INTRODUCTION

Maryjane

by Merri Fromm

Lots of people slow their knitting in summer. Not me. Warm weather is the time to try out great alternatives to wool and see what they’re like. Ever since I picked up a hank of hemp, I’ve been looking forward to trying this fiber. Hemp is funky, a little bit twiney and stiff when knitting, but the finished fabric is wonderful. Similar in texture to linen, the drape is dreamy and makes a cool fabric on a hot day.

Yup, hemp is the same plant as marijuana—but fiber farmers only use certified low-THC (the psychoactive component) varieties of the plant. For thousands of years hemp was used to make products like paper, rope, canvas, and textiles. Hemp is so old, it’s new again.

Maryjane is knit seamlessly from the top down in distinct striping sequences. After a long grey winter, who wouldn’t like to see some color?

model: Merri Fromm, Tamara Nelson-Fromm

photos: Tamara Nelson-Fromm, Merri Fromm

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X]
shown in size 1X with 2 inches/5 cm of positive ease (above) and 5.5 inches/14 cm positive ease below

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 31.25[35, 37.25, 41.25, 45, 48.75, 53.25, 57.25, 61, 64.75] inches/ 79.5[89, 94.5, 104.5, 114.5, 124, 135.5, 145, 155, 164.5] cm

Length: 19.25[20.25, 20.75, 22, 22.75, 23.75, 25.25, 26.5, 27.75, 28.75] inches/ 49[51.5, 52.5, 56, 58, 60.5, 64, 67.5, 70.5, 73] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Hemp for Knitting, allhemp6 [100% hemp; 165 yd/150 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color:
[MC] Sapphire 018 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4] skeins
[CC1] Pumpkin 022 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4] skeins
[CC2] Classic 012 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #4/3.5 mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long
US #4/3.5 mm circular needle, 32 to 60 inches/80 to 150 cm long 
US #3/3.25 mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long
US #3/3.25 mm circular needle, 32 to 60 inches/80 to 150 cm long

Notions
5 stitch markers, with 1 unique marker
waste yarn
yarn needle

GAUGE

21 sts/29 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

M1PR [Right Leaning Purl Increase]
With left needle tip, pick up running thread from back to front, purl through the front loop.

M1PL [Left Leaning Purl Increase]
With left needle tip, pick up running thread from front to back, purl through the back loop.

Stripe Patterns:
Thin Stripes (2 Stripe pattern):
Rnd 1: work in MC.
Rnd 2: work in CC1.

Wide Stripes (4 stripe pattern):
Rnd 1: work in MC.
Rnd 2: work in CC2.
Rnd 3: work in CC1.
Rnd 4: work in CC2.

BOR: Beginning of round

DIRECTIONS

Yoke
Using MC and US #4/3.5 mm 16-inch circular needle, CO 104[108, 112, 120, 124, 132, 138, 146, 152, 160] sts. Place unique marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Set-up Rnd: K 18[19, 20, 21, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26] , pm (this is the left back section), k 13[13, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27] , pm (this is the left sleeve), k 42[44, 46, 48, 48, 50, 50, 52, 52, 54] , pm (this is the front section), k 13[13, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27] , pm (this is the right sleeve), k 18[19, 20, 21, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26] , (this is the right back section).

Begin working short rows:
Change to longer circular needle as needed.
Short row 1 (RS): Knit to 1 st before marker, m1r, k1, sm, k1, m1l, k 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] , w&t. 2 st inc.
Short row 2 (WS): Purl to BOR, sm, purl to 1 st before next marker, m1pr, p1, sm, p1, m1pl, 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] , w&t. 2 st inc.
Short row 3: Knit to BOR (slipping markers before BOR marker), sm, knit to 1 st before next marker, m1r, k1, sm, k1, m1l, knit to wrapped st, knit wrapped st with its wrap, k 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] , w&t. 2 st inc.
Short row 4: Purl to BOR (slipping markers before BOR marker), sm, purl to 1 st before next marker, m1pr, p1, sm, p1, m1pl, purl to wrapped st, purl wrapped st with its wrap, p 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] , w&t. 2 st inc.
Rep Short rows 3-4 once.

Short row 5: Knit to BOR (slipping markers before BOR marker), sm *knit to 1 st before next marker, m1r, k1, sm, k1, m1l; rep from * once more, ktog wrapped st with its wrap when you reach it, k2, w&t. 4 st inc.
Short row 6: Purl to BOR (slipping markers before BOR marker), sm, *purl to 1 st before next marker, m1pr, p1, sm, p1, m1pl; rep from * once more, purl wrapped st with its wrap when you reach it, p2, w&t. 4 st inc.
Rep Short rows 5-6 once.

Next row: Knit to BOR. 132[136, 140, 148, 152, 160, 166, 174, 180, 188] sts total: 23[24, 25, 26, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31] sts for each back half, 20[20, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34] sts for each sleeve, 46[48, 50, 52, 52, 54, 54, 56, 56, 58] sts for front.

