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cozyclapotisleaves+wavesbelle starholey moley
boo, toozigzagblazegiraffecolorlinesleopetrol
the rockstiggerskating queenunbiasedhallowigfall surprise

After nearly 15 years together, I wanted to knit my man a sweater that he would actually wear.

Looking over patterns, ready-made sweaters and yarns with him ended up sounding like a reading of the Berenstain's Old Hat, New Hat. "Too red, too dotty, too blue, too spotty, too fancy, too frilly, too shiny, too silly." He wanted subtle. Well fitted. Not bulky. Not itchy. No riotous colorwork (okay, not even a stripe). No ornate cables. Preferably taupe. Taupe? Still, I wanted to do it, and do it right.

So what pushes this sweater from simple to well-styled classic that he'll wear? And wear for years? For starters, attention to detail. A set-in sleeve flatters his shoulders. Ribs give just enough form-following fit. Decreases worked a few stitches in from the edge to create a smooth transition between sleeve and body. And a yarn that the knitter and wearer will love.

Admittedly a splurge, Horstia's Maulbeerseide is half silk and half wool. It has a lovely drape and elasticity without ANY itch. It's comfortably warm, but perfect for the office or dinner with the folks. And it comes in oodles of colors, including several that qualify as taupe.

model: Leo Bleicher photos: Kristi Porter

SIZE

S[M, L, XL, XXL]
To fit chest: 34-36 [38-40, 42-44, 46-48, 50-52] inches

 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 40[44, 48, 52, 56] inches
Length: 25[26, 27, 27.5, 28] inches

 

MATERIALS

Horstia Maulbeerseide Schurwolle [50% silk, 50% wool; 111yd/100m per 50g skein]; color: #19; 14[15, 17, 19, 21] skeins

1 US #3/3.25 mm 16-inch circular needle
1 24 inch or longer US #3/3.25 mm circular needle or set of straight needles
1 24 inch or longer US #4/3.5 mm circular needle or set of straight needles

 

GAUGE

24 sts/32 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch on larger needles
26 sts/32 rows = 4" in 5x3 rib on larger needles

 
SHAPING NOTE

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

When working armhole or sleeve cap shaping, work dec rows as follows:
RS dec rows: K3, w2tog tbl, work in patt as set to last 5 sts, w2tog, k3.
WS dec rows: P3, w2tog, work in patt as set to last 5 sts, w2tog tbl, p3.

W2tog: Work 2 together in pattern. If the next st is a k st, then k2tog. If it is a p st, p2tog.

 
DIRECTIONS

Back
CO 129(145, 153, 169, 177] sts with US #3 needles.
Row 1 [RS]: K3, [p3, k5] to last 6 sts, p3, k3.
Row 2 [WS]: P3, [k3, p5] to last 6 sts, k3, p3.
These 2 rows set 5x3 rib.
Work in rib as set for 1 inch, then switch to US #4 needles.
Cont in rib as set until work measures 16[16.5, 17, 17, 17] inches.

Armhole Shaping
BO 6 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of foll 2 rows.
113[129, 137, 153, 161] sts
Working dec rows as per Shaping Note above, dec 1 st at each end of next 1[4, 6, 7, 9] rows.
111[121, 125, 139, 143] sts
Cont in rib patt until piece meas 9[9.5, 10, 10.5, 11] inches from beg of armhole shaping, ending with a RS row.
Next row [WS]: Work across 31[34, 35, 39, 40] sts, BO center 49[53, 55, 61, 63] sts, work across rem 31[34, 35, 39, 40] sts.

Shape shoulders and back neck
Right shoulder:
Row 1 [RS]: BO 6[7, 7, 8, 8] sts, work to last 5 sts, k2tog, k3.
Rows 2 and 4 [WS]: P3, p2tog, work to end.
Row 3 [RS]: BO 6[7, 7, 8, 9] sts, work to last 5 sts, k2tog, k3.
Row 5 [RS]: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 9] sts, work to last 5 sts, k2tog, k3.
Row 6 [WS]: Work even in patt as set.
Row 7: BO rem 7[8, 8, 9, 9] sts in patt.

Reattach yarn and work left shoulder to match right shoulder, reversing all shaping, using k2tog tbl and p2tog tbl decreases in place of k2tog and p2tog.

