by Axelle de Sauveterre

Once upon a time, in a land not quite yours, not quite mine...
There lived a young man whose world was small,
A conveyor belt of concrete and conference calls,
The black and grey of an urban sprawl.

This did not suit him at all.

For, as a lover of history, he dreamed of foreign lands, of turrets and spires,
Of the colors, the sights, the sounds, the remnants of old empires,
Of places that if only (“If only !”) he could, he would see.
But alas, his reality was... shall we say...less carefree.

And so each morning he donned the daily grey of another lackluster day,
Every step a melancholy tread between breakfast, business, and bed.

To this he had resigned himself, and stowed his wanderlust upon a shelf...

Until one day a parcel came. 
No stamp.  No return address.  Not even a name.
But in the box he did find a compliment of the sweetest kind :
A sweater to his precise measurements painstakingly crafted,
And a scented scroll on which in bordeaux ink was drafted
“Come find me !”

No signature.  Just a fleur-de-lis.

And beneath the sweater, tucked in a tissue paper crevice,
Was a ticket in his name.  Destination : Venice.

Needless to say, his curiosity was piqued,
And with a few well-placed calls, his vacation dates were tweaked.
Then off he went, not once looking back
(Though he did fancy his new sweater made some jealous jaws go slack).

There was a glow about him, they would later say,
As he bid the office farewell that day,
A young man with a jaunty step and not a hint of strife
As he struck off in pursuit of the adventure of his life ...

(Auguste is a cozy slim-fitting cable-and-rib pullover with a relaxed henley zip collar with a drape that combines insouciance and luxury when knit in a soft lightweight yarn, like the one shown here in 4-ply cashmere. Perfect for the traveler and the non-traveler alike.)

SIZE
S[M, L, 1X, 2X] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 38[42, 46, 50, 54] inches
Length: 26[27.5, 28.5, 30, 31] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Sauveterre Mont Blanc [100% cashmere; 200yd/182m per 50g skein]; color: Blackberry; 10[11, 12, 13, 14] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US #5/3.75mm circular needle or set of straight needles (smaller needle)
1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 24 inches or longer (larger needle)
Note: If preferred, straight needles may be used for body and sleeves; circular needle is only necessary for collar.

Notions
Stitch markers
Cable needle
Waste yarn
Invisible zipper, approx. length 10.5 inches (zipper may be shortened if too long)
Yarn needle
Sewing pins
Sewing needle and thread to match yarn

GAUGE

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

C6B: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k3 from left needle, k3 from cable needle.

C6F: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; k3 from left needle, k3 from cable needle.

A video tutorial that will show you how to shorten a zipper may be found here:

DIRECTIONS

Sizes S, M, 1X Only:
Row 1 [RS]: K5[6, -, 2, -], p3, [k3, p3] to last 5[6, -, 2, -] sts, k5[6, -, 2, -].

Row 2 [WS]: P5[6, -, 2, -], k3, [p3, k3] to last 5[6, -, 2, -] sts, p5[6, -, 2, -].

These 2 rows set 3x3 Rib for back.

Size L Only:
Row 1 [RS]: K2, p2, k3, [p3, k3] to last 4 sts, p2, k2.

Row 2 [WS]: P2, k2, p3, [k3, p3] to last 4 sts, k2, p2.

These 2 rows set 3x3 Rib for back.

Size 2X Only:
Row 1 [RS]: [K3, p3] to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2 [WS]: [P3, k3] to last 3 sts, p3.
These 2 rows set 3x3 Rib for back.

All Sizes:
Work 24 more rows in 3x3 Rib as set, ending with a WS row.

Establish Cable and Rib Pattern:
Next Row [RS]: Work 14[21, 4, 11, 18] sts in 3x3 Rib as set, place marker, work Row 1 of Cable and Rib Chart over next 105[105, 153, 153, 153] sts (outlined pattern repeat section will be worked 4[4, 6, 6, 6] times), place marker, work last 14[21, 4, 11, 18] sts in 3x3 Rib as set.

This row sets pattern for back: work sts between markers following Cable and Rib Chart, and all other sts in 3x3 Rib as set.

Continue in pattern until work measures 17[18, 19, 19.5, 19.5] inches or desired length to underarm, ending with a WS row.

Note: From this point on, work 2 sts at each edge of piece in stockinette st.

Sizes L, 1X, 2X Only:
Decrease Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Next Row [WS]: P1, p2tog, work in pattern to last 3 sts, ssp, p1.
Repeat threse 2 rows -[-, 1, 2, 5] times more. -[-, 125, 135, 137] sts.

