING
Prepare and cut the neck steek.

Rib round: (K1tbl, p1) around.
Rep this round 17 times more.
BO loosely in pattern rib.

Seam underarms. Weave in ends and block to measurements.

Bo learned to knit in school a long, long time ago, knitting troll clothes and doll clothes, until her first sweater at 14. She studied fashion design in college, but decided on a different career because she wanted a husband and kids more than a design career.

For years and years, she knit about a sweater a year, never being very happy about it, until Knitty and Ravelry and all kinds of technical tutorials happened. Circular needles, knitting in the round, in short, heaven, no more sore arms! And then she started writing down her own patterns -- she'd certainly never stopped designing her own sweaters.

Find her on Ravelry.