Front
CO 129(145, 153, 169, 177] sts with US #3 needles.
Row 1 [RS]: K3, [p3, k5] to last 6 sts, p3, k3.
Row 2 [WS]: P3, [k3, p5] to last 6 sts, k3, p3.
These 2 rows set 5x3 rib.
Work in rib as set for 1 inch, then switch to US #4 needles.
Cont in rib as set until work meas 16[16.5, 17, 17, 17] inches.

Armhole Shaping
BO 6 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of foll 2 rows. 113[129, 137, 153, 161] sts
Working dec rows as per Shaping Note above, dec 1 st at each end of next 1[4, 6, 7, 9] rows. 111[121, 125, 139, 143] sts
Cont in rib patt until piece measures 6[6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 7] inches from beg of armhole shaping, ending with a RS row.

Neck shaping
Next Row [WS]: Work across 46[51, 52, 59, 60] sts, BO center 19[19, 21, 21, 23] sts, work rem 46[51, 52, 59, 60] sts
Right side
Next Row [RS]: Work in patt as set to last 5 sts, k2 tog, k3.
Next Row [WS]: P3, p2tog, work in patt as set to end.
Work these 2 rows 9[10, 10, 11, 11] times more, then work first row 0[0, 0, 1, 1] time more. 26[29, 30, 34, 45] sts
Work even until piece measures 9[9.5, 10, 10.5, 11] inches from beg of armhole shaping, ending with a WS row.
Next row [RS]: BO 6[7, 7, 8, 8] sts, work to end.
Next and all foll WS rows: Work even in patt as set.
Next row [RS]: BO 6[7, 7, 8, 9] sts, work to end.
Next row [RS]: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 9] sts, work to end.
Next row [RS]: BO rem 7[8, 8, 9, 9] sts in patt.
Reattach yarn and work left neck and shoulder to match right neck and shoulder, reversing all shaping, using k2tog tbl and p2tog tbl decs in place of k2tog and p2tog.

Sleeves (make 2 the same)
CO 61[69, 69, 77, 85] sts with US #3 needles.
Row 1 [RS]: [K5, p3] to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 2 [WS]: [P5, k3] to last 5 sts, p5.
These 2 rows set 5x3 rib.
Work in rib as set for 1 inch, then switch to US #4 needles.
Maintining patt as set and working inc sts into patt, inc 1 st at each end every 8 rows 9[5, 0, 0, 0] times, then every 6 rows 10[16, 20, 22, 20] times, then every 4 rows 0[0, 6, 5, 8] times. 99[111, 121, 131, 141] sts on needle.
Work even until sleeve meas 18[18, 19, 20, 20] inches.

Sleeve cap shaping
BO 6 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of foll 2 rows. 83[95, 105, 115, 125] sts
Working dec rows as per Shaping Note above, dec 1 st at each end of next 1[4, 6, 7, 9] rows. 81[87, 93, 101, 107] sts
Dec 1 st at each end of every alt row 23[22, 20, 20, 20] times. 35[43, 53, 61, 67] sts
Dec 1 st at each end of next 0[2, 7, 9, 12] rows. 35[39, 39, 43, 43] sts
BO 4 sts at beg of next and foll 3 rows.
BO rem 19[23, 23, 27, 27] sts.

 
FINISHING

Sew shoulder seams.
Pin sleeve cap to armhole, beginning by aligning center of sleeve cap with edge of shoulder seam, and beg point of sleeve cap shaping with beg point of armhole shaping. Ease in fabric between to fit.
Sew sleeve cap to armhole.
Sew sleeve and side seams.
Weave in ends.

Neck edging
Using 16-inch US#3 circular needle, with RS facing and beg at left shoulder seam, pick up and k an even number of sts around neckline. (Guideline for picking up sts: pick up each stitch on straight BO sections of front and back neck, and 6 sts per inch around contoured sections.)
Work in k1, p1 rib for 1 inch, then work in St st for 1 inch.
Using US #4 needle, BO all sts loosely.

 

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Kristi is pleased to have finished knitting this sweater and hopes to borrow it on occasion.

She makes her home with her husband and two daughters in San Diego, California.