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by Angela Hahn

Verdant groves of oak and birch; shaded stands of pine. Visions of Sherwood Forest inspired this sweater -- and then there is my youngest son's love of all things green.

Sherwood will certainly make your child merry: constructed from a veritable forest of ribbed columns, it is sized for a comfortably classic to loose fit, but the ribs are gently form-following for a sporty silhouette (which flatters girls as well as boys).

This modified drop-shoulder pullover is worked in the round to the armholes, and then worked back and forth to the shoulders; after the shoulders are joined, stitches for the sleeves are picked up around the armholes and worked downward to the cuffs, meaning that sleeve length can be adjusted easily if necessary.

Don't be intimidated by the charts! Although they may look daunting, the pattern is easily followed once it has been established.

model: Joseph photos: Angela Hahn
SIZE
Child sizes 2[4, 6-8, 10-12, 14, 16] (shown in size 2)
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 24[27, 30, 33, 36, 39] inches
Length: 12.5[14, 16, 18, 20, 21] inches
 
MATERIALS

Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece [80% cotton/20% merino wool; 215 yd/197m per 100g skein]; color: #CW-460 Jungle Green; 3[3, 3, 4, 5, 6] skeins
Note: The sample sweater (Size 2) was knit using two skeins, but they were barely sufficient; three skeins are recommended to ensure that you will have enough to knit a swatch and still complete the sweater.

1 set US #6/4mm double-point needles
1 US #6/4mm circular needle; 20-inch needle is recommended for sizes 2 and 4, 24-inch for size 6-8 or 10-12, and 32-inch for size 14 or 16.
Stitch markers
Row counter (optional but recommended)
Waste yarn OR stitch holders (2 long and 4 short)
Safety pin or split ring marker
Tapestry needle
 
GAUGE

24 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in pattern stitch after blocking

Note: Be sure to knit a large swatch, and to block it before measuring gauge!
 
PATTERN NOTES

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

Sherwood uses a variation on the Rib & Braid pattern from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Once established, the pattern is easily memorized.

Chart Preparation:
Print out all charts. Tape the Right and Left Body charts together at the center, and do the same for the Right and Left Sleeve Charts. You may find it helpful to carefully cut out or trace the sections of the charts which show the size you are making.

Once the Right and Left halves of the Body chart are joined, they show the full Front or Back of the sweater body. Each row of this chart will be worked twice; when the lower body is worked in the round, each row will be worked twice per round. When the upper body is worked back and forth, each row will be worked once when working the front, and once when working the back.

The two sleeve charts, when joined, show one full sleeve.

Crossed Stitches:
All crossed stitches can be worked without a cable needle. When working a Right Cross or Left Cross as described below, all sts will be worked as they appear; ie. if the stitch is a knit stitch it will be knit, if it is a purl stitch it will be purled.

RC: Right Cross
Bring right needle in front of first st on left needle and work into front loop of second stitch; work first st on left needle; drop both sts from left needle.

LC: Left Cross
Bring right needle behind first st on left needle and work into back loop of second stitch; work first st on left needle; drop both sts from left needle.

Working Wraps Together with Wrapped Stitches:
When working rows which follow short rows, work the "wraps" at the turning points of the short rows, together with the stitches they wrap, as follows:

When working a RS row: Knit to wrapped stitch. Slip next stitch from left needle to right needle, use tip of left needle to pick up "wrap" and place it on right needle, insert left needle into both wrap and stitch, and knit them together.

When working a WS row: Purl to wrapped stitch. Slip next stitch from left needle to right needle, use tip of left needle to pick up "wrap" and place it on right needle, slip both wrap and stitch back to left needle, purl together through back loops.

Three-Needle Bind Off
Hold both pieces of knitting with right sides together.

*Insert needle into first st on front needle and first st on back needle, and knit them together. Repeat this for the next st on the front and back needles. Draw the first st worked over the second st.*

Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off. Break yarn and draw through remaining st.

Please download charts by clicking these links:

Body [L]
BODY [R]
sleeve [L]
sleeve [r]
DIRECTIONS

Body
Using circular needle, CO 144[164, 180, 200, 216, 236] sts.

Place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work Round 1 of Body Chart, beginning and ending at points indicated for your size; place second marker after first 72[82, 90, 100, 108, 118] sts to mark end of chart repeat.

Work Round 1 of chart 0[5, 11, 5, 9, 0] times more.

Note: Read ahead; chart directions and shaping directions are worked at the same time.

Work Rounds/Rows 2-66 once.

Work Rounds/Rows 35-66 0[0, 0, 1, 1, 2] times more.

Work Rows 67 - 82[88, 96, 84, 94, 78].

AT THE SAME TIME, after you have worked 51[60, 70, 82, 92, 97] rounds (you will have just completed Round 51[55, 59, 45, 51, 65] of chart), divide for Front and Back as follows:

Next Round: Work in patt to 4[4, 6, 6, 8, 8] sts before second marker; place next 8[8, 12, 12, 16, 16] sts on waste yarn or short st holder, removing marker; place next 64[74, 78, 88, 92, 102] sts on hold on second piece of waste yarn or long st holder; place next 8[8, 12, 12, 16, 16] sts (last 4[4, 6, 6, 8, 8] sts of round and first 4[4, 6, 6, 8, 8] sts of next round) on third piece of waste yarn or short st holder, removing marker. 64[74, 78, 88, 92, 102] sts on needle.