Begin Raglan Shaping:
Pick up 2 remaining short row wraps in first round.
Work increase rounds and at the same time begin Striping Patterns; striping repeats are different for each size.
Thin stripe repeats: 3[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]
Wide stripe repeats: 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Work striping as set above, alternating Thin and Wide stripe repeats until the Thin stripes pattern has been worked 3 times (3 sets of Thin Stripes completed). Then continue for the rest of the body with the Wide stripe pattern.

Rnd 1: *Knit to 1 st before next marker, m1r, k1, sm, k1, m1l; rep from * three more times, knit to end. 8 st inc.
Rnd 2: Knit, slipping markers.
Rep Rnds 1–2 15[16, 17, 18, 22, 27, 29, 29, 33, 34] times total. 252[264, 276, 292, 328, 376, 398, 406, 444, 460] sts total, 76[80, 84, 88, 96, 108, 112, 114, 122, 126] front/back sts and 50[52, 54, 58, 68, 80, 86, 88, 98, 102] sleeve sts.

Continue increase section to front and back only:
Rnd 1: *Knit to 1 st before next marker, m1r, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, m1l; rep from * two more times, knit to end (increasing front and back, but not sleeves). 4 st inc.
Rnd 2: Knit, slipping markers.
Rep Rnds 1-2 0[3, 4, 7, 7, 6, 9, 13, 13, 16] more times until front and back sections are 78[88, 94, 104, 112, 122, 132, 142, 150, 160] sts.

Separate sleeves from body:
Next rnd: *Knit to first marker, remove marker and place 50[52, 54, 58, 68, 80, 86, 88, 98, 102] sleeve sts onto waste yarn, remove next marker, using the backward loop cast on, CO 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5] sts, pm, CO 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5 sts] sts.

Body
Work even in St st for 30[30, 30, 30, 22, 22, 22, 18, 18, 18] rnds.
Next rnd (Inc rnd): *Knit to one st before marker, m1, k1, sm, k1, m1, repeat from * once more, knit to end of round. 4 st inc.
Rep Inc rnd every 30[30, 30, 30, 22, 22, 22, 18, 18, 18] rnds 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4] times total. 172[192, 204, 224, 248, 268, 292, 316, 336, 356] sts.
Continue working in St st until body measures 12.5 in/32 cm from separation of sleeve, or to desired length.
Next rnd: In MC, knit 1 round.
Next rnd: With smaller needle, purl 3 rounds.
BO as to purl.

Sleeves
Place 50[52, 54, 58, 68, 80, 86, 88, 98, 102] sleeve sts onto US #4/3.5 mm 16-in circular needle. Rejoin MC and knit sleeve sts. At underarm, pick up and knit 2[2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] sts into cast on edge of body, pm, pick up and knit 2[2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] more sts. Marker is BOR. 54[56, 60, 64, 76, 88, 94, 98, 108, 112] sts.

Next rnd: Knit.
Next rnd: *P 10[10, 6, 7, 6, 7, 8, 6, 7, 7] , p2tog; rep from * 4[4, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10] times, purl to end of rnd. 50[52, 54, 58, 68, 80, 86, 88, 98, 102] sts.
Next rnd: Purl.
BO as to purl.

Collar
With smaller needle, starting at center back, in MC, pick up and knit 1 sts for every cast on stitch. 104[108, 112, 120, 124, 132, 138, 146, 152, 160] sts.
Next round: Purl 3 rounds.
Bind off as to purl.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Wet blocking will open and soften the hemp yarn.

A: 19.25[20.25, 20.75, 22, 22.75, 23.75, 25.25, 26.5, 27.75, 28.75 cm] inches/ 49[51.5, 52.5, 56, 58, 60.5, 74, 67.5, 70.5, 73] cm
B: 12.5 inches/32 cm
C: 7.25[7.5, 8, 8.5, 8.5, 8.75, 9.25, 9.5, 10, 10.25] inches/18.5[19, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5, 22, 23.5, 24, 25.5, 26] cm
D: 31.25[35, 37.25, 41.25, 45, 48.75, 53.25, 57.25, 61, 64.75] inches/79.5[89, 94.5, 105, 114.5, 124, 135.5, 145.5, 155, 164.5] cm
E: 32.75[36.5, 38.75, 42.75, 47.25, 51, 55.5, 60.25, 64, 67.75] inches/ 83[92.5, 98.5, 108.5, 120, 129.5, 141, 153, 162.5, 172] cm
F: 10.25[11, 11.5, 12.5, 14.5, 16.75, 18.25, 18.75, 20.5, 21.25] inches/ 26[28, 29, 32, 37, 42.5, 46.5, 52, 54, ] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Merri is on a constant mission to have bright colored, interesting projects on her needles. However, she's still working on enjoying wearing the bright colors that she loves to knit. (See headshot.)

You’ll find more of her work at TangletownKnits and at Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2017 Merri Fromm. Contact Merri