All Sizes:
Decrease Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work 1 WS row in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rows 18[30, 35, 38, 39] times more. 67[57, 53, 57, 57] sts.

Sizes S, M Only:
Work Decrease Row. Work 3 rows in pattern.
Repeat these 4 rows 7[2, -, -, -] times more, then work Decrease Row once more. 49 sts.

Work 1 WS row in pattern.

All Sizes:
Break yarn and place remaining sts on waste yarn.

FRONT
Work as for back until work measures 16[17, 18, 19.5, 20.5] inches, ending with a WS row. (This will be 1 inch before underarm for sizes S, M and L, same length as underarm for size 1X, and 1 inch after beginning of armhole shaping for size 2X.)

At this point, work will be divided for neckline. Find nine-stitch braid cable at center of work; neckline will be divided at center of this cable; work sts of center cable in stockinette st from this point on.
For sizes 1X and 2X, remember to work armhole shaping as for back when working next row.

Next Row [RS]: Work in pattern to center cable, k first 4 sts of center cable; join second ball of yarn, BO 1 st, work in pattern to end.

Working each set of sts with attached ball of yarn, continue as for back, working 4 sts at neckline edge of each piece in stockinette st. When all shaping is complete, two sets of 24[24, 26, 28, 28] sts remain. Break yarn and place remaining sts on waste yarn.

Establish Cable and Rib Pattern:
Next Row [RS]: K3, p3, place marker, work Row 1 of Cable and Rib Chart over next 57 sts (outlined pattern repeat section will be worked twice), place marker, p3, k3.
This row sets pattern for sleeve: work sts between markers following Cable and Rib Chart, and all other sts in 3x3 Rib as set.

Work 1 WS row in pattern.

Increase Row [RS]: K1, m1, work in pattern to last st, m1, k1.

Work 9[9, 9, 7, 7] rows in pattern, working increased sts in pattern.

Repeat these 10[10, 10, 8, 8] rows 11[11, 9, 14, 14] times more. 93[93, 89, 99, 99] sts.

Sizes L, 1X, 2X Only:
Work Increase Row. Work -[-, 7, 5, 5] rows in pattern.
Repeat these -[-, 8, 6, 6] rows -[-, 3, 2, 3] times more. -[-, 97, 105, 107] sts.

All Sizes:
Continue in pattern until work measures 18.5[19, 20, 21, 21.5] inches or desired length to underarm, ending with a WS row.

Shape Raglan Sleeve Cap:
BO 14 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. 65[65, 69, 77, 79] sts.

Note: From this point on, work 2 sts at each edge of piece in stockinette st.

Decrease Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work 1 WS row in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rows 20[18, 22, 26, 24] times more. 23[27, 23, 23, 29] sts.

Work Decrease Row. Work 3 rows in pattern.
Repeat these 4 rows 6[8, 6, 6, 9] times more, then work Decrease Row once more. 7 sts.

Work 1 WS row in pattern. Break yarn and place remaining sts on waste yarn.

Collar:
Place held sts of back, fronts and sleeves on larger needle and join yarn at right neckline edge with RS facing. 111[111, 119, 127, 127] sts.

Matching rib pattern on sweater, work in 3x3 Rib until collar measures 4 inches or desired depth.

Loosely BO all sts, using a larger needle if necessary.

Zipper:
Shorten zipper if necessary (see Pattern Notes). With zipper closed and sweater lying on a flat surface, carefully position and pin zipper behind both sides of front neck opening.
Open zipper. Using thread and sewing needle, baste zipper in place, removing pins along the way and taking care to keep zipper teeth clear of knitted edges. Close zipper to check that fabric is not distorted.
Sew zipper securely to sweater and remove basting.

Front Edge Facing:
With zipper open, turn sweater inside out. Position one side of neckline opening so that zipper teeth are at upper edge of work, with WS facing. Following a line of sts just beyond edge of zipper tape, pick up and k 3 sts for every 4 rows in work to end of zipper tape.
Work 2-3 rows stockinette st; work should cover most of zipper tape. Be sure that edge of facing will not overlap zipper teeth after binding off.
Loosely BO all sts. Work facing for other side of neck opening in the same way.

Pin facing to zipper tape, then baste in place. Sew facing securely to zipper tape.
Weave in any remaining ends.

Axelle de Sauveterre, who is obviously not a poet, divides her fiber fetish between the United States and France.

Her hand-painted and other luxury fibers can be found at select stores and at sauveterredesign.com