by Renée Callahan

Elkko is the result of a generous gift of yarn coming together with a favorite stitch pattern and too much television viewing.

After an embarrassing number of hours watching Nordic crime dramas, I decided I too had to have a thick, woolly sweater with a colorwork yoke to wear during weekend trips to the countryside. The only problem was I didn't really want to make a fair isle yoke in a heavy yarn, as I live in a relatively mild climate. So when I was given a sweater quantity of gorgeous aran-weight BFL, I started swatching up different stitches until I found this combination – stripes with lace – creating both interesting colorwork and a lighter sweater to wear year-round.

A top down raglan pullover, Elkko features short rows, compound raglan increases and waist shaping to make this easy-to-wear sweater a great fit.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X]
shown in size M with approximately 4 inches of positive ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 32[36.25, 40.25, 44.5, 48.5, 52.75, 56.75, 61, 64] inches
Length: 19[19, 20, 21.75, 22.5, 23.5, 24.5, 26, 26] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Kettle Yarn Co. Waltham Aran [100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool ; 182 yd/166 m per 100g skein];
[MC] Peaky Blinder; 4[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7] skeins
[CC 1] Graveney; 1 skein
[CC2] Walbrook; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below — every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #8/5.5 mm double-point needles or preferred needles for sleeve knitting
1 32-inch US #8/5.5 mm circular needle

Notions
waste yarn or stitch holders
4 raglan stitch markers
4 lace stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE
15.5 sts/22 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch, blocked

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

Raglan Inc Rnd: K1, M1R, [work to 1 st before next raglan marker, M1L, k1, sm, k1, M1R] three times, work to 1 st before last raglan marker, M1L, k1. 8 sts inc'd

Sleeve Inc Rnd: Work to first raglan marker, sm, k1, M1R, work to 1 st before next raglan marker, M1L, k1, sm, work to next raglan marker, sm, k1, M1R, work to 1 st before next raglan marker, M1L, k1. 4 sts inc'd.

The lace pattern on the yoke begins 4 rnds after the rib trim finishes, while the raglan shaping continues. As the raglan shaping is different for every size, the yoke lace instruction is given first and the shaping follows, but they are worked at the same time.

Elkko Lace Pattern
Rnd 1: Yo, k3, sl2, k1, p2sso, k3, yo, k. (10 sts)
Rnd 2: K, yo, k2, sl2, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k2.
Rnd 3: K2, yo, k, sl2, k1, p2sso, k, yo, k3.
Rnd 4: K3, yo, sl2, k1, p2sso, yo, k4.

The stitch markers are used for multiple instructions. Slip stitch markers when you come to them if they aren't specifically mentioned.

DIRECTIONS
Neck Ribbing
With MC, cast on 92[96, 96, 96, 100, 100, 104, 104, 108] sts. Place marker and join to work in the rnd being careful not to twist.

Work k2, p2 rib for 8 rnds.

Yoke
Place markers for raglan shaping:
K5[6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts, place first front lace marker, k14, M1L, k15, place second front lace marker, k4[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8] sts pm for raglan shaping, k8 sts for Sleeve, pm for raglan shaping, k5[6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts, pm for back lace, k14, M1L, k15, pm for back lace, k4[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8] sts pm for raglan shaping, k8 sts for Sleeve. 94[98, 98, 98, 102, 102, 106, 106, 110] sts.

Note: Work the increases as described below for 4 rnds, then begin the lace pattern at the front and back while continuing to work the increases as described below. Begin the short rows after the lace pattern is finished.

Increases:
5X Size Only:
Work Raglan Inc Rnd 2 times. 126 sts

Sizes XS-3X:
Next Rnd: Work Raglan Inc Rnd.
Next Rnd: Work Sleeve Inc Rnd.
Repeat last 2 rnds 7[5, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, -, -] more times. 190[170, 134, 110, 114, 114, 118, 106, 126] sts.

All Sizes:
Work Raglan Inc Rnd.
Next Rnd: Work 1 rnd plain.
Repeat last 2 rnds 0[5, 11, 17, 19, 23, 25, 30, 29] more times. 198[218, 230, 254, 274, 306, 326, 354, 366] sts.