Upper Back
Cont in patt, working back and forth on rem sts, until Row 82[88, 96, 84, 94, 78] is complete (see above). Work measures approx. 11.75[13.25, 15.25, 17.25, 19.25, 20.25] inches.

Shape Shoulders
Next Row [WS]: Work in patt to last 7[8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts, w&t; work in patt to last 7[8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts, w&t; work in patt to end, working wrap together with wrapped st as described in Pattern Notes.

Work 2 more rows in patt, working remaining wrap together with wrapped st.

Upper Front
Replace 64[74, 78, 88, 92, 102] held sts of Front on needle with RS facing and attach yarn.

Work in patt until chart Row 78[84, 90, 78, 86, 70] is complete (Front is 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10] rows shorter than Back to shoulder).

Shape Right Shoulder
Next Row [WS]: Work 15[18, 20, 25, 27, 31] sts in patt, p2tog, p1; place next 28[32, 32, 32, 32, 34] sts on waste yarn or short st holder; place rem 18[21, 23, 28, 30, 34] sts on separate piece of waste yarn or short st holder. 17[20, 22, 27, 29, 33] sts on needle.

Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, work in patt to end.
Next Row [WS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1.
Repeat these 2 rows 0[0, 1, 1, 2, 2] times more.

Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, work in patt to last 7[8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts, w&t; work in patt to end.

Work 3 more rows in patt, working wrap together with wrapped st. Break yarn, leaving a 1-yard tail for working Three-Needle Bind Off. Place remaining 14[17, 17, 22, 22, 26] sts on waste yarn or short st holder.

Shape Left Shoulder
Place 18[21, 23, 28, 30, 34] held sts of left shoulder on needle with WS facing; reattach yarn.

Next Row [WS]: P1, p2tog tbl, work in patt to end.
Next Row [RS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 1[1, 2, 2, 3, 3] times more. 14[17, 17, 22, 22, 26] sts.

Next Row [WS]: Work in patt to last 7[8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts, w&t, work in patt to end.
Work 2 more rows in patt.

Join Shoulders
Place 14[17, 17, 22, 22, 26] sts of back left shoulder on double-point needle. With wrong sides facing, join to sts of front left shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.

Join right shoulder in the same way. 36[40, 44, 44, 48, 50] sts of back neck and 28[32, 32, 32, 32, 34] sts of front neck remain on hold.

Sleeves
Note: When working sleeves, if there are not enough sts to work crossed st, simply k or p sts in patt as set.

With RS facing, using circular needle and beginning at lower edge of back left armhole, pick up and k 68[72, 78, 84, 90, 96] sts evenly along armhole edge (approx. 1 st for each row); do not work held sts of underarm.

Divide underarm sts evenly between two double-point needles.

Work as follows, following Sleeve Chart, beginning and ending with sts indicated for your size:
Row 1 [WS]: Work in patt to last st; [p2tog] last st together with adjacent held st of underarm.
Row 2 [RS]: Work in patt to last st; [ssk] last st together with adjacent held st of underarm.
Repeat these 2 rows 3[3, 5, 5, 7, 7] times more; all underarm sts have been worked.

Place safety pin or split ring marker in work to indicate beginning of round and begin working in the round, using double-point needles, shaping sleeve as follows:

Work 3 rounds in patt as set.
Sleeve Decrease Round: K2tog, work in patt to last 2 sts, ssk.
Repeat these 4 rounds 2[7, 10, 16, 16, 15] times more. 62[56, 56, 50, 56, 64] sts.

Work 1 round in patt.
Work Sleeve Decrease Round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 15[11, 10, 6, 8, 12] times more. 30[32, 34, 36, 38, 38] sts.

Cont in rib patt as set until sleeve measures 8.5[10.5, 12.5, 15, 16, 16.5] inches from underarm, or desired length. BO all sts in patt.

Work other sleeve in the same way.
FINISHING

Neckband
Place held sts of front and back neck on double-point needles. Rejoin yarn at beginning of back neck sts.

Work held sts of back neck in patt as set, pick up and k 1 st in left shoulder seam and 1 st in each row along left front neckline, work held sts of front neckline in patt as set, pick up and k 1 st in each row along right front neckline and 1 st in right shoulder seam.

Before proceeding, look at rib patt established by front and back neck sts, and count picked-up sts along side front edges of neckline. To incorporate picked-up sts into rib patt, it will be necessary to work in 2x2 rib or 2x3 rib, or a combination of the two; decide how you will work these sts. You may wish to decrease 1 or 2 sts on each side to make the rib pattern work in a way that pleases you.

Work 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10] rounds in rib patt. BO all sts loosely in patt.

Weave in ends. If you have any small gaps in underarm or neckline, use ends to close these gaps.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Angela learned to knit as a child, but a tragic gauge accident caused her to closet her yarn and needles for a decade. Just two years ago she rediscovered the joys of knitting, and has finally accepted that occasional ripping is required. You can find her blog here.
Pattern & images © 2006 Angela Hahn. Contact Angela