Work Lace (beginning after 4th inc rnd):
Work to lace marker, begin Lace Chart Rnd 1. Repeat chart 3 times across the front.
Work Lace Chart Rnds 1-4 once.
With CC1, work Lace Chart Rnds 1-4 once.
With CC2, work 1 rnd.
With CC1, work Lace Chart Rnds 1-4 once.
With MC, work Lace Chart Rnds 1-4 once.

Continue to work through the increases for 4 more rnds in St st. Then begin short rows on the next increase row, working the plain rows on the WS. Continue working the increases as appropriate.

XS Size Only: The shaping will finish before the short rows and lace panel are finished. Continue working the short rows and lace without shaping.

Short Rows
Short Row 1: Work to 1 st before first lace stitch marker, turn work.
Short Row 2: Yo, purl to 1 st before second front lace marker, turn work.
Short Row 3: Yo, work to 2 sts before the last yo, turn work.
Repeat the last row 6 more times. There will be 4 yos on either side of the short row section.
Next rnd: K2, [knit yo together with the next st, k1] 4 times, work across to 1 st before next yo, [ssk the next st together with its yo, k1] 4 times, work to end of rnd.

Continue yoke until all the increases are completed.

Separate Sleeves from Body:
Place 57[65, 71, 79, 85, 93, 99, 107, 111] sts on circular needle for front, cast on 5[5, 7, 7, 9, 9, 11, 11, 13] sts for underarm, place 42[44, 44, 48, 52, 60, 64, 70, 72] sts on waste yarn for sleeve, place 57[65, 71, 79, 85, 93, 99, 107, 111] sts on circular needle for back, cast on 5[5, 7, 7, 9, 9, 11, 11, 13] sts for underarm, place 42[44, 44, 48, 52, 60, 64, 70, 72] sts on waste yarn for sleeve. 124[140, 156, 172, 188, 204, 220, 236, 248] body sts.

Body
Knit in stockinette stitch for 5[5, 5, 5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5] inches from the underarm.

Waist shaping
Next rnd: Work to first front lace marker, sm, k2tog, work to 2 sts before second front lace marker, ssk, work to back lace marker, sm, k2tog, work to 2 sts before second back lace marker, ssk, knit to end of rnd. 4 sts dec'd.
Work 3 rnds plain.
Repeat last 4 rnds 3 more times.

Inc rnd: Work to first front lace marker, sm, M1R, work to 2 sts before second front lace marker, M1L, work to back lace marker, sm, M1R, work to 2 sts before second back lace marker, M1L, knit to end of rnd. 4 sts inc'd.
Work 3 rnds plain.
Repeat last 4 rnds 3 more times.

Continue to knit in the round until the body is 12[12, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 13, 13, 13.5, 13.5] inches long, measured from underarm to hem, or 1.75 inches shorter than your desired length.

Work 10 rnds of k2, p2 rib. BO in pattern.

Note: After working 44[46, 46, 50, 50, 52, 52, 55, 55] rnds (approximately 8[8.25, 8.25, 9, 9, 9.5, 9.5, 10, 10] inches), work next 10 rnds in CC2, next 8 rnds in CC 1 and last 8 rnds before rib cuff in CC2.

All sizes:
Work 7[6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2] rnds.

Dec rnd: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of rnd, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec'd.

Work last 8[7, 7, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3] rnds 7[5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 19, 8, 16] more times. 32[38, 40, 44, 50, 60, 36, 64, 52] sts.

Sizes excluding XS and 3X:
Work -[7, 7, 6, 5, 4, -, 3, 3] rnds.
Dec rnd: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of rnd, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec'd.

Repeat last -[8, 8, 7, 6, 5, -, 4, 4] rnds -[2, 3, 5, 6, 11, -, 13, 7] more times. 32[32, 32, 32, 36, 36, 36, 36, 36] sts.

Work until under-sleeve measures 13[13.5, 13.5, 14.25, 14.25, 14.5, 14.5, 15, 15] inches or 3.75 inches shorter than desired sleeve length.

Cuff
Work 20 rnds of k2, p2 rib. Bind off.
Repeat for second sleeve.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and wet block.

Renée Callahan is an expat Seattleite relocated to East London and knitting full-time. After studying fashion design at Central Saint Martins and setting up a knitwear studio, she now spends as much time as possible working on handknit designs. She loves learning new (and old!) techniques and spreading the knitterly love with classes and workshops.

Find her designs on Ravelry and her blog.